126 MARKET GARDENING. 



so many are not successful in raising onions, is because 

 they do not attach enough importance to the selection 

 of their seeds ; they start wrong, by buying cheap seed. 

 This not only lessens, or loses the crop, but is a source 

 of vexation, extending through the entire season. 



No previous preparation is required with virgin soil. 

 If old ground is to be used, manure heavily and plant to 

 corn ; cultivate thoroughly four or five times ; do not 

 permit weeds to go to seed ; go through the field after 

 the last cultivation of the corn ; cut off the weeds, carry- 

 ing away all likely to ripen seed, keeping a sharp look- 

 out for purslane. Cut the corn earty, and plow deeply 

 in the fall. 



As a manure for onions, well-rotted stable dung is 

 the best. Artificial manures are uncertain, especially in 

 dry seasons. Stable manure reserved for an onion crop, 

 should be stacked up in summer, and left until autumn 

 for processes of fermentation to fit the material as a 

 plant food, and late in the fall it should be spread evenly, 

 and twenty to twenty-five loads to the acre, and imme- 

 diately plowed under. When possible, the ground should 

 always be plowed in the autumn, again in the spring, 

 and harrowed until the ground is thoroughly pulverized. 

 No pains in tillage should be spared. 



Various growers succeed best with different varie- 

 ties, as have proved best adapted to their respective soils 

 and markets. Among well established varieties there 

 are the Yellow Globe Danvers, Extra Early Eed, Large 

 Ked Wethersfield, Eed Globe, White and Yellow Globe, 

 Strasburg and Silver Skin. 



Eed Globe has the color and general quality of the 

 Large Eed Wethersfield, is round, is as hardy, keeps 

 well, and rivals it in weight of crop. 



Extra Early Eed is a selection from Large Eed 

 Wethersfield, which, in color and form, it closely resem- 

 bles. It is the earliest of all red onions, close grained, 



