220 



ORCHARD. 



where this kind of onion is much cultivated, I understand 

 that it is the practice to plant on the shortest day, and take 

 up on the longest. The smallest onions used for planting 

 swell, and become very fine and large, as well as yield off- 

 sets ; the middle-sized and larger bulbs produce greater 

 clusters.' — Hort, Trans, vol. iii. p. 305. 



" Dymond states, {Hort, Trans, vol. iii, p. 306,) that in 

 Devonshire it is planted in rows, twelve inches apart, and 

 six inches' distance in the row ; that the plants are earthed 

 up as they grow, and that the smaller bulbs yield a greater 

 increase than the larger. A similar practice is adopted by 

 some Scotch cultivators. — Caled. Hort, Mem. vol. i. p. 343, 

 and vol. iv. p. 216. 



" Wedge wood does not earth up, and finds his bulbs ac- 

 quire a much larger size than when that practice is adopted. 

 — Hort! Trans, vol. iii. p. 403. The fact is, as we have 

 observed in generalizing on the subject of earthing up. sur-- 

 face-bulbs, as the onion, turnip, &c., are always prevenied 

 from attaining their full size by that operation, whatever 

 they may gain in other respects." — Loudon, 



Use, — The properties of onions in no respect differ from 

 those of garlic, excepting that the former are less pungent, 

 (see Garlic,) and are, therefore, more generally used for 

 culinary purposes. Many persons, however, dislike them on 

 account of the strong and disagreeable smell which they com- 

 municate to the breath. But this inconvenience is obviated 

 by eating a few raw leaves of parsley, immediately after par- 

 taking of onions, the scent of which is thus nearly removed, 

 and they are, at the same time, rendered more easy of di- 

 gestion. Vinegar also answers the same purpose." — Dom, 

 Encyc, 



ORCHARD. — Soil, — Any soil is suitable for an or- 

 chard, which produces good crops of grain, grass, or gar- 

 den vegetables ; but a good, deep, sandy loam, not too dry, 

 nor very moist, is to be preferred. In the stifFest part of the 

 ground, you may plant pear-trees ; in the lighter, apples, 

 plums, and cherries; and, in the lightest, peach, nectarine, 

 and apricots. 



Aspect, — A south-eastern aspect is generally recom- 

 mended ; but, when this exposes the trees to the sea w^inds, 

 a south-western maybe better. Some recommend a north- 

 ern aspect, and planting trees the north side of a wall, to 

 prevent them from budding and blowing so early in the 

 spring as to expose them to frosts. 



Preparation of the ground, — If the land be sw^arded, it 



