Harvesting Onions

In a report of a farmers' meeting, taken f or The Farmers' Review, occurs thefollowingAs the onion developsand the erop begins to mature, the tops turn yellow and shrivel up near the bulb, and fall over. This usually occurs about the last of Augnst or the early part of September. When the majority have fallen over the erop is ripe and should be harvested immediately. If the seeding was late and the weather is wet in the fall, the onions raay not ripen at all; henee the great necessity of early seeding. The necks of the onions are sometimes bent over to hasten the ripening proceso by checking the flow of sap to the tops. This may be done by a light hand roller. The pulling of the erop should not be delayed after the onions are ripe, for if the weather should becoine wet a Becondary growth of the bulbs may take place, which will seriously injure the erop. The pulling may be done by hand, and more easily and quickly, and perhaps as well, by a common garden rake. The onions may be simply lifted f rom the ground, and left to dry where they grow, or, as is the usual practice, two or three or more rows may be thrown into one wide window. By using the rake all this can be done without stooping. The drying should continue until the onions are hard and firm, perhaps two weeks; then they should be gathered. Gather with the tops on, using them as handles. Handle carefully; all bruipes are apt to eause rot. Much handling and bruising are saved,by gathering and hauling in large sacko. Pile the onions on the floor of a dry but open and well ventilated building, and not over two or three or four feet deep. Here they may be left as long as warm weather lasts, and the tops may be pulled off at leisure or when the onions are needed for market. In topping, the small onions are carefully sorted out and sold as pickle onions. The price of onions varíes greatly. From September to March prices may range from two to six dollars per barrel. The general truth is that those brought latest to market, being kept till near spring, bring the the best prices. If it is desired to keep the erop for a winter market it should be stored in a cool, dry place, out of danger of severe frosts, in bulk, in shallow, slatbottomed bins not over two feet in depth.