/ \ 
THE WHISTLE. 
“You have heard,” said a youth to his sweetheart, 
who stood, 
While he sat on a corn-sheaf, at daylight’s de-, 
eline — 
‘You have heard of the Danish boy’s whistle of 
wood ? 
j wish that that Danish boy’s whistle were 
mine.” 
‘And what would you do with it? Tell me,” she 
said, 
While an arch smile played over her beautiful 
face. 
I would blow it,” he answered; “and then my 
fair maid 
\ ould fly to my side, and would here take her 
place.” 
Is that all you wish it for? That [may be yours 
Without any magic,” the fair maiden cried; 
“A favor so slight one’s good-nature secures;” 
And she playfully seated herself by his side. 
T would blow it again,” said the youth, “and the 
charm 
Would work so that not even Modesty’s check 
Would be able to keep from my neck your fine 
arm.” 
She smiled, and she laid her fine arm round his 
neck. 
u Yet once more would I blow, and the music di¬ 
vine 
Would bring me the third time an exquisite 
bliss: 
You would lay your fair cheek to this brown one 
of mine, 
And your lips, stealing past it, would give me a 
kiss.” 
The maiden laughed out in her innocent glee; 
“What a fool of yourself with your whistle you'd 
make! 
For only consider how silly ’twould be 
To sit there and whistle for—what you might 
take,” 
— Robert Story, 
How to Grow Italian Onions for 
Market. 
BY ALBERT H. CLARK. 
Having for the last ten years devoted the 
greater part of my time to the culture of 
vegetables I will give my views on the cul¬ 
ture of the Italion Onion, an onion which 
is very little known in this part of the 
country. The varieties I grow are the Mar- 
zajole, which I consider the earliest onion 
of its size in cultivation. (Landreth’s Pearl 
not excepted.) The White and Red Tripoli 
come next in earliness and are excellent 
varieties. The above three varieties I con¬ 
sider the best in the country for early 
bunching purposes. I buy seed of the most 
reliable seedsmen and plant very thickly 
in rows ten inches apart as early in spring 
as the ground will permit, which is gener¬ 
ally from the middle of March to the first 
of April., They should be thoroughly cul¬ 
tivated throughout the season, then re¬ 
move the tops and spread very thinly in a 
cool, dry place until October when it will 
be time to plant; if your setts have sprouted 
much pinch the sprouts off close to the 
bulb. In planting, place the setts in well 
manured ground in rows ten to fifteen in¬ 
ches apart, and three inches apart in the 
row. Each onion is pressed into the soil 
with the thumb and finger. As soon as 
done planting cover the ground thinly, but 
evenly, with stable manure, which will be 
a great protection to them during the win¬ 
ter. As soon as the ground can be worked 
in spring cultivate thoroughly and you will 
have large bunching onions the last of 
April; two weeks or more in advance of 
Potato Onions, Silverskins, etc. 
We had a very backward spring here 
last year but I commenced to market 
munching onions, of the above varieties one 
and a half to two inches in diameter, on 
April 15th. I have also had good success 
by sowing seed of the above varieties in a 
hot-bed in January, and replanting them 
out in the open ground in March; but they 
were not so early as setts planted in the 
fall. Hot-bed plants of the above varieties, 
set out in March at the same time with 
some Silverskin setts., produced marketable 
onions several days in advance of the Sil- 
verskin setts. I would advise all who raise 
bunching onions, for early market, to try 
the Italian varieties. 
Cambridge , Md. 
When to Plow. 
BY SAM LAWRENCE. 
When shall I plow? is a question that 
should be thoroughly considered by all 
farmers and gardeners. Many people think 
of this subject and profit by their thoughts 
too. But in looking over the country in 
early spring one is impressed with the faet, 
judging from the state of the soil, that by 
