STORING THE CROP. 39 



pulling of the crop should not be delayed after the tops are 

 well dry ; for, if rain should now fall, the onions will be apt 

 to re-root, to their injury. On soil comparatively free from 

 stones, a wheel-hoe, with the blade of a circular form, is used 

 to run under the onions, and loosen them from the ground. 

 A stout iron scraper to be attached to the end of the culti- 

 vator, from two to three feet in length, makes a very handy 

 implement to use after the onions are pulled, to cut up the 

 weeds between the rows ; after which they, with the small 

 stones, can be raked into heaps, to be carted off. Should 

 the backwardness of the season make it necessary to pull the 

 crop in rather a green state, it will be well to allow it to 

 remain untouched, after pulling, for about a week, before 

 turning or stirring, which will tend to hasten the decay of 

 the greener tops ; otherwise they should be carefully stirred 

 every pleasant day with a wooden-toothed rake. This should 

 be very carefully done, as the onions are very easily injured, 

 especially at this stage, and when injured are almost as likely 

 to rot as a bruised apple. See that they are not injured in 

 the raking or by the treading by a careless hand. The white 

 varieties need peculiar handling, as they, being more deli- 

 cate, are more apt to decay ; and, besides, a direct exposure 

 to the sun's rays will cause them to turn .green. These 

 should be pulled as soon as the tops begin to fall, be piled 

 in small heaps of not over half a dozen bushels, and be cov- 

 ered with two or three bundles of straw to protect from sun 

 and rain. When the weather is well below freezing, they 

 should be housed in a dark place, and be piled not over six 

 inches deep. When the crop is thoroughly dried, the onions 

 feeling hard to the handling, it will be ready for topping for 

 market. If over-dried, the outer layer of skin will peel off, 

 to the injury of the crop. Let them be carefully collected 



