100 



HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



native of Asia. There are now many varieties of onions, 

 differing in size, shape, color, and keeping qualities. 

 Like most bulbs, onions grow best in cool climates. They 

 require an abundance of moisture, except at 

 the time of ripening when dry weather is 

 favorable. The largest onion-producing sec- 

 tions of the United States are in Massachusetts, 

 New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Calif or- 

 // nia. The onion is grown as a commercial crop 



to some extent in Canada. 



A very rich soil containing an abundance 

 of humus is necessary for the successful grow- 

 FIG. 67. onion in ing of onions. A good loam is to be preferred, 

 although some varieties of onions grow 

 well on muck lands. The addition of fresh manure should 

 be avoided on account of the danger from the onion-maggot, a 

 very troublesome pest. Well-rotted manure applied the pre- 

 vious fall is excellent. Onion land should be in cultivated 

 crops two or three years before onions are 

 planted in order that it may be as free as 

 possible from weeds. It is very important 

 that the seed-bed be finely pulverized. The 

 seeds are sown in rows, about three seeds 

 to the inch, and covered with about one- 

 half inch of soil. The onion bed must 

 be cultivated often and all weeds kept 

 down. The plants should be thinned 

 very early, and enough space left between 

 them to prevent the bulbs from touching 

 each other when full-grown. In the nor- 

 mal ripening process, the onions dry and 

 shrivel at the neck first, and the leaves 

 dry later. The onions are pulled and 

 topped and then stored in a cool dry well- ventilated place. 

 Although the cheapest way to multiply onions is from seeds, 



FIG. 68. Top onion, 

 one kind of "sets". 



