246 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



Transplanting. Transplanted onions are usually grown on 

 lighter soils than those from seed because the crop is to mature 

 earlier and is not so dependent upon moisture retention. Again 

 the lighter, warmer soils give the most rapid winter growth, as 

 already stated. Preparation of the land is the same as for seed 

 sowing and the transplanting is done at about the same time of the 

 year from February onward, according to local climate and soil 

 condition. The plants are pulled, if the seed-bed is sandy, and they 

 lift easily, or lifted with a shovel and separated. The top and roots 

 are shortened about half the length of each, and the plants, dropped 

 along the rows by boys, are set, with the finger or dibble, three 

 inches apart in rows twelve inches distant, pressing the soil firmly 

 around the plant. Planting can be done by line or by indicating it 

 with a roller encircled by rope at proper distance or by marking 

 out shallow furrows with the hand wheel hoe, etc. The lines must 

 be straight for ease and efficiency of subsequent cultivation, which 

 must be clean and thorough. 



The cost of growing seedlings and transplanting is more than 

 field seed-sowing, possibly about $25 per acre, but the weeding and 

 cultivation of the former is less. If there is no particular rush 

 about earliness, transplanting can be done after the most of the 

 season's weed-starting is over. Some growers count this quite a 

 gain. Transplanted onions will bottom more uniformly and give a 

 better stand. 



Growing from Sets. There are at least three kinds of onion 

 sets : "top sets" or buttons which form on the seed stem in the place 

 of the seed, according to variety; "bottom sets," which are either 

 small bulbs from thickly sown seed, prematurely ripened, or small 

 bulbs which form beside the old bulbs in some varieties. In Cali- 

 fornia the varieties which habitually produce top or bottom sets in 

 connection with stem or bulb (the so-called "tree onion" and "potato 

 onion"), are not grown to any extent. They are inferior to other 

 varieties which are satisfactory in this climate. All onion sets have 

 the habit of proceeding with their enlargement when placed in 

 moist ground, but some growers find that the bottom sets from seed 

 are more likely to run to seed than top sets from the seed stem. 

 Mr. Adams, of Potter Valley, is in the habit of growing his own top 

 sets in this way : 



Plant the onions of the variety which produces top sets in the place of 

 seed, eight or ten inches apart, with rows two feet apart ; cultivate well and 



