216 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have precedence, then Onion-judging may be found as desirable 

 a duty as is that of judging Potatos or other vegetables. We 

 have no means of comparing the weight of bulbs per acre 

 that can be secured under the forcing method of culture and 

 the ordinary form to which I have already referred, and after all 

 that is a test that it is fair to apply. Especially also should be 

 applied the test of firmness and keeping qualities. When I am 

 informed that in a couple of weeks from the pulling giant Onions 

 had lost by respiration no less than four or five ounces of 

 water, it is very easy to realise how very largely, probably to the 

 tune of 80 per cent., water enters into their composition. Can 

 it be wondered at if such bulbs not only greatly waste, but also 

 prove to be bad keepers ? Certainly Onions should show their 

 best keeping qualities this winter, for they have never had a better 

 summer in which to mature. But it may be pleaded, and the 

 plea merits full consideration, that it should be the aim of the 

 cultivator to develop to the utmost the capacities of every 

 vegetable he may grow. That may be so, just as it may be regarded 

 as essential or useful that all human beings or animals should be 

 fed or forced into obesity. We, however, fail to find comfort, 

 health, or usefulness in obese animate beings ; and I have yet 

 to learn that in vegetable products any good has resulted from 

 the practice of fatting or feeding until inordinate size is secured. 

 After all, we find good average dimensions, allied to health, firmness 

 of flesh, endurance, and usefulness, in regard to everything ani- 

 mate, as being all round the best. Then especially itmay be pleaded 

 that, in relation to Onions, the huge bulbs are valuable for the 

 production of seed stocks. That may be so when they can be 

 induced to keep long enough to plant; but, after all, does not all 

 experience show that very firm, medium-sized bulbs produce 

 stouter stems and finer flower-heads than do the best of the huge 

 samples? If we take from these monster bulbs thecredit of winning 

 prizes, what is left to them to render their production desirable ? 

 Remove the prizes, and the practice of growing such bulbs would 

 soon die out. Of course it is easy to understand, if this sort of thing 

 is specially encouraged in one direction, that other seed-houses 

 must follow the lead ; but, after all, it is doubtful whether it will 

 ever pay anyone, and I at least fail to see that the production 

 under this forcing method of bulbs of such inordinate dimensions 

 is productive of any benefit to horticulture. If any present differ 



