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J. STECKLER SEED CO., LTD., ALMANAC AND 



ONIONS. 



For Price List See Bed Pages in Back of Book. 



Og-non (Fr.), Zwiebel (Ger.), Cebolla (Sp.), Cipollo (Ital.) 



CULTURE. — The cut on this page represents a well-grown Onion raised from 

 Louisiana or Creole seed. The Onion is one of the most important vegetables planted 

 in this section. Thousands of barrels are annually shipped from here to the West and 

 North. If sown at the proper time, with ordinary cultivation, they will always produce 

 a crop and meet with ready sale. The seed is not a sure crop every year and some years 

 it sells very high. 



LOUISIANA OR BED CREOLE. — Has 



been cultivated here for a century — sup- 

 posed to have been brought here first 

 from the south of Europe, we presume 

 the bulbs produced but few seeds. It is 

 hard to say from what variety this 

 Onion originated; having been planted 

 here for so long it has become a dis- 

 tinct kind. It is not as red as the 

 Wethersfield, and not as light as the 

 Strassburg; in flavor it is similar to the 

 two last named varieties, but much 

 stronger than the Italian kinds. In this 

 latitude the seed should be sown from 

 the 15th of September to about the 25th 

 of October; if sown sooner, a good many 

 will throw up seed stalks, which im- 

 pairs the keeping quality of the Onion. 

 We sow the seed broadcast, protect the 

 seed beds by spreading green moss over 

 them, which is removed every evening 

 and replaced in the morning. Some 

 gardeners use lataniers for covering the 

 bed. When the seed is coming up, say 

 in 7 or 9 days, the cover has to be re- 

 moved entirely; but if the weather is 

 dry the watering has to be continued. They 

 thrive best in loamy soil. Can be planted 

 in the same ground for years, and require 

 no rotation as other crops. When the 

 plants have reached the size of a goose 

 quill they are transplanted into rows, which 

 can be from one to two feet apart, accord- 

 ing to the mode of cultivation, and about 

 five or six inches apart in the rows. The 

 ground should be prepared before setting 

 out the plants. We generally shorten the 

 tops and roots. In April the Onion will be 

 ready to be taken up. In sections where it 

 is too cold to sow Onion seed in the fall, 

 the Creole seed can be sown in January 

 and February; in that case they should be 

 sown very thinly in drills, thinned out to 

 a proper stand, and by the end of spring 

 they will produce good size Onions. Grow- 

 ers here use very little, if any, fertilizers, 

 but it can be used with advantage. For 

 spring sowing we recommend the Bermuda 

 seed. The seed of the Creole Onion, which 

 we offer, is grown for us by experienced 

 onion growers. No better stock can be 

 found. 



CRYSTAL WAX. — This variety is the 

 best White Onion we have ever seen. It 

 is of a pure white and sells on sight. 

 Should be planted in rich soil; if left ex- 

 posed to sun after ripening they turn to a 

 greenish color. Excellent for shipping and 

 the finest flavored onion in existence. 



DANVEB'S YELLOW GLOBE.— Brown- 

 ish yellow color; bulbs quite flat and of 

 good size; largely grown for sets. In the 

 Southern States they can be planted in 

 autumn and will continue growing during 

 the entire winter. 



SOUTHPORT BED GLOBE. — This is the 

 handsomest and most richly colored of all 

 red Onions. Perfectly globe-shaped, the 

 onions measure two to three inches in 

 diameter. Remarkably uniform in size and 

 form, with the dark, rich coloring, they 

 make a most attractive appearance. The 

 plants are thin-necked, ripening down to a 

 hard, solid ball — insuring the largest per- 

 centage of market onions and of the best 

 keeping qualities. 



BED WETHERSFIELD. — This is a beau- 

 tiful, large, handsome globe-shaped red 

 Onion. Earliness, productiveness and keep- 

 ing qualities. It has perfect form; skin 

 deep purplish white; fine grained, produces 

 enormous onions. 



THE PRIZE TAKE B. — One of the 



largest Onions, more flat in shape than 

 either Danver's or Wethersfield. and of yel- 

 lowish red color. Flesh is firm and solid, of 

 a transparent white and of excellent mild 

 flavor. 



WHITE QUEEN. — (Italian Onion.) This 

 is a medium sized, white variety from 

 Italy, very early and flat; can be sown as 

 late as February, and good sized bulbs will 

 yet be obtained. It is of mild flavor and 

 very fine when boiled, and dressed for the 

 table. 



LOUISIANA OB WHITE CBEOLE. — Is 



similar in shape and hardiness to Frotsch- 

 er's Red Creole Onion, but silvery white in 

 color, the veins clear and distinct. Its 

 mild, pleasant flavor and splendid keeping 

 qualities make it a favorite White Onion 

 for shipping. 



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