EXPERIENCE OF PRACTICAL GROWERS. 



while seed obtained from a distance, in numerous in- 

 stances, went to tops, or made "straight onions," as we 

 call th'em. 



To grow good seed, select the globe-shaped bulbs 

 of good size, in the fall put them in a dry cool place, 

 but not where they will freeze much. Set them out 

 as early as possible in spring, or as early in April as 

 the ground can be worked. Set in good garden-soil, 

 m rows three feet apart, and eight inche^ distant in 

 the row cr to particularize, slightly ridge the land, 

 and set tLe onions in the furrows, about four inches 

 below thw level, and as as they grow, keep entirely 

 free from weeds, and fill in the furrows from the ridge. 

 The dwi helps to support them upright. Otherwise, 

 as the seed-balls grow heavy, the wind rocks them 

 about, and much of the seed is lost or injured by 

 blasting. The seed-balls should be carefully cut when 

 beginning to brown, and spread thin to prevent heating. 

 When perfectly dry, thresh and winnow clean, then 

 put into water. The good seed sinks, while the im- 

 perfect will float, and should be skimmed off and 

 thrown away. Care must be taken to dry thoroughly 

 after removing it from the water. One bushel of good 

 onions usually yields from three to five pounds of seed. 

 LAND intended for onions should be nearly level, 

 to prevent the heavy rains from washing it after the 

 seed is sown. The onion is a gross feeder, and re- 

 quires a liberal supply of manure, say from sixteen to 

 twenty loads, of fifty bushels each, well-rotted manure 

 per acre. I prefer manure from the hog-pen, but 

 where large quantities are grown, all kinds are used, 

 first fermenting it to destroy foul seeds as much as 

 possible, and fit it to mix with the soil more easily and 

 evenly. A dressing of ashes is very advantageous 

 to the crop. 



To prepare the ground for onions, first clear the sur- 

 face of all small stones above the size of a hen's egg, 

 put on the manure, spread and plough to the depth of 

 seven inches the first year. After that, plough somewhat 

 deeper. The ploughing may be done in November, if 

 you have many to plant, and wish to get them in 

 early. Let the ground lie in the furrow until spring, 

 and then spread on at least one hundred bushels of 

 ashes to the acre. If no ashes are used, apply from 

 cwo to three hundred pounds of guano, and harrow 

 with iron teeth, if the ground was ploughed in the fall; 

 otherwise use a plank frame, or a plank with brush 

 set in, which will leave the land smoother for the hand- 

 rake. As the bush-barrow will need some weight, 

 about that of a man, I usually ride on it, and by 

 change of position can throw my weight so as to fill 

 up holes and leave the ground more even, which saves 

 hand-labor. If you wish straight rows which look 

 and work better stretch a line across your field to 

 draw the seed-drill by, and by moving it up to the 

 work, there will be no difficulty in keeping straight. 

 The seed-drills used about here are very simple in con- 

 struction costing about four dollars They drop two 



rows at a time, twelve inches apart, and one half-Jnch 

 deep. These are covered by passing a hoe backward 

 over the drill, or by the hand-rake drawn carefully 

 parallel with the rows, which is the quickest way, a* 

 t covers two rows at once. Four pounds of good 

 seed are plenty for one acre. It should be planted 

 as early in April as the ground will admit. Do not 

 work it when wet, for it will be lumpy, and hard to 

 cover the seed properly. When up enough to see the 

 rows, hoe between them, with a hoe made expressly 

 'or that use. The blade of tjhe hoe should be eight 

 nches in length and one and a half broad, with a 

 ong crooked shank. Next comes the weeding. 



Have a small hoe made like the above, but one and 

 a half inches in length, set in a handle six inches long. 

 With this in one hand, get on your knees, and crawl 

 over them, destroying all the weeds ; for if not well 

 done at this time, the work will be hard the next. 

 Second hoeing and weeding the same as first, but can 

 be done faster. About this time, say the first of 

 June, sow broad-cast one bushel of salt to the acre, 

 such as is used for hay. This will prevent the cut- 

 worm which is sometimes troublesome, and the salt, I 

 hink, is a help to the crop. I can not say too much 

 about keeping the weeds out, for no crop suffers more 

 from weeds than onions. Keep the weeds out as long 

 as you can creep over them. They usually require 

 four hoeings and weeding.*, which will carry them into 

 July. If there are weeds, get them out, even if the 

 bulbs have begun to swell ; you can walk through 

 them and pull them by hand. This is the time they 

 are apt to be neglected, as tte haying season claims 

 all the help. 



As they attain their growth, the tops loose their 

 lively green color, grow weak above the bulb, and drop 

 over. When they grow exactly right, they all fall 

 down ; and when about two thirds dry, they are fit to 

 pull. This is done by hand, cleaning of all weeds, to 

 prevent the seed ripening. Spread the onions to wilt 

 from two to four days, then pile about three bushels in- 

 a heap to sweat. Let them stand in this way for 

 some days, or until the tops are dried away. They 

 are now fit for marketing in small quantities. 



If you wish to house them to keep, spread them 

 again, and dry ; for if housed damp or green, they will 

 grow and injure quickly. Great care is necessary to 

 cure them properly. They should be dried until no 

 juice will ooze from the tops when twisted by the 

 hand. They will require turning two or more times tc 

 bring them to this state, then cart them before the der 

 falls at night. When in the house, they should hat 

 free circulation of air about them, until freezin v 

 weather, and then be protected from extreme cold, 

 though they bear some freezing, and do not generally 

 injure if let alone until the frost is all out. If they 

 are intended for market before December, almost any 

 out-building with a good roof will make a store-house, 

 the more air about them the better. If the floor ia 



