WHAT KINDS OF ONIONS TO PLANT. 17 



either single or combined in their effects, draw largely on- 

 the vital power of the seed. Hence, seed that under the 

 favoring influences of the hot-house or kitchen may vege- 

 tate, may not have sufficient vitality to overcome the exces- 

 sive cold or moisture of the garden. The result, therefore, 

 of the usual experimental tests can be relied upon as giving 

 only an approximation to the truth. 



Among these approximate tests is the simple one of par- 

 tially filling a tumbler with cotton-wool, pouring in a little 

 water, not sufficient to cover the cotton, then sprinkling a 

 certain number of seed on the cotton, covering it with a 

 little additional cotton to keep the moisture in. Another 

 simple test is to sprinkle the seed to be tested on a moist 

 woollen cloth ; fold the cloth together, and put it in a place 

 moderately warm. The proportion of seed that is good will 

 be known by the proportion that sprout. Experienced eyes 

 can learn something by the appearance and feel of the seed. 

 Old seed require several days longer to vegetate than new. 



WHAT KINDS OF ONIONS TO PLANT. 



■pOREIGN CATALOGUES describe a score and more varieties 

 * of onion which are raised in Europe ; but, as far as ex- 

 periments have been made with them in this country, it has 

 been found that European-grown onion-seed cannot be relied 

 upon to give as good bulbs as American-grown of the 'same 

 varieties ; while many sorts are not adapted to our climate. 

 A measure of the dubious quality of this foreign seed is well 

 indicated by the lower price at which it is generally cata- 

 logued. The past season (1887), I tested on my experi- 

 mental grounds about all the varieties of onions to be found 

 in foreign seed-catalogues. Out of them all I found but two 

 or three that did not give decidedly more scallions than 



