Vegetable Growing for Market 



125 



part. Many are larger and heavier, but others are smaller and lighter 

 (3 dozen to 1 lb.), and preferred by many. In private gardens, bulbs 

 often weigh from 1 lb. to 3 lb. each. 



The great possibilities of Onion-growing may perhaps be realized from 

 the following figures. Assuming the rows to be 1 ft. apart, and the plants, 

 after thinning out, to be 3 in. apart, as a fair distance for market-garden 

 culture, there would be 174,240 to an acre. At an average weight of 8 oz. 

 each the yield per acre would be nearly 39 tons. At 4 per ton this would 

 represent 156 per acre for the matured crop, without counting the value 



Fig. 481. A Heavy Onion Crop, the result of thinning out properly and good cultivation 



of the thinnings for salads. If the plants are thinned out 6 in. instead of 

 3 in. apart, there would be 87,120 bulbs to an acre. These would yield 

 19 tons on the 8-oz. basis, and 76 per acre at 4 per ton. 



From experiments carried out on the Times Experimental Farm, 1910, 

 the following results were obtained from a square chain of land from seeds 

 sown in boxes in February, and transplanted, 12 in. by 3 in., in April 

 (174,240 bulbs to the acre). The varieties of Onion were: "Ironhead", 

 2640 lb. (= 11-7 tons per acre); "Cream Globe", 2878 lb. (= 12'8 tons per 

 acre); "Al", 3630 lb. (= 16'2 tons per acre); "Nonsuch", 3698 lb. 

 (= 16'5 tons per acre); "Banbury", 3709 lb. (= 16'6 tons per acre); 

 "Wroxton", 3960 lb. (= 17*6 tons per acre); Ailsa Craig", 4950 lb. 

 (= 22-1 tons per acre). [j. w.] 



