CALIFORNIA ONION SETS 223 



lines must be straight for ease and efficiency of subsequent culti- 

 vation, 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 

 California 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, was in the habit of grow- 

 ing 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 

 gather the sets when the seed-stalks are ripe or perfectly yellow. Let the 

 sets get well dried, then store in a cool, dry place six or eight inches deep 

 on a board floor and cover with clean, dry straw. Never put them in sacks, 

 boxes or barrels, as they will most surely mold. 



In growing onions from these top sets, I plant them as early in February 

 as the ground is suitable, on the richest of my land; make the rows per- 

 fectly straight by using a strong garden line; make rows one foot apart; 

 press the sets firmly into the mellow soil nearly or quite out of sight, placing 

 them an inch or so apart. When they are nicely up, a good top dressing of 

 fine, dry, decomposed hen manure sown broadcast and well hoed in, is most 

 excellent, especially just before a warm rain. A few weeks later a light 

 dressing of groupd bone, or unleached ashes, will forward them wonder- 

 fully, and in a short time you will have onions fit for an epicure. Thin out 

 as wanted for use, leaving space enough for those that remain to mature for 

 winter use, or for the purpose of raising top sets for another year. 



To keep sets or old onions from going to seed when started to 

 grow; whenever a seed stem appears with pointed bud on top, cut 

 it off close to the ground. The same onion never sends up two 

 seed stems; and if the sets have plenty of moisture, they will make 

 big onions in the usual way after the seed stem is gone. Otherwise, 

 they would all go to seed with no onion left at the bottom. The 

 sprouted onions will (if the seed stems are kept cut out) make 

 quite a quantity of smaller onions that are fair size to use, and 

 keep well when stored for home use. 



