Crops Grown for Their Leaves 235 



velopment ; and if the conditions for growth are un- 

 favorable the first year, the onion takes three years to 

 complete its entire life cycle. 



Dry onions for table use may therefore be grown in 

 one season, either from seed or from sets. Although 

 onions grown from sets are inclined to shoot to seed, the 

 crop is more easily grown from sets than from seed. 

 They make a much quicker start, and the production of 

 bulbs of large size is somewhat more certain. It is well 

 to buy sets of named varieties rather than to buy simply 

 " sets." Red sets of the Red Wethers field; white, of 

 White Portugal; and yellow, of Yellow Darners, are 

 recommended for general planting. Sets are planted 

 early in spring. 



Something like 30 varieties of onions grown from seed 

 are often listed by seedsmen. Southport White Globe, 

 Southport Yellow Globe, Southport Red Globe, Danvers, 

 Prizetaker, and Red Wethersfield are good varieties for 

 all sections of the United States. The Queen or White 

 Pearl is an early, small, flat, white onion excellent for 

 pickling. The Bermuda onions (White Bermuda, Red 

 Bermuda, and Crystal Wax) are good mild-flavored sorts. 



In growing direct from seed, sow thickly in rows 12 

 or 14 inches apart, as soon as there is no danger of frosts. 

 The young plants are slow in getting a start. Cultivate 

 well, and keep weeds out of the rows. Thin to stand i 

 inch apart in the row, and later remove every other 

 plant for use as young onions, leaving the plants for dry 

 onions spaced about 2 inches apart in the row. 



Larger bulbs and earlier bunch onions may be had by 

 starting plants in a hotbed, cold frame, or indoor seed 



