THE NEW 



ONION CULTURE 



CHAPTER I 

 Well Begun — Half Done 



HOW THE PLANTS ARE GROWN 



Our aim always is and must be for a prize croj>— 

 for specimens so large and fine that we can expect the 

 first prize at any fair, and are sure of top prices in any 

 market. In this an early start is the chief condition of 

 full success. Without it the undertaking is not well 

 begun; with it, it is really more than half done. This 

 includes all reasonable care in procuring the needed 

 supply of seed in good time. We try to begin sowing 

 seed just as soon after January first as we can get a 

 spot for it in the greenhouse or a hotbed. I usually 

 have the best success from plants started along in Jan- 

 uary or not later than early in Februar}% Yet I have 

 grown fine crops from seed sown as late as first week 

 in April. It depends somewhat on the season, but the 

 earlier sowings ordinarily will give the best crops. 



Some of my onion growing friends grow their 

 own Prizetaker onion seed, which is not a particularly 

 difficult matter, and insures the possession of the seed 

 whenever they wish to sow it. I frequently have 

 found difficulty in securing seed, especially of the 



