CROPS 85 



labor. At the first weeding, the surplus seedlings should 

 be removed so that the plants will stand about two inches 

 apart in the row. Hand-wheel hoes, Fig. 34, either single 

 or double-wheel, are necessary for cultivating onions grown 

 in narrow rows. 



Onion Sets. Onion sets are produced by sowing seed 

 very thickly on the ground not very rich nor too well 

 supplied with moisture. The seedlings have to compete 

 so severely with one another and against unfavorable con- 

 ditions, that the bulbs never attain to any great size. As 

 soon as the tops begin to turn yellow, the sets are harvested, 

 dried and topped. 



Multiplier or Perennial Tree onions produce sets on 

 their tops. These are used the same as sets grown from 

 seed. As has been indicated, Perennial Tree onions are 

 very hardy and may be planted in the fall, six to eight 

 weeks before hard freezing weather sets in. After the 

 ground freezes, the sets should be covered with a light 

 mulch of straw or strawy manure. 



Harvesting. Onions for bunching, should be pulled 

 as soon as the bulbs are of sufficient size. The number 

 of plants to the bunch will depend upon the size of the 

 plants and upon market requirements. 



Dry onions should be allowed to ripen until the tops 

 die down before being pulled. The general practice, how- 

 ever, where large areas are to be harvested, is to begin 

 pulling the onions as soon as the tops are yellow. The 

 onions are pulled and thrown into a windrow. The onions 

 are allowed to dry, or cure, in the windrow for several days, 

 or until the tops are dry enough to easily be twisted off. 

 They are then ready for topping, grading, sacking, and 

 storing. 



Onions in storage, require cool, dry conditions. The 



