A NEW ONION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21462, 8 April 1933, Page 21

A NEW ONION

[ AUSTRALIAN GROWER'S CLAIM A new onion—Mac's Moonbeam—has been evolved by Mr. A. McLean, a wellknown onion grower in the Bellarine district, near Geelong, reports an Australian paper. After years of patient and careful selection the strain has now been fixed, and, it is claimed, will come from 95 to 97 per cent true from seed. It is a new departure in onions, being a silver-skinned variety similar in appearance to either white Queen or white Pearl, but with the shape and long-keeping qualities of the main crop sorts, such as brown Spanish. In shape tho bulbs resemble longkeeping brown Spanish and average from 2§in. to 2jin. in diameter. While the flavour is not quite so mild as that of white Queen, it is considerably less odorous than either brown Spanish or brown Globe varieties. The bulbs are heavy in weight and of good uniform size. While in colour and to a certain degree, mildness of flavour, it approaches closely to white Queen and white Pearl, it is much later in maturing, being 14 days earlier than brown, Spanish, and, like the latter, is a first-

class keeping onion, especially well l adapted for shipping. Having from three to five skills, the bulbs may be wtOred if required, and will keep in first-class condition as late as the end of August or early September. In this respect it is particularly valuable in bridging the gap until tho new crop of white onions are ready, thus maintaining a sequence of silver-skinned onions practically throughout the whole year. Owing to its several skins this new i onion resists hot sun and does not burn or go to pulp like tho non-keeping, * earlier-maturing silver-skinned sorts., Another favourable feature is that, the 1 cost of harvesting is no more than for the brown sorts, there boing no need to top and tail as with the ordinary white varieties.