32 
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 
<iays more of bright weather, they will be fit to store. 
For or Sets. —Good ground should 
be used prepared as above, but the seed sown in broad 
drills and very thick x thirty to sixty pounds per acre. 
How to Keep Onions tlirou^li 
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 ; 
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 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; 1 
■skin deep red ; flesh mild and tender. Very handsome 
in appearance. 
Large Red Wethersfield. 
Large Red Wethersfield.—This is the standard 
variety; and tl>e 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, I 
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 
the best keep¬ 
er of the white 
varieties. 
White Sil- 
verskin, for 
Pickling. — 
This is of 
small size, sil¬ 
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. 
foreign onions. 
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 every way well adapt¬ 
ed to culinary purposes: 
Giant Rocca . — An immense 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 
