TRANSPLANTING ONIONS. 295 



California for a third of a century or more in preference 

 to starting from onion sets. It is a fact that transplant- 

 ing produces more uniformly large onions than growth 

 from the seed in place, and the crop also reaches maturity 

 sooner, as the transplanting does not sacrifice the time 

 gained by the earlier start in the seed-bed. Employing 

 these two points of advantage in a region suitable to quick 

 winter growth, a very early crop of mature onions is se- 

 cured, which sometimes strikes a bare market and is very 

 profitable, while the regular crop, coming in later, may be 

 worth much less. 



Seedlings for transplanting are grown in California in 

 the open air, according to the conditions for germination 

 described on pages 156 to 160. Where there is likelihood 

 of heavy rains the raised bed described in the chapter on 

 cultivation is a safeguard, but where the soil naturally 

 drains well, or where rain is light, such arrangement is 

 not necessary. Nor is it necessary that the culture should 

 be very deep. The seed is started in the fall, when the 

 rate of evaporation is reduced. Shallow culture promotes 

 early growth and, if the soil has been previously deeply 

 moistened, there is no need of such deep work as would 

 be desirable if the plant was to pursue its full course in 

 that place. 



Some growers use a little bottom heat by covering in 

 fresh horse manure with the plow and shallow working 

 the surface into fine tilth. This practice is not essential. 

 It is best suited to heavy soil and ample moisture ; it has 

 an element of danger on light soil with scant moisture. 

 The seed is sown at different times in different localities 

 from September to November the early date in northern 

 California, for the rains come earlier, the weather is cooler 

 and the plants of slower growth, in the south a later 

 start agrees better with the rainfall, and more rapid 

 growth brings the seedling to planting-size in less time. 



The seed is usually thickly sown broadcast, lightly cov- 

 ered and rolled or pressed down. The surface is protected 

 fom drying and from packing by heavy rain, with a light 



