234 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



4. Obtaining seed and sets. — There is a great difference in 

 onion seed and sets, and too much care cannot be exercised 

 in trying to obtain the best quality. Buy from the most reliable 

 dealers. Seed more than a year old will not produce a good stand 

 of plants. Sets should be of size desired, uniform and solid. Both 

 sets and seed may be grown at home if desired. 



1. Where can you obtain high-grade seed and sets ? Consult local 



growers. Seed catalogues. 



2. What should be the maximum age of seed ? 



W-VG:385. C:312. 



5. Starting plants under glass. — W: 44-45. Prizetaker seed 

 is often sown in hotbeds and greenhouses. The growing of the 

 plants under glass is a simple matter, though the plants are more 

 susceptible to damping-off fungi than most other vegetables 

 (W:74). This trouble may be controlled to a large extent by 

 steam sterilization of the soil. 



The transplanting method has several advantages, such as the 

 production of larger bulbs, earlier onions, and a very great in- 

 crease in the yield. The system appeals strongly to many growers 

 who strive for the maximum yields to the acre. 



Beds or flats may be used for starting the plants. Any rich, 

 loose garden soil will be satisfactory for this purpose. The seed 

 should be sown in drills half an inch deep and three inches apart. 

 Most growers prefer to sow the seed at least ten weeks in advance 

 of the date of transplanting in the field, which should be after the 

 hardest frosts are past. Ten to twelve seeds to the inch should give 

 a good stand of plants, and this should produce 8000 to 9000 

 plants per 3X6 foot sash. A temperature suitable for other 

 plants that may be in the hotbed will meet the requirements of the 

 onions. After the plants reach the height of about five inches they 

 are cut back weekly to four inches to make them more stocky. 



