ONIONS 235 



in a cold frame in January (a greenhouse would be the place in the North), 

 ti nd to transplant the young onions when the size of a goose quill, to the rows 

 prepared for them outside. The variety best adapted to this method is the 

 large, yellow onion known as the Prizetaker. This can be grown to a very 

 large size by this method, much larger than by sowing the seed in the open 

 ground without transplanting. We have also had fair success with some of 

 the Italian sorts by merely transplanting the thinnings of the rows that were 

 sown in the open ground. Sowing under glass and transplanting is also a 

 good method of getting the Bermuda onions early in the season. In the far 

 South some advise the sowing of Bermuda onions late in fall and transplant- 

 ing them for the early crop. This may be successful in Florida if the sowing 

 i? done not earlier than late December. If sown earlier we have had reports 

 that the onions seem to stop growing as the milder weather of spring comes 

 on, and do not attain a good size. This is at least the report of a good 

 grower there. 



FERTILIZERS ^OR THE ONION CROP. 



We make only one difference in the fertilization of the fall planted 

 sets and the early spring crop, and this is that we use no nitrate of soda with 

 the fall planted crop. Analysis of the crop shows that the demand of the 

 onion as food is mainly for nitrogen and potash, and that phosphoric acid 

 forms a very small part of what the onion removes from the soil. Hence 

 the fertilizer for the onion crop should be rich mainly in nitrogen and potash, 

 though the latter needs for its best effects that there be present a fair percent- 

 age of phosphoric acid. For the fall crop we would use the following mix- 

 ture : Acid phosphate, 800 pounds ; fish scrap, dried blood or cotton seed meal 

 800 pounds ; muriate of potash, 400 pounds, to make a ton. 



To the spring sown crop we would add a dressing of 50 pounds per acre 

 of nitrate of soda as the plants start into vigorous growth. With the heavy 

 application of not less than half a ton in the rows (and one and a half tons 

 are profitably used broadcast when planted for hand culture) it is important 

 that the fertilizer be placed in the rows and covered a week or more before the 

 beds are rolled down and sown, as the large percentage of potash, while in a 

 caustic condition, may have an injurious effect on the roots. 



The onion is one of the crops that seems to prefer to be kept annually on 

 the same land, provided the heavy applications of plant food are continued 

 annually. The clean culture required gets the land clear of weed seeds. But as 

 the crop is off early in the season, some soil cover crop, such as the Southern 

 cow pea or crimson clover, should be sown on the land to keep up the humus 



