CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 403 



are desired. The crowded plants compete with each 

 other for food, moisture and room in which to grow. 

 Under such conditions it^is impossible for the bulbs to 

 attain large size. 



The industry has reached the greatest development 

 near Louisville, Ky., and Chicago, 111. There are from 

 600 to 800 growers of sets near Louisville, each cultivat- 

 ing from one to 50 acres. In the Chicago district the 

 business is handled by 15 to 20 men, the acreage of each 

 ranging from 20 to 400 acres. 



Any good onion soil may be used for growing sets. 

 It should be at least moderately fertile, fine and as free 

 as possible from weed seeds. The seed should be drilled 

 as soon as the ground can be prepared in the spring. In 

 the districts mentioned the rows are n to 12 inches 

 apart. Some highly intensive -growers plant closer, but 

 it makes cultivation more difficult. From 40 to 60 

 pounds of seed are used to the acre, and occasionally 10 

 or 15 pounds more. The seed is distributed in a broad 

 drill by means of a spreader attached. Sometimes sev- 

 eral hand drills are connected and drawn by a horse, but 

 it is impossible to make the rows as straight as when the 

 drills are pushed by hand. The fields must be cultivated 

 as soon as the plants are up and frequently enough to 

 keep the soil in good tilth. The number of cultivations varies 

 from two to six, and of hand weedings from two to four. 



With the crowded condition of the bulbs they mature 

 earlier than if they had ample space. At Louisville 

 harvesting begins in July and extends into August. The 

 work is begun when one-third to one-half the tops are 

 down. After loosening with a fork or an onion harves- 

 ter, the plants are pulled by hand, the tops twisted off 

 and the soil sifted out. Then the bulbs are placed in a 

 barrel and taken promptly to the storage house, where 

 the sets are spread 4 to 6 inches deep on trays and 

 allowed to remain until sold. The cleaning before mar- 



