516 



CULTIVATION OF THE ONION. 



nary way, laid it aside, and purchased seed 

 raised by Mr. Buxton, and found their 

 account in so doing. There are three vari- 

 eties of the onion raised in this vicinity — 

 the Silver-skm, the Red, and the White 

 onion. The Silver-skin is the predominant 

 species, and more cultivated than all others. 

 The Red is preferred by some — sells better 

 in some foreign markets, but does not yield 

 so abundantly. The White onion yields as 

 well as either of the others, is milder and 

 preferable for immediate use ; it will not 

 keep as well, and is not fit for exportation ; 

 which is the principal use made of our 

 onions. 



The common drill machine is used for 

 the distribution of the seed. This admits 

 of regulation, so as to scatter it more or 

 less thick ; and in this there is room for the 

 application of sound judgment. The usual 

 quantity sown is about three pounds to an 

 acre. As a general rule, we should say, 

 one pound of good seed was the proper 

 quantity for a quarter of an acre of land of 

 good quality well prepared. It is desirable 

 to have the seed planted as thick as they 

 will grow fairly, both to secure a full crop, 

 and prevent the onion growing too large. 

 Onions from one to two inches in diameter 

 being preferred to those of a larger size. 

 The skilful cultivator carefully looks after 

 all these incidents relating to his crop. 



4. The care necessary to be applied while 

 growing. 



Much of the success of the crop depends 

 on this care. At first the plant is extremely 

 tender, and requires to be handled with 

 much caution. Any derangement of the 

 fibres or roots of the young plant, is attend- 

 ed with prejudicial consequences. Much 

 attention is necessary to prevent weeds 

 gaining the ascendancy ; and in eradicat- 

 ing the weeds. Want of due care in this 

 is often the cause of failure of a crop. We 

 have known the present season, a highly 

 promising crop to be injured twenty per 

 cent, at least, by permitting the weeds to 

 remain unnoticed one week too Io7ig. This 

 is especially true when there has been a 

 want of due care in preventing the scatter- 

 ing of the seeds of the weeds on the land 

 in the years preceding. Care should be 

 taken, both that no weeds shall ripen their 



Fig. 60. — Onion Hoe. 



seed upon the land, and that no weed seed 

 shall be found in the manure. In this re- 

 spect, warm stable manure, muscle bed, and 

 ashes, have a decided superiority over all 

 other manures. Perhaps there is no plant 

 more liable to be injured by weeds than 

 the onion. The fibres it sends out are very 

 numerous, minute and tender: any frac- 

 ture of any of these, necessarily impairs the 

 perfection of the plant. When the land is 

 in the proper condition, two careful weed- 

 ings are ail that may be necessary. , The 

 rest of the stirring of the ground that may 

 be required to promote the growth, can be 

 done with the Onion Hoe, (Fig. 60,) an in- 

 strument specially constructed for the pur- 

 pose, moving on wheels, and adapted to 

 the width of the rows. It is calculated to 

 pass between the rows of onions — being 

 either drawn or pushed. The wheels cover 

 a space of about one foot in width, and the 

 length of the cutting blade is also about a 

 foot. The length of the handle is about 

 five and a half feet. The usual distance 

 between the rows is fourteen inches, and as 

 the hoe takes a breadth of twelve inches, it 

 cuts over all the ground, excepting a strip 

 of two inches along each row. The cost of 

 the hoe varies from $1.25 to S1.50. It 

 was invented by Mr. Joseph Bushby, of 

 Danvers, an intelligent and successful cul- 

 tivator of garden vegetables, about 25 years 

 since ; and was used by himself and neigh- 

 bors only for about ten years. It has now 

 come into general use, and saves much of 

 hack-aching labor. The distance between 

 the rows can be varied according to the 

 quality and condition of the soil. Keeping 

 the ground well stirred, loose, and free of 

 weeds, greatly facilitates the bottoming of 

 the onion. There is no plant that will bet- 

 ter reward dilligent care in the cultivation. 



