Fertilizing Land for Onions 115 



cluster. These are propagated by divisiou of the cluster, 

 each single bulbel multiplying again. The large Shallot, 

 sometimes called scallions, produces both bulblets and 

 bulbels, and may be propagated from either. The bulb- 

 lets, or "buttons," are produced as in the case of the 

 top onion, while the single button or bulbel multiplies 

 from separate buds enveloped in the single case. 



The soil best adapted to onions is a sandy loam free 

 from pebbles or undecomposed vegetable matter. The 

 soil should be deeply prepared and the manure or ferti- 

 lizer thoroughly incorporated with the first six inches of 

 soil. Fresh unfermented manure is not desirable, but 

 thoroughly decomposed animal manure — that from the 

 fowl -house and piggery — well rotted and mixed in the 

 soil with strong wood ashes, makes a typical application 

 for this crop. There is little danger of fertilizing land 

 intended for growing onions too heavily if the right 

 kind of fertilizer is used. An exception to this should be 

 be made if sets are to be grown. Forty tons of the mix- 

 ture just mentioned will be sufficient for an acre, and it 

 will produce more and better onions applied to one acre 

 than if divided between two acres, while only half the 

 seed and half the labor will be required. If the home 

 manures are not obtainable, a ton of complete commercial 

 fertilizer analyzing 6 per cent of potash, 5 per cent of 

 ammonia and 6 per cent of phosphoric acid, will answer. 

 This should be sown broadcast and worked into the soil 

 by repeated use of the harrow or disk cultivator. For 

 early crop, either seed or sets may be planted the last of 

 September. Those from the sets which are intended to 

 be used green may be earthed up four inches on the 



