ONION. 103 



drains close together, so as to remove the surplus water 

 quickly. 



The laud should be shallow but thoroughly plowed, 

 leaving no particle unturned. Remove all roots or 

 sticks, or other debris, before plowing and again 

 after plowing, then harrow thoroughly, removing 

 every particle in the form of sticks or straw ; even the 

 roots of last year's grass should be removed. After 

 the land has been thus thoroughly prepared, it should 

 be allowed to remain two weeks or so before fertilizing, 

 when it should be stirred again. 



SEED. 



The Bermuda is recommended as being the best 

 variety for a crop in the South. There seems to be a 

 good deal of difficulty in obtaining genuine seed. 

 This is a very important point in the success of onion- 

 growing. There is probably no other crop where so 

 much depends on obtaining a good strain of seed. It 

 is not profitable to use old seed when new can be 

 obtained. 



SEED-BED. 



The seed should be sown in seed beds, or cold frames, 

 prepared with special care. These may be prepared 

 a month or so before hand, and should be worked 

 over frequently to have the fertilizer incorporated into 

 the soil. These seed beds must be constructed so the 

 moisture in them can be controlled. 



If the seed-bed is free from weed seed, as it should 

 be, the rows may be made about three inches apart, 

 and the seed sown thick enough to raise about three 

 thousand plants to one linear foot (six square feet) of 

 standard cold frame. This will give 500 to 750 plants 

 to a row six feet long. There is considerable variation 

 in the number of plants that can be produced from an 

 ounce of seed ; good gardeners are able to produce 



