CHAPTER IX. 



ONION. 



Allium cepa. 



The Onion is well known, and highly prized as a 

 garden vegetable, and, as a field-crop, is extensively 

 cultivated in many sections of the country. 



AVethersfield, Conn., Narraganset Shores, R. I., 

 and Chester Meadows, New York, are a few of the 

 districts where large ti-acts of land are annually de- 

 voted to the cultivation of the Onion. 



It is also grown largely by market-gardeners, and 

 is one of the most profitable crops, M-hen the " sets " 

 are planted on rich gi'onnd. 



Thei'e is also a large and lucrative business car- 

 ried on near Philadelphia in growing Onion " sets " 

 for market. There is usually a good demand for 

 them at prices ranging from five to ten dollars per 

 bushel in the Spring of the year. 



These three different branches of the Onion busi- 

 ness need, to some extent, different methods of cul- 

 ture. It will be necessary, thereforCj to treat them 

 separately. 



Wlien gro's^Ti as a field-crop, the land should be 

 level, com]3arati\-ely free from stones, or other ob- 

 sti-uctions, deep and mellow. The Onion -will grow 

 best on such a soil when well drained, either natur- 



