1470 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



Fi^. 9. Screen Used for Grading and Clean- 

 ing Onions, Showing Folding Crates Largely 

 Used for Marketing. 



In the selection of varieties for any- 

 particular locality the soil conditions and 

 market requirements should both be con- 

 sidered. Those adapted to the muck 

 soils are the yellow and red sorts. For 

 alluvial and prairie soils the red and 

 brown varieties are to be preferred, while 

 all kinds do well on the sandy loams and 

 light soils. A cleaner, better grade of 

 white onions can generally be produced 

 on light or sandy soils than on muck 

 or clay loams. Those of the Bermuda, 

 Spanish and Egyptian types flourish on 

 the deep, rich alluvial soils of the river 

 bottoms and delta regions. 



Certain of our markets show a decided 

 preference for onions belonging to a par- 

 ticular type. The red and brown varie- 

 ties find ready sale on the markets of 

 the Middle West, while onions of the 

 yellow and white varieties are preferred 

 in the Eastern cities. Onions will with- 

 stand long-distance shipment, those of 

 the Red Globe type being generally more 

 subject to injury than the yellow and 

 brown sorts. Some of the white varie- 

 ties also have a thin skin and are easily 

 injured. It should be the aim of every 

 grower to employ varieties that will 

 withstand handling and at the same time 

 find ready sale on the market. 



Other Types of Onions 



Among the types not already discussed 



are top onions, multipliers, garlic and 

 leeks, which are planted to some extent 

 for marketing purposes. 



The top or tree onion, which repro- 

 duces by means of small bulblets formed 

 on the top of a seed stalk, is extensively 

 used in the production of early spring 

 bunching onions. 



The multiplier or potato onion repro- 

 duces by a division of the bulbs. In 

 growing this variety it is necessary to 

 plant large bulbs to produce sets for the 

 next year's planting and small bulbs or 

 sets for the crop of large onions. The 

 bulbs of this variety may remain in the 

 soil year after year and are desirable 

 for use early in the springtime. 



Garlic is closely allied to the onion, 

 but will remain in the ground from one 

 year to another if undisturbed. Garlic is 

 planted by setting the small bulbs, or 

 cloves, in either the autumn or early 

 spring. The culture is practically the 

 same as for the onion. 



The leek also belongs to the same class 

 as does the onion, but requires somewhat 

 different treatment. The seed is usually 

 sown in a trench and the plants thinned 

 to about four inches in the row. The 

 plants of the leek are given about the 

 same cultivation as onions, except that 

 after they have attained almost full size 

 the soil is drawn around them to a height 

 of six or eight inches to blanch the fleshy 

 stem. The leek does not form a true 

 bulb like the onion, but the stem is uni- 

 formly thick throughout. Leeks are mar- 

 keted in bunches, like young onions, and 

 they may be stored in cellars for winter 

 use. 



Green Onions for Bunching 



Another phase of onion culture that is 

 of considerable importance in certain lo- 

 calities is the production of young bunch- 

 ing onions for the early spring trade. 

 In several sections along the South At- 

 lantic coast the growing of this class 

 of onions is quite an enterprise. Many 

 persons who are engaged in other lines 

 of work follow the practice of growing 

 a small area of bunching onions as a side 

 issue. 



