20 CIECULAE XO. lia, BUREAU OF PLANT IXDUSTEi'. 



as runners. These should be set about 27 hiehes apart. Two rows 

 can then be phmted with a gai'den (hnh between the furrows. Irri- 

 gation by flooding is also a common practice on this project^ as well 

 as hi other onion-growing sections. If this method of irrigation is 

 decided upon, the rows may all be the same distance apart. 



If the weather remahis dry after planting, irrigation may be nec- 

 essary to germmate the seed. A tendency of the soil to bake oyer 

 the seeds indicates that irrigation is needed to soften the crust 



When furrow irrigation is used on soils that do not subirrigate well, 

 much slope to the land is to be ayoided; otherwise the water may run 

 past ^^dthout thoroughly wetting the soil about the plants. A slope 

 of 0.2 foot per 100 feet should giye satisfactory results, and if the soil 

 is well supplied \\dth humus more slope may be aUowed, as such soil 

 takes water easily and washes less. The irrigation furrows should 

 not exceed 300 feet in length. Often a field can be so arranged that 

 the water which runs from the ends of the furrows may be uthized on 

 a lower series. It is well to follow each irrigation as soon as practi- 

 cable mth a wheel hoe, so that the growth of the onions will not be 

 checked by loss of soil moisture. Usually it is adyisable to irrigate 

 eyery week or 10 days until August. 



The market requires thoroughly matured onions which wih kee]> 

 wen. To insure such, water should be withheld after the" e-arly part 

 of August and the soil allowed to dry out. The bulbs should mature 

 by September 15. A field fidl of scallions and immature bulbs 

 radicates either poor soil, poor seed, late planting, or too much 

 watermg. 



Harvesting. — If the onions are properly matured. ])ulling is easy, 

 and two or three days' curmg in the field ^\Tli put them in good condi- 

 tion for the storehouse. It is entirely possible that it will be found 

 the ])est practice where omons are properly matured to top them and 

 put them at once into crates and store them in open sheds, where the 

 curing ^\^11 take place without injury fi'om night frosts C)r the hot 

 midday sun. 



Storing. — The important ]^oints in storage are dryness and low 



temperature. While a thin-board buildmg, not frost proof, is better 



than a place too warm, a cheap adobe structure is especially adapted 



to this purpose, as any temperature in the fall or winter may be 



secured by regulation of the night yentiiation, and the nonconductiye 



adobe waUs will preyent freezing. The bulbs can then be marketed 



at any time.^ 



CELERY. 



Celery growing is not yet an important industry. This crop has 

 been yery successful, and the produce is of excellent texture and 



1 For further information in regard to onion culture, see Farmers' Bulletins S.iJ, Onion culture, and 434, 

 The home production of onion seed and sets, 

 [fir. 113] 



