106 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



that they can do so at the cost of $20 per acre. Per- 

 sons who are not familiar with onion growing will 

 consider this an almost insurmountable obstacle, but 

 when we remember that it does away with the early 

 weeding and hoeing, the expense will not be so heavy 

 as it is first supposed. Twenty dollars is not sufficient 

 to bring an acre of onions to four weeks old by the 

 old method, and have the field free from weeds. 



After the seedlings have grown large enough to be 

 handled easily, they should be transplanted. Mark 

 the rows off about twelve inches apart, if they are to 

 be worked by hand ; if by horse-power, the rows must 

 be from tewnty to twenty four inches apart. A sim- 

 ple rake-like contrivance that has teeth at proper in- 

 tervals will serve the purpose of a marker. If the 

 marker is wide enough to mark out six or eight rows at 

 once, it will be found steadier than a small one. All 

 that is necessary is to make a mark for a guide ; the 

 lines or marks need not be deep or broad. A re- 

 volving marker may be made by fastening a thin rope 

 around a wooden roller and inserting pegs at proper 

 intervals on the circumference ; it will lay off distances 

 and be a good guide in planting. If the pegs have 

 been put so they will make a dot every twelve inches 

 in the row, all that is necessary is to set a plant in 

 each dot, and then put three between. These dots are 

 especially desirable if one has boys and girls at work. 



For setting the plants a small, flat dibber is used ; 

 a home made one will serve the purpose as well as 

 any. A piece of seasoned hard wood, one inch square 

 and six long, should be shaved down to a flat point, 

 and a handle fixed across the top. Such a tool can be 

 made easily and quickly, or one may have a steel one 

 made by a blacksmith ; these will be found better, 

 but where a good many hands are being worked, the 

 item of expense will be well worth considering. 



