KITCHEN-GARDEN VEGETABLES. 
early or late in spring, the Onion has a dis- 
position to rest after the hottest period of the 
summer is over. 
In order to have extra fine Onions to come 
under the designation “spring-sown”, exhibitors 
sow seeds of the finest varieties of the White 
Spanish type in pans of good soil, and place them 
in a moderate heat early in February. Not be- 
ing raised thickly no thinning or pricking out 
is needed, but the plants are kept growing 
sturdily near the glass in gentle heat till large 
enough to plant out, when they are hardened 
off and a favourable time selected for dibbling 
them out on extra-well-prepared ground where 
they are to grow. This plan has been adopted 
on a large scale in America, as it is found to 
be the surest method of securing an even crop 
of extra-fine, perfectly-matured bulbs, such as 
completely eclipse any sown in the open in the 
ordinary manner. 
Autumn Sowing.—lf the plants are not to be 
transplanted in spring, seeds of the White 
Spanish, or of the Silver-skinned, should be 
sown about the 17th of August. The seeds 
Fig. 1227.—Onion—Perfection. 
require to be covered to a greater depth than 
those sown in spring, otherwise they are lable 
to be thrown out of the ground by frost; on 
this account, in sandy soils an inch deep will 
not be too much. The plants should be thinned 
if necessary. 
If intended for transplanting in spring the 
White Spanish or Reading and Tripolis should 
be sown early in September, and transplanted 
in spring into ground prepared as for the 
spring-sown crops. The plants should be care- 
fully removed from the seed-bed, in order that 
their roots may be preserved as entire as pos- 
sible. The ground having been prepared, let a 
line be stretched, and the surface made smooth 
and close by beating with the spade, lightly if 
471 
the ground is rather moist and strong, more 
heavily if light and sandy. Next cut by the 
line a small trench, and if some good compost 
can be spread in the bottom so much the better. 
Then, with the plant in one hand, place the 
roots so that the fibres only shall be under 
the surface. The fibres should then be spread 
out and covered with soil by hand. When the 
row is planted, and the soil levelled, the lattcr 
should be made even, and rendered moderately 
compact with the back of the spade. If Onions 
for drawing young are likely to be in demand, 
the plants may be put at half the distance in 
the rows at which the crop is to remain, and 
every other one taken out for early use. 
Planting Small Bulbs of the Preceding Year's 
Growth.—These are obtained by sowing seeds of 
White Spanish or Reading, about the 10th of 
May, in dry, rather poor soil, in the manner 
directed for sowing pickling Onions. If the 
weather be dry, give a good watering imme- 
diately after sowing, but no more. Let the 
bulbs be taken up when ripe, and when per- 
fectly dry they may be kept in paper bags, in 
a cool place, till the beginning of February, 
when, if the weather permit, they should be 
planted in rich soil, 4 inches apart in rows 
9 inches asunder; or 6 or 8 inches apart in 
rows | foot from each other, if very large bulbs 
are desired. The bulbs should be taken between 
the finger and thumb, and pressed a little way 
into the ground. If there should be any small 
Onions they may be planted in the same way. 
Offset Ontons.—By sowing thickly in April, 
and allowing the plants to remain without thin- 
ning, bulbs of small size will be produced. 
Those of the size of Walnuts, or still larger, 
should be planted in January or February, 
pressing the bulb into the ground so as scarcely 
to cover it. When the stem begins to shoot up 
to flower it should be broken off, and in conse- 
quence of the check to the growth in this 
direction young bulbs, known as “ scallions’, 
form round or out of the old ones. Onions 
2 or 3 inches in circumference, and fit for the 
kitchen, may thus be obtained at a time when 
spring-sown Onions are not larger than quills, 
and Onions thus thrown into clusters will be 
full grown and fit to take up by the end of 
June. They do not keep; but this, we may 
add, is of no great consequence, as their princi- 
pal use is to afford a supply between the new 
and old crops. 
Potato Onion.—This is generally planted as 
early in the spring as the weather will permit, 
but it may be planted in December, especially 
