32 



D. M. FERRY & CO*S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



tates the " topping." If the weather is fine they will need no 

 .attention while curing, but if it is not they will need to be 

 stirred by simply moving them slightly along the row. 

 When the 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. 



For Pickles or Sets.— Good ground should be used, pre- 

 pared as above, but the seed sown in broad drills and very 

 thick, forty to sixty pounds per acre. 



How to Keep Onions Through Winter.— The essen- 

 tials for the preservation of onions are dryness, 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 carriage- 

 house will be found excellent for keeping onions, if it has 

 windows for ventilation. The cellar of a dwelling 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 proper care they can thus be kept 

 without freezing at all, and will come out nice and sound in 

 the spring. 



EXTRA EARLY RED.— A medium sized flat variety: 

 an abundant producer, and very uniform in shape and size ; 

 moderately strong flavored, and comes into use nearly two 

 weeks earlier than the Large Red Wethersfield ; very desirable 

 for early market use. 



LARGE RED WETHERSFIELD.- This is the stan- 

 dard variety, and the favorite onion in the East, where 

 immense crops are grown for shipment. Large sized; skin 

 •deep purplish red; form round, somewhat flattened; flesh 

 purplish white; moderately fine grained, and stronger 

 flavored than any of the other kinds. Very productive, the 

 best keeper, and one of the most popular for general cultiva- 

 tion. It is more inclined to form large necks if planted on 

 unsuitable soil than the Danvers, but is the best variety of 

 any on poor or dry soils. 



SOUTHPORT RED GLOBE.— For some years the 

 onions from Southport have commanded an extra price in 

 the New York markets, because of their beautiful shape and 

 -color. We are able to offer a lot of seed grown from selected 

 bulbs, and, we believe, superior to any other in the market. 

 The variety is of medium size, spherical, with small neck, 

 very deep, rich red color, and of superior quality. 



No. 1, Extra Early Red; No. 2, Large Red Wethersfield; 

 No. 3, Yellow Danvers: No. 4, White Portugal; No. 5, 

 White Silverskin; No. 6, White Globe. 



LARGE YELLOW STRASBURG, OR YELLOW 

 DUTCH.— One of the oldest sorts. Flat, flesh white, fine 

 grained, mild and well flavored 



MICHIGAN YELLOW GLOBE.-The largest crops of 

 onions are always produced on rich, black lands. On such 

 soils it is found that a globe shaped 

 onion gives the largest return, and 

 to meet the demands of the pro- 

 fessional onion growers located on 

 such lands, we have developed 

 this variety. The bulbs are uni- 

 formly spherical, large, with very 

 small necks; of a rich orange 

 yellow color, enormous yielders, 

 and splendid keepers. No onion 

 grower can afford to plant inf erior 

 seed when such as this can be 

 procured. 



YELLOW DANVERS.— A 

 fine variety of medium size, glob- 

 ular; skin yellowish-brown; flesh m 

 white, comparatively mild and 



iigan Yellow Globe. 



well. flavored; productive, six hundred bushels per acre from 

 seed being a not uncommon 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; but a true Danvers onion never 

 can be as full or globe shaped as the White Globe, for it 

 would be sure to lose some of the good qualities of the 

 Danvers if changed in form to that extent. 



WHITE PORTUGAL, OR AMERICAN SILVER- 

 SKIN. — A large, flat onion; of mild flavor; fine for early 

 winter use, and much esteemed for pickling. It is the best 

 keeper of the white varieties. 

 PHILADELPHIA SILVERSKIN.— This is the variety 



so extensively grown 

 in the vicinity of 

 Philadelphia for the 

 production of white 

 sets. Though not so 

 desirable as a mature 

 onion, this seems to 

 be one of the best for 

 sets. 



WHITE SIL- 

 VERSKIN.— This is 

 small, silvery white, 

 and, from its small 

 size and handsome 

 appearance, is often 

 used for pickling. 



ROUNDWHITE 

 SILVERSKIN.— 

 This is uniformly 

 small, round and 

 handsome, with an 

 opaque white skin, 

 which does not turn 

 green upon exposure 

 to the sun. They are 

 also very compact 

 and hard, but at the 

 same time crisp and brittle, making them the best pickling 

 onion ever introduced. 



WHITE GLOBE — Yields abundantly, producing hand- 

 some and uniformly globe shaped bulbs. The flesh is firm, 

 fine grained, and of mild flavor. Sometimes called South- 

 port White Globe. 



EL PAZO, 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. 



Foreign Onions. 



The following varieties 

 have been tested in this 

 country, and have given 

 perfect satisfaction . 

 While we would not rec- 

 ommend the risking of a 

 large crop of onions by 

 sowing imported seed, f 

 we believe the following i 

 varieties will be found i 

 very desirable for early y 

 market and home garden 

 use. The flavor of the 

 Italian varieties is mild, 

 and they are every way 

 well adapted to culinary 

 purposes. 



QUEE N.— A silver 

 skinned variety, of quick 

 growth and remarkable 

 keeping qualities. If 

 sown in early spring it 



LVERSKIN. 



