Your readers need not wait to do less crying in the kitchen. All you have to do is put the onions in the refrigerator for a half hour or in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Daniel F. Baright
Lebanon, Mo.

Another solution is to do the chopping outside. I have found that more turbulent, outside air reduces onion-chopping stress.

Christopher Biltoft
Salt Lake City, Utah

The last line says these so-called improved onions may be “more prone to attack by insects and microorganisms.” That ought to keep the scientists busy developing insecticides, fungicides, and so on–all to solve the inconvenience of cooking with healthful onions.

Barbara Cushing
Killingworth, Conn.