ONIONS 321 



bunch onions, and by amateurs for the production of early green 

 onions or mature bulbs. The California crop is largely grown 

 from pure strains of seed, large quantities of Silver Skin and 

 White Bermuda being grown to ship to the Texas Bermuda- 

 onion-growing section. 



Soil and climate for onion sets. Onion sets can be produced in 

 almost any locality where market onions can be grown. The soil 

 should be only moderately rich and free from weeds. The char- 

 acter of the soil in different localities varies somewhat, but well- 

 drained, sandy loam is best. In the vicinity of Chicago, sets are 

 produced on prairie land the fertility of which is kept up by light 

 dressings of stable manure. In California, sets are grown on allu- 

 vial land of a peaty character. The land should be prepared as 

 early as possible in the spring and brought to a smooth, even 

 surface, free from lumps or any refuse that will interfere with 

 the work of drilling the seed. 



Cultivation of onion sets. The principal requirement in the 

 production of onion sets is to bring them to early maturity either 

 by sowing thickly or by lack of plant food. As a rule, seed is sown 

 in broad drills from 8 to 14 inches apart, the quantity of seed 

 per acre varying from 40 to 100 pounds. Some growers use the 

 ordinary hand seed drill which sows a single row ; others use the 

 same drill with a spreader on the shoe which scatters the seed over 

 a space 2 or 3 inches in width, while in some sections a drill 

 having 5 small points is employed. In California 6 or 8 drills like 

 that shown in figure 1 5 1 are rigged to operate by horse power or 

 other power. It seems to make little difference which method of 

 sowing is followed so long as the seed is applied at a very heavy 

 rate and a uniform stand is obtained. The single broad rows 

 about i o inches apart seem to be most satisfactory and economical. 

 The seedlings generally appear within ten days after the seed is 

 sown, and constant cultivation is required to keep the surface soil 

 loose and the ground free from weeds. The tools generally em- 

 ployed are the wheel hoe and the ordinary hand hoe ; occasion- 

 ally small hand hoes or knives are required to keep weeds from 

 spreading among the plants. No horse tools can be employed 

 in the cultivation of sets because the plants are small and delicate 

 and because of the narrow space between the rows. 



