100 THE NEW ONION CULTURE 



of the immunity of transplanted seedlings was men- 

 tioned by Thaxter in this connection. 



The method of growing onions by starting the 

 seed in hotbeds, and transplanting the seedlings to the 

 field, was suggested in 1891 by Mr T. Greiner of La 

 Salle, New York, and has since been practiced by him 

 and by others with marked success. Several of the 

 experiment stations also have tried this method. But 

 all of these experiments have had for their object 

 increase in the size and value of the onion crop. As 

 far as that was concerned they were successful in 

 proving that larger yields are obtained at no greater 

 expense, and that the onions are larger and mature 

 earlier than onions grown from seed sown in the open. 

 But it seemed more than likely that this method would 

 have another important advantage in producing a 

 sound crop of onions even upon smutty land. 



It seems fair to conclude that by raising seedlings 

 in flats, and transplanting to the open ground, a clean 

 crop of onions can be grown even upon land thor- 

 oughly infested with smut. 



The Onion Mildew (Peronospora Schleideni 

 Ung) — This fungus, which is similar in nature to the 

 downy mildew of the grape {Peronospora viticola), is 

 well known in Europe as producing a serious dis- 

 ease of cultivated onions, occuring also on wild 

 species. In this country it has been known to produce 

 injury among onions in Wisconsin, specimens having 

 been collected at Ithaca in that state. In Wethersfield, 

 Connecticut, it was observed only upon seed onions. 

 . . . In regard to remedies against this mildew, 

 preventive rather than curative, measures seem to offer 

 the best prospects of good results. Knowing that it is 

 perpetuated over winter and originates during the 

 following season by means of resting spores, which 



