THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 317 



set growing it is desirable to secure it cheaply, and the bulbs selected 

 from the sets, being small, will produce a larger quantity of seed 

 per bushel from mother bulbs than when grown in the usual manner. 

 The stock seed bulbs should, however, be well matured, small necked, 

 uniform in size, and selected according to an ideal shape. Onion 

 seed from undersized bulbs is not so desirable, even for set growing, 

 as that from standard bulbs. The length of time that onion seed will 

 retain its vitality depends largely upon maturity and climatic condi- 

 tions. Well-matured seed will always keep better than poorly ripened 

 and inferior seed. Under ordinary conditions onion seed loses 

 its vitality very rapidly after the second year, especially if stored in 

 a damp climate. It will often pay to ship the seed to a dry climate 

 for storage. 



Production of Onion Sets. The term "set," as applied to the 

 onion, indicates a small, undersized bulb which, when replanted in 

 the ground, will produce a large onion. This method of producing 

 onions is perhaps the oldest and now the most universally employed 

 for the growing of small areas of onions in the garden where an 

 early crop is desired. The common method of producing sets is 

 to plant a large quantity of seed on a small area of rather rich land 

 and thus procure a great number of bulbs that are undersized, owing 

 to crowding and lack of plant food. The greater number of these 

 bulbs do not attain sufficient size or maturity to produce seed the 

 following season and are really plants in which the process of growth 

 has been arrested. The climatic conditions governing the produc- 

 tion of onion sets are practically the same as those for standard 

 onions, although it is not necessary to plant quite so early in the 

 spring. As the essential feature of growing onion sets is the 

 crowding together of the plants in the rows, a large quantity of seed 

 is required to plant an acre. The quantity of seed required varies 

 with the different localities. The ideal onion set is almost globular 

 in shape and a trifle less than half an inch in diameter. The color 

 should be bright and the surface free from smut or spots. The term 

 "pickler" is applied to the onion just above sets in size, or, in other 

 words, one-half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter. The term 

 "boiler," or "stewer," is applied to the size next larger than picklers, 

 which are too small for sale as standard onions, or from three-fourths 

 of an inch to l 1 ^ inches in diameter. 



Varieties Used for Sets. Seed of almost any variety of onion 

 may be used for the production of sets, but a greater demand exists 

 for the distinctly yellow, white, and red colors. In the trade the sets 

 are recognized by their color rather than by actual varietal names. 

 The demand for the yellow and the white sets is greater than for the 

 red, and those of the globular type are generally preferred. 



Onion sets are sometimes grown from left-over seed, in which 

 case a large number of varieties may be included. In the principal 

 set-growing districts, where the seed has been locally grown for many 

 years, the varieties are more or less distinct from those of seedsmen's 

 catalogues. (F. B. 255, 354, 434; Ariz. E. S. Cir. 75; Colo. E. S. 

 81, Cir. 5; N. Hex. E. S. 52, 74; Oreg. E. S. 74; N. Y. E. S. 206; 



