M. FERRY Sc CO., DETROIT, 



49 



ONION 



The Onion is one of the most extensively used of all vegetables. It not only contains considerable nutriment and has valu- 

 able uiedieinal properties, but is most useful in counteracting the bad effects of sedentary life. The disagreeable odor it im- 

 parts to the breach may be avoided in a great measure by thorough cooiiing, or by eating afew leaves of parsley. 



In onion culture, thorough preparation of the ground, careful sowing and the best of after culture, though essential for a 

 full yield, will avail nothing unless seed of the best quality be used. Given the same care and conditions, the product from two 

 lots of onion seed of the same variety but of different quality may be so unequal in the quantity of merchantable onions that it 

 would be more profitable to use the good seed though it cost twenty times as much as the other. Our equipment and ex- 

 perience enable us to produce onion seed that is unsurpassed. The seed we oft"er is the best obtainable. 



Altliongh onions are often raised from sets and from division, by far the best and cheapest mode of production is f}-om seed. 

 The facilitu with ichich seed is sotrn and the siqyerior bulbs it produces, recommend it for general use. 



As early in spring as ground can be worked, sow in rich soil, thoroughly pulverized and leveled, in rows twelve to fifteen 

 inches apart, covering one-half inch deep. When the plants are well up. cultivate and keep free from weeds. The young plants 

 may be thinned about one inch apart in the row. When grown for bunching, xhe rows can be made as close as ten inches. 



For very early crop in northern latitudes, sow seed in cold-frame in February and transplant when large enough to handle 

 readily. The same location may be used for a succession of years if the groxmd is kept rich by applications of well rotted ma- 

 nure or other suitable fertilizer and is thoroughly worked at proper intervals. Where chniate'permirs seed may be sown early 

 ia winter. If onions are to be gro--vn for the market t5-.e followir.g suggestions sh':^v.ld be given careful consideration: 



HOW TO RAISE ONIONS FOR THE MARKET 



THE SOIL. We prefer a soft, dark sandy loam, nor too fine. 

 This is much better if it has been cultivated with hoed crops, 

 kept clean from weeds and well manured for two years pre- 

 vious, because if a sufBcient quantity of manure to raise an 

 ordinary soil to a proper degree of fertility is applied at once, 

 it is likely to make the onions soft. The same result will follow 

 if we sow on rank mucky ground or on that which is too wet 



and it is impossible to raise either a large or profitable crop on possible with a thorough hand 

 stiff clay, very fight sand or gravel. a very small weed today is a iar 



CULTIVATION. As soon as the young plants can be seen 

 in the rows irive a shallow working either" with rake or some 

 other tool that ptilverizes well the wliole top soil. 3Iany onion 

 growere consider about one inch apart as a i)erfect stand." Work 

 the crop again in a few days with a hoe or tool that cuts the 

 ground over, this time as closely as is possible to the row 

 without injury to the young plants: foliow as quickly as 



ceding keeping in mind that 

 e one next week. The ground 



PREPARATION. Onions respond well to very liberal ma- should be cultivated once a week if possible and any remaiidu 



nuring. As much as forty loads of stock manure well com- weeds pulled out by hand every two weeks. For best results 



posted or one ton of high g"rale comiuercial fertihzer per acre these operations should be continued until the crop occupies 

 may be apphed to good advantage 



The stock manure should 

 be spread and worked into the top soil in the fall but if com- 

 mercial fertilizer is used it shoitld be distributed and 

 thoroughly worked into the top soil afrer plowing in the spring. 

 A liberal lise of potash is very beneficial to the crop especially 

 when raw manure is used or if the soil is rank and mucky, as 

 potash reduces the tendency to scalfions or coarse necked 

 bulbs. The top soil shotild be" cleared of everything that wUl 

 intei-fere with the best possible work with drill and wheel hoe. 

 The whole ploughed soil should be well pulverized and worked 

 with tools tiiat leave th^ surface smooth and compact. 



SOWING THE SEED. This siiould be done as soon as the 

 ground can be made readv and can be done best by a hand 

 seed drill. This should be caref tilly adjusted to sow the desired 

 quantity of seed about one-half" inch deep. The quantity 

 needed "will vary with the soil, the seed used and the kind of 

 onions desired. Thin seeding gives much larger onions than 

 thick seeding. Four or five pounds per acre is the tisiuil 

 quantity needed to grow large onions. We prefer a drill that 

 sows a very close row. 



the groun. 



GATHERLNG. As soon as the tops die and fall the bulbs 

 may be pulie 1 aui^l raked into small open windrows, tm'uuig every 

 few days with a rake. At convenience cut off the tops half an 

 inch to an inch from the bulbs and very soon afterward the 

 buibs may be picked up in crates and piled loose under cover. 

 The la-.-ge onion growers use a puller attachment to the wheel 

 hoe that runs under the row of onions and lifts the bulbs. 

 Where help can be procm-ed readily we find it much cheaper to 

 top the onions with a rough edged' case knife and rake away 

 the tops before pulling. 



It wUl not do to score onions in large piles or masses, par- 

 ticularly in warm weather, or if they are the least moist, but if 

 perfectly dry when gathered and stored in crates, they can be 

 kept in fine condition tiU spring. The best way is to keep them 

 dry. giving bottom ventilation if possible, and at a uniform tem- 

 perature of about 32° to Si^ Fr. 



Extra Early Red 



Sometimes called Extra Earlv Flat Red. Although the first of the red sorts to ripen, the bulbs are 

 firm and keep remarkably we'll for so eai'ly a variety. It is a very hardy, mediirm sized, iiai variety that 

 yields well ani is very uniform in shape and size. " The skin is uniformly rich purplish red and moderar^lt^trosg fiavore"d. It 

 comes into use about" a week or ten davs earUer than Large Red Wethersfield. The liesh is v.hire with tinge of lisrl.t p::rp]e. 

 The variety succeeds in cool soils. It is very desirable for early market use. Pkt.lOc; Oz. 15c; 2 Oz. 25c; Y^ Lb. 40c; Lb. $1.50 



Large Red Wethersfield var\ViV'a^.?T'?avor:te 



onion in the eas:. wl^ere iir.mer.se crops are grown for 

 shipment. It is very extensively grown for home garden 

 use as well as the niarket. The" bulbs are large afd are 

 flattened yet quite thick. The skin is deep purplish red. 

 The flesh" is light purplish white, moderare'y fine grained, 

 rather strong but of pleasant flavor. The v'ariety'is very 

 productive, one of the best keepers and veiy popular for 

 general cultivation. This medium early or main crop vari- 

 ety does best on rich, moderately dry S' il but on low 

 muck land it is more apt to form"larg"'e necks than the 

 Danvers. There is no better sort for poor and dry soils. 

 Pkt. 10c; Oz. 15c; 2 Oz. 25c; V4 Lb. 40c; Lb, $1.50 " 



Large Re: Wethehsreld 



