346 HOW*THE FAKM PAYS. 



earliest crop of onions in this condition, the onion sets are used, 

 which are small onions from the size of a pea to size of three-quarters 

 of an inch diameter, but the smaller the better, as they make a crop 

 nearly as quick and never run to seed, while the large ones occasionally 

 do. Onion sets must all be planted by hand, in rows made by the 

 garden marker at about nine inches apart, the sets being planted 

 from two to three inches apart; they are most conveniently planted in 

 beds of eight rows each, leaving a space of eighteen inches for an 

 alleyway. The green onions are tied in bunches of eight or ten each, 

 and often sell at eight and ten cents per bunch. The crop is usually 

 begun to be marketed by the middle of June, and is sold off by 

 middle of July. This garden crop of onions is usually heavier manured 

 and requires more labor than the field crop, but its market value is 

 often three times that of the field crop. Onions are also sold in this 

 way when grown from seed, but of course this matures two or three 

 weeks later and is not usually so remunerative as the green crop from 

 the sets. 



POTATO ONIONS 



are increased by the bulb as it grows, splitting into six, eight or ten 

 sections, which form the crop from which the "set" or root for next 

 season's planting is obtained. These are planted in early spring, in 

 rows one foot apart, the onions three or four inches between, and 

 like the onions raised from sets, are generally sold green, as in that 

 state they are very tender, while in the dry state they are less desir- 

 able than the ordinary onion. 



TOP ONIONS, 



so called, are propagated by the peculiar property of this variety of 

 onion producing a cluster of small bulblets on the onion stalk, an ex- 

 crescence of bulblets is formed instead of flowers and seeds. In all 

 respects its culture is the same as the Potato Onion, only that, as the 

 bulbs are smaller, they can be planted closer. 



SHALLOTS, 



a vegetable nearly allied to the Potato Onion, only that it never 

 forms an individual bulb, but always grows in clusters, is planted in 

 the fall, same distance apart as the Potato Onion, and starts to 



