304 MUCK CROPS 



Another insect which troubles the onions 

 is the small thrip. This insect spends most of 

 its life on the leaves and near the surface of 

 the ground. It will often destroy the sur- 

 face tissue of the leaf, so that it will wilt. 

 The remedy is whale oil soap, one pound to 

 two gallons of water, sprayed on the plants. 

 A tobacco extract, nicotine sulphate, direc- 

 tions given on the can is also a remedy. 



Diseases. Mildew, blight and mold are 

 diseases very abundant about June 15. The 

 remedy is to destroy the tops of the diseased 

 plants. Do not allow them to remain on 

 the patch. Systematic spraying with bor- 

 deaux mixture is also a good .preventive. 

 Begin when the onions are small and con- 

 tinue during the season. One grower has 

 devised a scheme whereby he can spray 

 onion rows covering 50 feet at one time. 



Smut is a drsease that is becoming more 

 common each year, causing large loss with 

 this particular crop. The disease infects 

 the soil. Therefore, a treatment of the seed 

 would be of questionable value. One of the 

 older remedies is the use of sulphur and lime, 

 100 pounds sulphur (powdered or flowers of 

 sulphur) and 50 pounds of fine stone-lime. 



