The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-11-02

OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES or
GENERAL INTEREST.

Necessary Precautions to he Observed In
the Successful Keeping Of Onions and
Onion Sets Throughout the Winter.
Treatment Of Immature Specimens
II onions are thoroughly ripe there is
no difficulty in keeping them until
spring. But il they are immature. with
thick, green necks, the only way to keep
them, according to American Agricul-
turist, is the old fashioned method of
tracing This consists Of tying two or
three onions together. with string
around the necks. Then place another
onion on the trace and wind the string
round the neck, aAd then another and
another. till you have string or trace
of onions yard long Hang this up in
a cool, dry room
If the onions arc perfectly ripe and
dry they can be spread out four or five
inches thick on shelves or on the floor of
an airy room. If somewhat green. but
free from ''scuIlione" spread them out
thinner and turn occasionally till you
get them dry and firm II you do not
want to sell or use the onions before
spring convenient way TO keep them is
to put them in a dry place and let them
freeze. All that is necessary ia to keep
them dry and prevent their ;hawing.
They will come out of their winter
quarters fresh and firm, and will keer
just as well as those that have not been
frozen. When wanted for sale during
the winter good plan is to keep the
onions in Slated Iushel boxes Keep
them in a COOL dry room, not in damp
cellar. The boxes can be piled on top of
each other and in rows, with an inch or
SO of space between them for ventila-
ton.
Onion sets are easy or difficult to keep
according to their quality. The authority
quoted advises, if they have long, slim
bulbs with many green tops, either to
throw them away or spread them out to
dry in an airy room and then on the APP
proach of winter plice them on shelves
or on a floor six inches deep and let them
freeze. Cover with bags or mating or
anything that will krep them from thaw-
ing. In this way yoa will get some good
sets for your own usr. but they will sell
dom be good enough for the trade.
Good onion sets should be dead ripe in
August or September. A good set is
perfectly formed onion in miniature. 1t
is round, plump, fit little onion. with
the neck or top withered up to almost
nothing If possible draw them in when
the weather is dry and hot, and run
them through tanning mill to sft out
the sand and dirt, and blow away the
dried up leaves of the onions or weeds or
any other rubbish that may be with
them. 1t is better to do this when the
onions come in dry from the field ON a
hot day rather THAI to wait, for the
leaves will be dryer then than if kept for
some time and allowed to sweat After
the dirt and leaves are got rid of, spread
the onions out then to dry, and keep
them dry till winter sets in. During the
winter they can be Kept frozen or placed
on shelves in COOL dry room. or in
boxes or even in barrels The great
point is to keep them dry and cold If
warm and damp thy are apt to start to
grow. Onion sets are a highly profitable
crop, but there are comparatively few
who succeed in raj ing them to perfec-
ton. If well grown they are easily kept
and sold. They arr always in demand
in the spring, and the market is rarely
overstocked with them