CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 39I 



peii, Prizetaker and White Victoria. Those showing the 

 smallest gain were Danvers, Weathersfield and Michigan. 



2. The transplanted onions were larger and more uni- 

 form in size than those grown from seed in the ordinary 

 manner. 



3. The transplanted onions ripened from three to four 

 weeks earlier than those grown from seed sown in the 

 open ground. 



4. The extra labor involved in transplanting was off- 

 set by the saving of labor in weeding. The increase in 

 crop, without a corresponding increase in labor, lessened 

 the cost per bushel in production." 



Investigations at many of the experiment stations 

 have been favorable to this method of culture, which is 

 popular with a large number of growers, although sel- 

 dom practiced on a very extensive scale, except in the 

 growing of Bermuda onions in the South. A Michigan 

 grower transplants annually about seven acres and there 

 may be gardeners who transplant even larger areas. The 

 method unquestionably meets with favor among grow- 

 ers who have a market for large, fancy bulbs of the for- 

 eign type. Prizetaker is the most popular variety for 

 this method, although other varieties of the foreign types 

 are used. 



The seed should be sown at least six weeks in advance 

 of planting in the open ground. Many successful grow- 

 ers prefer lo weeks, because it enables them to grow bet- 

 ter plants. 



Any rich, porous garden soil free from damping-off 

 fungi may be used for starting the plants. Sow in drills 

 Yi inch deep and 3 inches apart. Ten or 12 seeds to the 

 inch of furrow should give a good stand. A tempera- 

 ture suitable for other vegetables will meet the require- 

 ments of the onion. If hotbeds are used, a 3 x 6-foot 

 sash should produce 8,000 or 9,000 plants. When set 

 4 X 15 inches apart in the field, 170,000 plants will be re- 



