GARDEN CULTURE OF ONIONS 249 



Yield. Ten tons per acre is a fair yield on good soil, well 

 handled, but this amount is frequently exceeded and even thirty 

 tons has been secured, according to credible testimony. 



Garden Culture of Onions. Garden culture proceeds upon 

 about the same lines as field work, and by methods already described. 

 Due regard should be had for succession, and by proper use of water 

 in summer and of ridge or raised bed in early winter, it is practicable 

 to have crisp, young onions all the year, and mature ones with but 

 a very short season of storage. Onions have been matured from 

 seed sown every month of the year, but the ripening was not reached 

 every month because progress is slower at one time than at another. 



In the garden onions should have the most generous treatment, 

 for delicate flavor and crispness depend upon quick growth. The 

 use of fertilizers in preparation of the soil, and of liquid manure 

 during growth, are strong helps toward this. The onion accepts 

 gratefully the richest manures. 



The first top-onions in the fall can be grown by using bottom 

 sets planted closely in the row just as soon as the ground is well 

 moistened by early rains. The succession can be had by sowing 

 seed at intervals, beginning at the same time the sets are put in 

 and continued when the ground is in good condition until spring. 



The following method of growing sets for garden use is ap- 

 proved by the experience of Mr. F. Austin, of San Diego county, 

 who grows fine vegetables for the love of it: Sow the seed in the 

 spring, say March, not later than April, then as the plants develop 

 in the drills which have been sown not too thick, and begin to assume 

 size and form of bulb, at both sides of the row begin to remove the 

 earth with the hoe, the object being to retard the growth of top and 

 form a "set" below. This is repeated, going along each side of the 

 growing onions, removing the dirt and even cutting some of the 

 roots a second time. The tops begin to wither but the bulb increases 

 in size until finally you run the hoe entirely under the roots severing 

 them and leaving the now new formed "sets" to dry for a few days, 

 when you take them by the handful from the row and shake off the 

 dirt and put them away under cover from the sun in a cool place 

 until, say, October. Then plant these "sets" and they will grow to 

 onions fast and in advance of anything you can get from seed and 

 give you large juicy onions. 



Rotation. The advantage of clean land for onions has been 

 mentioned. This is often best secured by allowing onions to follow 



