39O VEGETABLE GARDENING 



seeding is regarded as of the greatest importance 

 As soon as the ground is fully prepared, the drills should 

 be started. When wheel hoes are to be used it is cus- 

 tomary to allow 12 to 14 inches between rows. When 

 horse tools are employed in cultivating, the rows are 

 made 24 to 30 inches apart. If the ground has been 

 properly fitted for this crop, close planting and wheel 

 hoe tillage will secure the largest profits. A small, well- 

 trained mule can be used to draw the cultivator when 

 the rows are only 18 inches apart. 



In fairly heavy soil the seeds should be covered with 

 not more than ^2 an inch of soil. Three-fourths of an 

 inch is sufficient in most soils, while I inch or more 

 will do no harm in very sandy types. 



When the rows are 12 inches apart, 4^ pounds of good 

 seed to the acre will generally give a satisfactory stand 

 of plants. More seed should be used in heavy soils, be- 

 cause the percentage of germination will be lower. Some 

 thinning is practiced by most onion growers, but the 

 more skillful ones avoid this tedious operation to a great 

 extent. They invariably make germination tests before 

 sowing, and regulate the drill accordingly. It is cus- 

 tomary to allow 8 to 12 plants to the foot of furrow. 

 The thinning is frequently attended to at the first hand 

 weeding. 



536. The transplanting method, known as the new 

 onion culture, was developed simultaneously in 1888 and 

 1889 by T. Greiner of New York state and professor 

 W. J. Green of the Ohio Experiment Station. It con- 

 sists in sowing the seeds in hotbeds or greenhouses six 

 weeks or more in advance of transplanting in the field. 

 The advantages as stated by Professor Green (Ohio 

 Sta. Bui. Vol. Ill, No. 9, p. 249) are as follows : 



"i. Transplanting onions increased the yield 100 per 

 cent in some cases and gave a decided gain with all varie- 

 ties. The varieties that gave the best results were Pom- 



