02 



D. M. Ferry & Cos Descriptive Catalogue. 



tops are perfectly dry, cut them off about half an inch 

 from the bulb and throw each pair of rows together 

 forming windrows about nine feet apart. After a few 

 -days more of bright weather, they will be fit to store. 



Kor Pickles or Sets.— Good ground should 

 be used prepared as above, but the seed sown in broad 

 drills and very thicks thirty to sixty pounds per acre. 



Hoi^ to Keep Onions througrli 

 :Winter. 



The essentials for the preservation of onions are dry- 

 ness, thorough ventilation, coolness, and freedom from 

 frost, or if frozen, they must not be permitted to thaw 

 and freeze again 



One of the most popular methods of keeping onions, 

 is to spread straw to the depth of eighteen inches upon 

 the barn floor, scaffold or garret; upon this spread the 

 ■onions six to ten inches deep, and cover with two feet of 

 straw. If in good condition and sufficient depth of 

 •covering is used, they will keep in fine condition till 

 May. 



A cool, dry cellar of some out-building, barn or car- 

 riage house will be found excellent for keeping onions, 

 if it has windows for ventilation. The cellar of a dwell- 

 ing house is usually too warm. They should be spread 

 ■on scaffolds, about six inches deep, with room enough 

 ■between the boards for the air to circulate. On approach 

 ■of cold weather, close the doors and windows, and keep 

 the.temperature just above the freezing point. With pro- 

 per care, they can thus be kept without freezing at all, 

 •and will come out sound and nice in the spring. 



Extra Early Red. — A medium sized, flat variety ; 

 ^n abundant producer, and very uniform in shape and 

 rsize; moderately strong flavored, and comes into use ■ 

 nearly -two weeks earlier than the Large Red Wethers- 

 field ; very desirable for early market use. 



Early Red Globe. — A comparatively new variety, 

 maturing as early as the flat sort. It is globe shaped ; 

 skin deep red ; flesh mild and tender. Very handsome 

 in appearance. 



Large Red Wethersfield. 



Large Red Wethersfield. — This is the standard 

 variety; and the favorite onion in the east, where im- 

 mense crops are grown for shipment. Large size ; skin 

 deep purplish red ; form round, somewhat flattened ; 

 flesh purplish white ; moderately fine grained, and 

 stronger flavored than any of the other kinds. Very pro- 

 ductive, the best keeper, and one of the most popular 

 for general cultivation. 



Large Yellow, or Yellow Dutch.— One of the 

 ■oldest sorts, and as a market variety, probably better 

 known than any other. Flesh white, fine grained, mild, 

 .and well flavored. 



Yellow Danvers, — A fine variety, originated in 

 South Danvers, Mass. Above the medium size, 

 globular in form ; skin yellowish brown ; flesh white, 

 •comparatively mild and well flavored ; productive, six 



Yellow Danvers. 



hundred bushels per acre from seed being a not uncom- 

 mon crop. By careful selection, we have improved the 

 original shape of this variety, so that to distinguish it 

 from the old stock, many seedsmen catalogue it as 

 Yellow Globe Danvers. 



White Portugal, or American Silverskin.— A 

 large, flat on- 

 ion ; of mild 

 flavor; fine for 

 early winter 

 use, and much 

 esteemed for 

 pickling. It is \\i^l 

 the best keep- 

 er of the white 

 varieties. 



White Sil- 

 verskin, f o r 

 Pickling. — 

 Thisisof VA/I-, r->i I 



small size, sil- White Portugal. 



very white, and, on account of its small size and hand- 

 some appearance, is preferred for pickling. 



White Globe. — Yields abundantly, producing hand- 

 some and uniformly globe shaped bulbs. The flesh is 

 firm, fine grained, and of mild flavor. Sometimes call- 

 ed Southport White Globe. 



El Paso, or Large Mexican. — Grows in Mexico to 

 a diameter of six inches and to a weight of two or three 

 pounds, and used in that region in preference to any 

 other sort. Color variable from white to light red; flesh 

 white, rather coarse grained, but of very mild flavor. 

 Resembles a mammoth White Portugal. 



KOStElGBi 03iI0P«S. 



The following varieties have been tested in this coun- 

 try, and have given perfect satisfaction. While we 

 would not recommend the risking of a large crop of 

 onions by sowing imported seed, we believe the follow- 

 ing varieties will be found very desirable for early mar- 

 ket and home garden use. The flavor of the Italian 

 varieties is milder, and they seem everyway well adapt- 

 ed to culinary purposes : 



Giant Rocca. — An i77tiiiense onion. Globular in 

 form ; skin light brown; flesh mild and tender. It will 

 produce a large onion from seed the first season, but to 

 attain the largest growth, the smallest bulbs should be 



