GROWING ONIONS FROM SEED. 293 



are usually generous and where weed growth Js great, it 

 is often wise to defer sowing and use the cultivator for 

 weed-killing, so that the ground may be as clean as pos- 

 sible before the seed is sown. Weeding onions is one of 

 the most expensive and tiresome of all field practices, and 

 it is good policy, where moisture is ample, to sow much 

 later in the spring for the advantage of securing cleaner 

 land, as well as to prevent the growth of "thick-necks" 

 or scallions which though edible are not good keepers nor 

 good marketable tubers. Each locality has its own policy 

 in this respect, which can be learned by conference with 

 experienced growers. 



When the sowing time comes be sure the land is fined 

 well. Use nothing but the freshest seed from responsible 

 dealers; mark out a straight line for beginning and sow 

 the seed with a seeder with a guide so that the straight- 

 ness of the first row may be followed in the others. If the 

 rows begin to vary from this, strike another straight line 

 and proceed again from this. Distance between the rows 

 depends upon the method of cultivation to be adopted; 

 some are grown with two feet distance and horse cultiva- 

 tion is used, but most growers choose a distance of 12 to 

 16 inches and use hand cultivation. The hand hoes, or 

 cultivators with wheels, work very easily and rapidly in 

 light soils. Care must be taken to work them deeply 

 enough to produce a good soil mulch. 



Depth of covering the seed depends upon season, mois- 

 ture and character of soil, as explained on page 157. 

 With onions the depth would vary from one-half an inch 

 on heavy soil to one inch on light, or slightly more on 

 light soil in a dry locality, is about the range. The seeder 

 should be set to drop the seeds about three-quarters of an 

 inch apart in the drill, which will use from four to five 

 pounds to the acre. After sowing, the ground can be 

 firmed in any of the ways mentioned on page 158. A light 

 roller is most expeditious and satisfactory if the soil is in 

 the right condition of moisture. 



Onion seed is sometimes rather slow in starting and the 



