10 



HOW TO RAISfc ONIONS, 



NO. V. 



BY STEPHEN HOYT & SON, FAIRFIELD CO,, CT. 



SOIL is the first consideration in the culture of 

 onions. To raise them successfully, it is important 

 that this be right. The soil best adapted to them is a 

 neavy, moist, (not wet,) rich loam, free from stone. 



Fair crops of onions may be raised upon a light dry 

 soil in favorable seasons, but the tops are very liable 

 to turn yellow just as they begin to bottom, and to die 

 down before they are of much size, thus very materi- 

 ally diminishing the crop. The soil should be culti- 

 vated with some hoed crop, and no weeds allowed to 

 ripen seed upon it for one or two years before plant- 

 ing with onions. After having decided upon the soil, 

 the next thing is the 



MANURE. Onions draw very heavily upon the soil, 

 and to insure a large crop, manure should be applied li- 

 berally. No definite quantity can be recommended, as 

 the condition of the land varies so much ; but, as a gen- 

 eral thing, there is more danger of not applying enough 

 than too much. Stable or barn-yard manure when tho- 

 roughly decomposed, may be considered a very proper 

 manure for oniona We have found ashes very beneficial, 

 end have raised fine crops with no other manure. They 

 should be composted with swamp-muck, using one 

 load of ashes to ten or twelve of muck. Apply 

 twenty-five or thirty loads to the acre more would oe 

 better. Fish composted with muck, makes a very 

 superior manure for onions, not excelled if equalled by 

 any other manure. Eight to ten thousand fish, (moss 

 bunkers,) properly composted, make a good dressing 

 for an acre. We have used guano, and it makes 

 onions, like almost every thing else, grow, yet we are 

 not in favor of its use, 6nly when composted with 

 muck, or mixed with good soil. If nothing else can 

 be had, guano may be used with success, but should 

 lay composted a few months before using. It is un- 

 necessary to particularize the kinds of manure further. 

 Any well-rotted manure may be used with advantage 

 if applied in sufficient quantity. 



PLOUGHING, HARROWING, ETC. This we would re- 

 commend to be done as early in the spring as the 

 .ground will admit. First, plough deep, and harrow 

 down. Then spread on the manure and plough in 

 shallow, say four inches. If ashes are used, spread 

 them upon the surface and harrow in. After the 

 second ploughing, harrow again, and pick off the stones, 

 if there are any ; then roll, (this is very important,) 

 harrow once more and rake off, so as to remove all 

 stones, grass, roots, etc. It is very important to have 

 the ground fine and clean before sowing, as much of 

 the after-cultivation depends upon this. 



SHED. There is nothing, .perhaps, in raising onions 

 if more importance than the seed, which should be 

 4?ht to start with. If the seed is. poor and fails to 



come, or a part comes, it not only lessens the crop, but 

 is a source of much vexation. We have found it the 

 most reliable course to raise our own seed. The beet 

 onions should be selected and put out as early as 

 possible in the spring ; in rows three feet apart, and 

 six inches distant in the row. Hoe often to keep 

 clean, and when the hulls begin to open, remove the 

 heads to some place under cover, where they may re- 

 main to be cleaned out at leisure. The seed may be 

 loosened from the heads by threshing them with a 

 flail, or by rubbing in the hands, and then run through 

 a fanning-mill. If it is then put into a tub of water, the 

 poor seed will float and may be removed from the sur 

 face, leaving the good at the bottom, in a clean state, 

 after which it should be taken out and dried- 

 We have frequently bought seed, as those just com 

 mencing the business have to do. In this case it 

 should be tried before sowing. This may be done by 

 placing some cotton thoroughly wet in a tumbler, 

 sprinkling a few seeds over the surface of the cotton, 

 and placing the tumbler in a warm place. In a few 

 days the seed will germinate if it is good. It is im 

 portant to have new seed, as old is very liable to fail 

 or if it does not, the sprout is more feeble and puny. 



We prefer the red globe variety for general cultiva- 

 tion, as they are hardy and yield better than any other. 

 White onions sell for a large price, but they are more 

 tender, and we have condemned them for general cul- 

 tivation. We have had several trials with them, and 

 found them to yield well; but they are very liable to 

 decay or become spotted ; so as to injure their sale. 



SOWING may be done with almost any seed-drill, but 

 we generally use one made expressly for the purpose, 

 sowing two rows at once, twelve inches apart. A 

 boy follows behind, covering the seed with the head of 

 a rake. With this kind of machine, a man and boy 

 will sow two acres per day. We have found four 

 pounds of seed to the acre the proper quantity. The 

 seed should be sowed as early as the ground will 

 admit. 



HOEING AND WEEDING. As soon as the onions are 

 up so as to distinguish the rows, they should be hoed 

 by a careful hand, using a hoe with a blade eight 

 inches in length and two in width. These hoes may 

 be obtained at most agricultural stores, and are prefer- 

 red because they cover the onions much less than a 

 common hoe. Repeat the hoeing again in a few days, 

 and follow by weeding, using the greatest care to re- 

 move all the weeds, as the after-expense will depend 

 much upon the first dressing-out. Never allow onions 

 to suffer for the want cf weeding, but clean as the 

 weeds are coming up. If weeds are allowed to attain 

 much size, they are very apt to take r x>t again, even 



