86 Bulletin 78 



Tarely is the fruit injured by cold. On account of the bright sun- 

 light and dryness of the atmosphere, the trees are free from the 

 Scale insects which cause so much damage in moister climates. The 

 trees grow vigorously, bear heavily, the fruit is large and the con- 

 tent of oil is high. Some varieties mature their fruit in October 

 and November, while others will hold their fruit in good condition 

 for oil making until June of the following year. Olive culture, 

 both for pickles and oil, promises to be one of the standard and 

 profitable industries of the region. The varieties best suited for 

 pickles are Mission, Manzanillo, and vSevillano. The varieties best 

 suited for oil making are Mission, Correggiola, Nevadillo, Pendulina, 

 and others. 



ONIONS 



This crop is easily grown in southern Arizona as a winter 

 crop, and in northern Arizona as a spring and summer crop. It 

 is a profitable truck crop in most sections of the State, although 

 prices may drop below the cost of production in June when 

 growers are endeavoring to dispose of their entire crop at once. 

 Bermuda, the type of onion best suited to this region, is not a 

 good keeper, although when carefully handled and cured on racks 

 in a house where sulphur may be burned, it will usually keep until 

 fall. The cool vallej-s in the northern part of the State should 

 produce onions for southern markets from fall until June. The 

 supply at present comes from California. 



The method of growing generally employed in the southern 

 part of the State, is to sow the seed in seed-beds between August 

 and October, and when the plants are the size of a lead pencil 

 transplant into narrow borders which can be flooded. They are 

 set 2 to 4 inches apart in rows 12 to 14 inches apart. With 

 efficient management the cost of growing the plants and trans- 

 planting them need not exceed $35 per acre. Some growers prefer 

 to sow the seed in place, planting two rows on a ridge. To avoid 

 thinning with this method, an accurate knowledge of the viability 

 of the seed and a careful adjustment of the seeder is necessary. 



Growers in the northern valleys who wish to raise onions by 

 the transplanting method, should arrange with a gardener in the 

 Salt River Valley to grow their plants out of doors. Otherwise 

 they should be grown in hotbeds, which is a more expensive method. 

 A good loam st)il, preferably enriched with rotted manure, well 

 leveled, cultivated with a wheel hoe at frequent intervals, and 

 irrigated as required, are essential to a successful crop. 



