CHAPTER III 



ONIONS 



THE onion crop of the United States 

 presents a greater variety of cultural 

 practices than any other crop grown 

 outside glass structures. The distribution 

 of the plant is almost universal, but its com- 

 mercial cultivation, while by no means universal, 

 is localized in regions possessing a wide divers- 

 ity of climatic conditions. The soils upon which 

 onions are grown vary much less than the cli- 

 mate and the cultural practices. 



The onion industry is chiefly concerned with 

 the production of mature bulbs for human con- 

 sumption. A large portion of the labor ex- 

 pended upon this crop is for the production of 

 such bulbs, and the chief return from the in- 

 dustry is derived from their sale. 



The production of mature bulbs for human 

 consumption rests upon two general practices: 

 First, sowing the seed in place early in the 

 season where the bulbs are to mature, and, 

 Second, sowing the seed in especially prepared 



