The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-11-13
FARM, FIELD AND GARDEN.
OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF
GENERAL INTEREST.

Necessary Prosecutions Ca Ise Observed IN
the sacce.sfsl Keeping Of Onions and
Onion SEE. Throughout the Winter
Treatment of Immature specimens
II onions are thoroughly ripe there Is
no difficulty in keeping them until
spring. Bat II they are immature. Win
thick. green ncciss. the only way 70 keep
them. Ascending to American Agrlcui-
urist. is the old fashioned method OF
..tracins.~ 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. and then another and
another. till you have string OF trace
Of onions yard l,sig. Hang this up ID
a cool. dry room.
II the onions arc perfectly ripe and
dry they can he spread out four or hve
INCHES thick on shelves or on the floor OF
an airy room. II somewhat green. hut
free from "scullions. spread them out
thinner and turn occasionally til you
get them dry and firm. If you DO not
want 10 sell or use the onions before
spring n convenient way 20 keep them IS
10 put them in dry place and let them
freeze. AL that is necessary IS to keep
them dry and prevent their thawing.
They will come out Of their winter
quarters fresh and firm. and will keep
iust as well as those that have not been
frozen. When wanted for sale during
the winter a good plan is to keep the
onions in Slated bushel 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 OF
so Of space between them for ventiia-
ton.
Onion sets are easy or difficult 10 keep
according to their quality. The authority
quoted advises. IL they have long, slim
bulbs with many green tops. either 10
throw them away or spread them out TO
dry in an airy room and then on the aP-
proach Of winter place them on shelves
or on a floor six inches deep and let them
freeze. Cover with bags or mating or
ANYTHING thar viii keep them from thaw-
ing. In this way you win get some good
sets for your own use. but they viii sci
dom be good enough for the trade
Good onion sets should be dead ripe in
August or September A good set is a
perfectly formed onion in miniature. 1t
Is n round. plump. fat little onion. with
the neck or top withered up to almost
nothing. II possible draw them in when
the weather is dry and hot. and run
them through tanning mill TO sift out
the sand and dirt. and blow away the
dried up leaves Of the onions OF weeds OF
any other rubbish that may be with
them. II is better to do this when the
onions come in dry from the field on
hot day rather than TO wait, for the
leaves will be dryer then than II 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. II
warm and damp they are apt TO start TO
grow. Onion sets are highly profitable
crop. but there are comparatively few
who succeed in raising them to perfec-
ton. If well grown they are easily kept
and sold. They are always in demand
in the spring. and the market is rarely
overstocked with them.