THE ONION. 187 



CULTIVATION. 



The only sure road to success in onion culture, even 

 when all other conditions are favorable, is clean cultiva- 

 tion, and as soon as the lines of young plants are dis- 

 tinguishable, hoeing should be commenced, and repeated, 

 with hand-weeding, whenever necessary, no weed being 

 allowed to grow large enough to disturb the roots of the 

 onion, when pulling it, and be continued to within about 

 a month from the time the crop matures. The soil 

 should be stirred between the plants in the row. 



The chief objection to this crop is the amount of care- 

 ful labor required to keep it clean, at least four or five 

 hoeings being necessary, for which the scuffle, push, or 

 Dutch hoe is the best implement. 



Onions grow best upon the surface, as their roots do 

 not penetrate the soil deeply; therefore, the hoeing must 

 be superficial, and no soil should be drawn to the rows. 

 They should be thinned to four inches in the row, if only 

 large bulbs are wanted, but in case a large yield is de- 

 sired, irrespective of size, the stand may be closer. 

 Transplanted onions take root very readily; therefore, any 

 vacant, spaces may be supplied, or new beds made with 

 the plants removed in thinning, cutting back the roots 

 to about an inch, and the leaves one-half their length. 

 The roots should be put down straight, and the plants 

 deeper than they grew originally. If onions have room 

 laterally, groups of four or five may be left together, be- 

 cause in their efforts for survival, they will push one 

 another sidewise, and mount on top of each other, and 

 still form round, marketable bulbs. 



HAKVESTING AND MARKETING. 



At the North, where the onions are to be stored for 

 winter use, the whole crop is pulled when three-fourths 

 of the plants have turned yellow, shrivelled and dried in 



