236 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Szrr., 1899. 
poisonous principle of the mushrooms. Rinse the mushrooms well, and boil in 
water for a quarter of an hour. Wash again in hot water, and prepare 
in the usual way, either by frying in butter or by making ketchup, soups, &c. 
In this country the only mushroom I have seen used for culinary purposes 
is the white Agaricus campestris, so often found in the outskirts of our bush 
townships or in old sheep and horse camping-places. A still better way to 
secure a sure supply would be to buy spawn bricks from any reliable seedsman, 
and to grow them in the simple manner already described in this Journal. 
MARKET GARDENING. 
No. 7. 
By H. W. GORRIE, 
Horticulturist, Queensland Agricultural College. 
ONIONS. 
Tue Onion (Allium cepa) is supposed to be a native of Central Asia, but its 
history is lost in remote ages, and it was probably grown before the earliest 
historical records. 
On the great Pyramid of Cheops, which is supposed to have been begun 
4,000 years B.c., is an inscription stating that 1,600 talents had been paid for 
onions and garlic supplied to the workmen. 
Many drawings of onions are found on ancient Egyptian monuments, 
which fact seems to indicate that this vegetable was held in high esteem by 
these people. Onion-growing is one of the best paying branches of agriculture,’ 
provided the grower is thoroughly acquainted with the requirements of the 
crop, and knows exactly how to treat it. 
The great item in the production of an onion crop is well-directed and 
skilful labour, by which a limited area of ground is worked to the highest 
pitch of skill, and is made to yield a crop in proportion to the work expended 
on it. Onions can be grown in a good many different kinds of soil, but to 
ensure the highest results, and the best possible crops, the selection and 
preparation of the soil become matters requiring considerable knowledge and 
forethought. 
The very best kind of soil on which to grow good crops of good onions isa 
rich sandy loam, or good alluvial soil with a fair proportion of sand in it. 
Such soil as this, if well drained and otherwise in good condition, will grow 
good onion crops. Next in importance to the right kind of soil is the condition 
of the soil as to cleanliness. 
It must be free as far as possible from all weeds, and seeds of weeds. It costs: 
more to grow a crop of onions on land full of weed-seeds than the crop is 
worth ; so the ground must be thoroughly cleaned before the seed is sown. 
New land, provided it can be worked fine enough, is usually the best. 
Ground which is not very bad with weeds may be cleaned to a great extent by 
ploughing it up some time previous to planting, and allowing the weeds to: 
germinate, and then destroying them with the cultivator. If this is done and 
the land ploughed again, it will be comparatively clean. 
Ground which is very bad with weeds had better be let alone, so far as: 
onion-growing is concerned. What is needed for successful onion culture is rich, 
clean soil, well drained, free of stones, as free as possible from weeds, and 
capable of being worked to a very fine tilth. 
Tf the soil is not naturally rich in humus, it should be heavily dressed with 
well-rotted manure which has no long straw in it and not too many seeds of’ 
weeds. About 40 tons of this to the acre will not be too much. Spread it over: 
the land, and plough it wellin. After ploughing, the harrow and roller must 
be used until the ground is reduced to a very fine tilth. 1t must be thoroughly 
pulverised before planting, and it is quite impossible to get it too fine. The 
preparation of the soil is really the most important part of the whole business,, 
and too much care cannot be bestowed on it. 
