356 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



nearly always necessary in onion culture. If the onions are 

 to be thinned, this should be done before they get too large. 



Marketing 1 . If it is desired to market some of the onions 

 as "green bunch onions, " in about six weeks from planting 

 the sets will have grown to the desired size, and the plants 

 may be pulled and bunched for the market. 



For this project it is probably better to allow the onions 

 to ripen in the ground and market them as ripe onions, 



When onions ripen properly, the necks shrivel first and 

 the tops fall over while they are yet green. It is best to begin 

 harvesting when the tops have fallen over and turned yellow. 

 As the onions are pulled, the tops are twisted off and the 

 onion bulb dropped into a basket. In commercial onion cul- 

 ture these onions are placed in crates and exposed to the sun 

 for a few days, or stored in open sheds where they cure until 

 sold on the market or placed in winter storage. The onions 

 may cure well by being spread over the floor of a corn crib 

 where crates and sheds are not provided. 



Varieties. For this project, the Prize Taker, the Gigantic 

 Gibraltar, and the red and white American types are good 

 varieties to use. 



Notebook record. The 1 notebook record should be a de- 

 scription of how the onions were grown, with an accurate 

 account of all expenditures and receipts. 



HOME PROJECT 12 



CUCUMBER GROWING 



Varieties. In selecting the varieties of cucumbers for this 

 project, use the small sizes for" pickling and the larger 



