402 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



544. Bermuda onions. — In the South and the South« 

 west the seed is sown in specially prepared outdoor 

 beds from the middle of September to the middle of 

 October. The seedlings are transplanted in the field 

 from November 20 to January 10 or even later. (U. S. 

 D. A., Farmers' Bulletin 354, p. 31). The bulbs are gen- 

 erally harvested before fully ripe, by the use of a one- 

 horse plow, potato digger or cultivator with cutter-wing 

 attachment. After cleaning, drying (in the field) and 

 topping, the bulbs are graded and usually sent to mar- 

 ket in folding crates, about 20 inches long, 12 inches 

 wide and 12 inches deep. They weigh 6 or 7 pounds, 

 cost about 18 cents and hold 50 pounds of onions. The 

 general average yield is 10,000 or 12,000 pounds an acre; 

 the average price, $1.60 a hundred weight. The buyer 

 furnishes crates and loads the cars. The United States 

 Department of Agriculture estimates the cost of pro- 

 duction as follows: 



Preparation of land and fertilizers $70 



Seed 9 



Transplanting 20 



Irrigation 15 



Cultivation and hand weeding 16 



Harvesting 20 



Interest on investment 20 



Total $170 



On heavily manured land the average yield is said to 

 be about 16,000 pounds an acre, making gross receipts 

 $256 an acre and profits $86. Much larger yields are 

 often obtained, with profits correspondingly larger. 



545. Growing sets. — Onion sets are very small matured 

 bulbs of the same varieties as will grow to a large size 

 when proper conditions are provided. These miniature 

 bulbs are obtained by crowding, so that a dozen or more 

 plants occupy the same space as one when large onions 



