164 
ONION. 
In order to learn how extensive is the root system in the 
young plant, the roots of a sample of the Large Red onion 
were washed out on June 21. At this time the leaves were 
but eight inches long, and the young bulb only the sizeofa 
cherry pit, but the roots were found to extend to the depth 
of sixteen inches. 
On September 11, several full grown plants in the same 
row were again examined. The greater part of the roots 
extended no deeper than was noted in June. Ina few 
cases, samples were traced to the depth of eighteen inches. 
No horizontal ones could be traced further than one foot. 
The roots radiated from the base of the bulb in all directions 
below horizontal, some lying no more than an inch beneath 
the surface. They were of equal size throughout their 
length, except that they were slightly swollen close to the 
terminus. New roots appeared to be growing, as some 
were decidedly shorter than the others. As noted in 1884, 
the branches were all short and never sub-divided. 
A careful examination with the microscope of several of 
the fine fibers revealed no root hai-s. 
An observation on an onion plant grown under unusual 
conditions is of interest here. On May 15, seeds of the 
onion were planted in a three inch drain tile, set inthe 
earth its full length, and which was supposed to‘have been 
filled with soil tothe bottom. It was frequently noted dur- 
ing the summer that the plant made a poorer growth than 
many other vegetables which were also growing in drain 
tiles. On washing out the roots, September 11, it was 
found that by mistake, only the upper six inches of the 
tile had been filled with soil, leaving the lower eight inches 
empty. The roots of the onion grew to the bottom of the 
soil, when many followed down the inner surface of the 
‘tile to the ground beneath. The roots thus attached to the 
tile were abundantly clothed with root hairs, and the 
branches here frequently sub-divided. This indicates that 
the character of the root growth, in the onion at least, may 
depend to a considerable extent upon conditions. 
In order to note whether the root growth in this plant 
the second year differs from that of the first, the roots of a 
plant of which the full grown bulb was planted out in the 
spring were washed out June 10. The system was the 
same in general, as that of the first year. An estimate 
made it probable that the plant had formed at least 400 feet 
of roots and root branches, thoughit had been set out but 
about forty days. | 
