Connecticut western news., 1879-07-23
Harvesting and Storing Onions.

As soon as onions have attained their growth the tops lose their lively green color, grow weak above the bulbs and drop over. If circumstances have been for 8 perfect development the tops all fall down at the maturity of the vegetable and when about two- thirds dry they are in condition to harvest. It is important that onions be pulled at this period, for if left in the condition desclibed they will take second growth which very materially injures their quality.
 Having decided that the crop is in condition to harvest, pull at once-the sooner the better-not only for the reason already specified but because the onions will be brighter for it and keep better. Begin by pulling a few rows and laying them one side. Hoe up the weeds and rake them off then pull the next rows and hoe off the weeds as before, and so on throughout the entire field. Pull the onions with your hands and lay them over carefully. This is the usual method. Occasionally, however, there is a cultivator who prefers digging the onions with a common hand-hoe, running one corner of the hoe under the row, giving it long draw, taking about four rows at time, digging over some ten or twelve feet then, with the back of the hoe, shove them up three or four feet, and hoe the ground level, and spread the onions upon this hoed space.
 If the weather is propitious, after the onions has lain spread three or four days, pile them up in pyramidal heaps containing two or three bushels each, and let them remain from fortnight to four weeks, according to the rapidity with which the tops die. If heavy rains occur during the time, the heaps should be opened on fair day and piled again. Filing causes the onions to sweat. and renders them less liable to sweat after storing. As soon as they have become cured spread out during drying weathe, and cart them in the middle of the day when they are quite dry and dusty. The great secret of onions keeping well is their being perfectly dry at the time of storing.
 When onions are to be disposed oj previous to cold weather lay them on s loose floor or in any dry place where there is free circulation of air. If ii is designed to keep them through the winter they ought to be stored where the frost will not affect them and where no loss will be sustained from heating and growing. One we'll known cultivate. arranges a scantling upon tight floor on the scantling are laid narrow board with cracks between them. He the1 boards up around the outside, leaving space of one foot between them and tn, outside partition. Arranged in thi manner free circulation of air is ob tained. When the thermometer sink to twenty degrees the space around tn, outside is filled with sea weed or simila material. Onions can be stored in sucl place three feet deep, with covering of hay or corn-stalks, and come out il fine condition in the spring. Other ex pedients are resorted to, involving les labor than the one just described Among the more common of these is tn packing in boxes or barrels (after tn onions are thoroughly cured) incase, with several thicknesses of paper, an, set in some out-buildings. Again tn onions are tied upon strings and hun, on the beams in cellar or garret, O spread thinly upon shelves. One of tn
 most popular modes, perhaps, is t spread straw to the depth of twelve O fifteen inches upon barn or garre floor, then layer of onions from si to ten inches thick, covered in turn b, Q layer of straw say two feet in depth and held in place by old boards or rails
 Freezing does onions no apparen injury provided they are thawed ou gradually; as this cannot always b insured the safe plan is to protect them If they become frozen, however, le them remain undisturbed and covere, until thawed. Be careful never to bruis an onion if you would avoid mould an, rOt