will be of excellent quality, and will
keep better than any that have had ample space for high development. It
is almost a pity to touch these accidental clusters, for the removal of
a portion will perhaps loosen the ground, and so spoil the character of
those that are left. Really fine Onions are rarely produced in loose
ground, hence the necessity for care in the use of the hoe. Watering is
not often needed, and we may go so far as to say that, in a general way,
it is objectionable. But a long drought on light land may put the crop
in jeopardy, unless watering is resorted to, in which case weak manure
water will be beneficial. Still, watering must be discontinued in good
time, or it will prevent the ripening of the bulbs, and if a sign is
wanted the growth will afford it, for from the time the bulbs have
attained to a reasonable size the water will do more harm than good.

==The harvesting of the crop== requires as much care as the growing of it.
If all goes well, the bulbs will ripen naturally, and being drawn and
dried on the ground for a few days with their roots looking southward,
may be gathered up and topped and tailed or bunched as may be most
convenient. But there may be a little hesitation of the plant in
finishing growth, the result, perhaps, of cool moist weather, when dry
hot weather would be better. In this case the growth may be checked by
passing a rod (as the handle of a rake for example) over the bed to bend
down the tops. After this the tops will turn yellow, and the necks will
shrink, and advantage must be taken of fine weather to draw the Onions
and lay them out to dry. A gravel path or a dry shed fully open to the
sun will ripen them more completely than the bed on which they have been
grown; but large breadths of Onions must be ripened where they grew, and
experience teaches when they may be drawn with safety.

As to keeping Onions, any dry, cool, airy place will answer. But if a
difficulty arises there is an easy way out of it, for Onions may be hung
in bunches on an open wall under the shelter of the eaves of any
building, and thus the outsides of barns and stables and cottages may be
converted into Onion stores, leaving the inside free for things that are
less able to take care of themselves. During severe frost they must be
taken down and piled up anywhere in a safe place, but may be put on
their hooks again when the weather softens, for a slight frost will not
harm them in the least, and th