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 Wethersfield; white, of 
White Portugal; and yellow, of Yellow Danvers, —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 1 
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 
