104 PIGTOBIAL PBACTIGAL VEGETABLE GEGWIXG, 



the best of all. Others capable of being grown to a large size 

 are Anglo-Spanish, Carters'^ Eecorch Cocoa Nut, Cranston's 

 Excelsior. Lord Keeper, and Xe Plus Ultra. All of these ^vill give 

 bulbs 2 lb. to 3 lb. in weight. Somewhat smaller, say 1 lb. to If lb., 

 are Improved Wroxton, Suttons' Al, and Yeitchs' Maincrop. 



(2) Early sowing, under glass. The seed should be sown between 

 the middle of January and the middle of February, and the box 

 placed on a greenhouse shelf. Heat is not essential, although it 

 brings the plants along rapidly. _ A cold frame will do in an 

 emergency, but the plants thus rai>ed are hardly likely to become as 

 large as those raised in a heated house. 



(3) Deep boxes. It is a great mistake to use a box less than 

 4 inches deep. In shallow boxes the roots become matted on the 

 bottom, and many are torn away when transplanting. 



(4) Thin sowing. If the seeds are sown thickly the yoimg plants 

 become crowded, and the grower is tempted to prick them off too 

 soon. They ought not to be pricked out until they are at 

 least 3 inches high, because at an earlier stage the roots are verv 

 brittle. 



(5) Eich, deeply trenched soil. This, and manuring, have been 

 dealt with in a previous chapter. 



(6) Thorough harvesting. The bulbs must have a good roasting 

 or they will not keep. I find it well to bend the tops over in August, 

 but to leave the plants on the ground till mid-September, loosening 

 them on various occasions so as to break the roots by degrees. 

 Afterwards lay them in the sun for a fortnight, taking them under 

 cover on wet days and at night. 



There is nothing gained by planting the seedlings very early in 

 spring. In cold districts the third week in April is soon enough. 

 The plants should then be as thick in the stem as a quill pen. They 

 may be planted 1 foot apart in rows IS inches asunder. The soil 

 must be firm, and only enough should be loosened at planting to 

 cover the roots. 



If the soil is well tilled and fed, neither water nor liquid manure 

 will be required after the plants start growing. My biggest bulbs 

 have been produced when no feeding has been attempted. All the 

 summer culture required is to keep down weeds. 



If very large bulbs are wanted from a summer sowing, choose the 

 Lemon Eocca, and sow at the middle of August. I have seen 24-lb. 

 bulbs of this variety. 



Small Onions are too useful in the kitchen ever to be ousted by 

 the big sorts, and they must not be neglected. The two named 

 above, also Brown Globe, Danvers' Yellow^, Deptford, and White 

 Spanish are old favourites for spring sowing 1 inch deep in rows 1 

 foot apart, to be thinned lightl}^ Generally speaking they keep 

 better than the large bulbs if drj^— damp soon spoils them. 



Pickling Onions are not perliaps grown so extensively now as 

 they used to be, many people preferring to pickle Shallots. How- 

 ever, we must not forget that there are pickling sorts to be had, or 



