544 DR. CHASE'S EECIPESL 



prepared soil, but rather soU adapted to them (a sandy loam is considered best), 

 and previously, no doubt, cultivated to onions, having been well manured and 

 well worked. 



4. Onions, How to Avoid Scullions.— Notwithstanding some peo- 

 ple think that scullions will be scullions, the following from " D," of Fenton, 

 Mich, through the Post and Tribune, of Detroit, in answer to a query of L. C. 

 Zarbell, on avoiding scullions, says: " I will tell him what an old gardener says, 

 and that is to draw the earth away gradually from the bulbs until they are quite 

 uncovered and only the fibrous roots are in the earth, and you will never have 

 scullions, but very large, sound onions. The seed should be sown very early to 

 have the benefit of the coolness and moisture of early spring." 



5. Onion Raising, Value of "Wood Ashes as a Manure for.— A 

 writer in one of the agricultural papers upon this subject says: Farmers who 

 are so fortunate as to have an open fire-place, should place, as an offset to the 

 cost of the wood, the value of the ashes produced. For onions there is no fer- 

 tilizer equal to wood ashes, as they require a great deal of potash. Market 

 gardeners and others who make a specialty of growing onions will understand 

 that to succeed with the crop they need larger supplies of potash than they will 

 ordinarily receive from barn-yard manures. 



Remarks.— I am unable to see why ashes from a stove are not better than 

 from an open fire-place, as above named, as those from a stove are certainly 

 more thoroughly burned, and hence mxist be stronger and better. Although 

 wood ashes are undoubtedly an excellent manure for onions, yet well rotted stable 

 taanure must be the principal dependence, except with those who liave plenty 

 of hog manure, which has long been considered the best, but chiefly, no doubt, 

 because it is more free from weed, and grass seeds, than stable manure; yet, 

 where much com and com meal are fed to hogs, their manure is more than 

 ordinarily rich. The following is a summing up of the whole matter of rais- 

 ing onions. 



6. An Acre in Onions.— TTnder this head recently, the Chicago Times 

 gave such minute instructions upon the whole question of onion raising, I will 

 close the subject by giving it entire; as I deem the subject to be of such impor- 

 tance as to justify all that has been said, and that this item will add to it; for 

 there is not a doubt but what onions are the most healthful vegetable grown, 

 being a valuable alterative, as well as nourishing, and also an article for which 

 there will always be a reasonable demand in the cities. The Times says: 



" Few farmers seem to realize the fact that as much money maybe obtained 

 from an acre of land in onions as from a 40 acre farm devoted to the usual 

 crops. At present prime onions are worth $4.00 per barrel by the car-load, and 

 250 barrels may be, and not unfrequently are, produced from an acre of land. 

 Let no one, however, expect to realize $1,000 from an acre in onions who does 

 not pay the best attention to the crop. To begin with, land naturally adapted 

 to producing the crop should be selected. Experiments made in the eastern 

 states, where large quantities of onions are raised for the southern market, show 

 that there is no better soil for onions than that of a reclaimed bog. [Equiva- 

 lent to our western marshes, which have been drained and well cultivated.] 

 Tff couise the land must be well drained and the surface soil decomposed by 



