ONIONS IN THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY 



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enough to get a thick stand and fertilizing with as much as 1000 pounds per acre 

 on fairly good onion land, sufficiently good growth could be obtained for the 

 production of vigorous sets of the proper size. It is, however, necessary to pull 

 the plants before the sets have developed to the size wanted since they continue 

 to develop for some time after pulling. This growth of the sets after pulling 

 permits them to become well formed even though the plants may have been 

 greatly crowded in the row while growing, but does necessitate a large vigorous 

 top growth from which to develop the sets. 



In 1934 the latest planting, May 15, was the most successful. The earlier 

 plantings were seriously affected by the cold, wet weather in early May which, 

 combined with a bad infestation of onion maggots, resulted in thin and poorly 

 distributed stands. By planting somewhat later than is customary, good stands 

 should be possible even with medium rates of seeding. Since the cost for seed 

 in the growing of sets for planting is great, anything that lowers the cost without 

 resulting loss is highly desirable. 



The results indicate that very good yields of sets can be obtained locally, 

 with a reasonably high percentage of a desired size; that they can be kept in 

 storage without excessive loss from decay, sprouting, or shrinkage; and that 

 when planted they will produce satisfactory onions. 



Figure 5. 



No. 1. Common Yellow Globe onions grown from seed sown in the field. 



No. 2. Same from a commercial improved strain of Yellow Globe. 



No. 3. Same as No. 1 except seed started in greenhouse and transplanted to the field. 



No. 4. Same as No. 2 except transplanted. 



No. 5. "Japanese" onions grown from commercial sets. 



ONION BREEDING AND VARIETY TESTING 



For the past ten years varieties and strains of onions have been collected 

 and grown for comparison and selection in a study of onion breeding. Many of 

 the original strains and varieties have been discarded because they were not 

 suited to local conditions or because they seemed to be inferior to other strains 

 or varieties of a similar type. 



Bulbs which seemed to have the desired qualifications were selected from the 

 better strains or varieties and have been inbred, some of them for five generations. 

 Several crosses have been made but with no great success. Some of the strains 

 have become greatly weakened by the close inbreeding and do not produce seed 



