D. M. FERRY & CO., DETROIT, MICH. 
ONION 
Onion seed should always be raised from selected bulbs, It is only in this way that the most desirable types can be main- 
tained. Unless the undesirable bulbs are rejected by the onion seed grower, the seed stocks will rapidly become unfit for use, as 
the bulbs will be uneven in shape and color and will lose their keeping quality. One of the most important operations at our 
Oakview Stock Seed Farm is the growing and selecting of onions for seed. Here the constant process of raising seed from 
selected bulbs only is carried on from year to year, thus enabling us to maintain stocks of such high quality that we challenge 
43 
comparison with those offered elsewhere. 
Although onions are often raised from sets and from division, by far the best and cheapest mode of production is from seed. 
The facility with which seed is sown and the superior bulbs it produces, recommend it for general use. 
As early in spring as ground can be worked, sow inrich 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, the 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 ground is kept rich by applications of well rotted ma- 
nure or other suitable fertilizer and is thoroughly worked at proper intervals. 
in winter. 
Where climate permits seed may be sown early 
If onions are to be grown for the market the following suggestions should be given careful consideration: 
HOW TO RAISE ONIONS FOR THE MARKET 
THE SOIL. We prefer a soft, dark sandy loam, not 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 sufficient 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 
stiff clay, very light sand or gravel. 
PREPARATION. Onions respond well to very liberal ma- 
nuring. As much as forty loads of stock manure well com- 
posted or one ton of high grade commercial fertilizer per acre 
may be applied 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 should be distributed and 
thoroughly worked into the top soil after plowing in the spring. 
A liberal use of potash is very beneficial to the crop especially 
when raw manure is used or if the soil is rank and mucky, as 
otash reduces the tendency to scallions or coarse necked 
ulbs. The top soil should be cleared of everything that will 
interfere with the best possible work with drill and wheel hoe. 
The whole ploughed soil should be well pulverized and worked 
with tools that leave the surface smooth and compact. 
SOWING THE SEED. This should be done as soon as the 
ground can be made ready and can be done best by a hand 
seed drill. This should be carefully 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 usual 
quantity needed to grow large onions. Weprefer a drill that 
SOWS a very close row. 
CULTIVATION. Assoon as the young plants can be seen 
in the rows give a shallow working either with rake or some 
other tool that pulverizes well the whole top soil. Many onion 
growers consider about one inch apart asaperfectstand. 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; follow as quickly as 
possible with a thorough hand weeding, keeping in mind that 
@ very small weed today is a large one next week. At the same 
time that this hand weeding is done, it is advisable to clear the soil 
away from the base of the young plants, leaving them exposed 
tothe sun. This will serve to prevent or check the damage 
often caused by root maggots. The ground should be culti- 
vated once a week if possible and any remaining weeds pulled 
out by hand every two weeks. For best results these opera- 
tions should be continued until the crop occupies the ground. 
GATHERING. As soon asthe tops die and fall the bulbs 
may be pulled and raked into small open windrows, turning every 
few days with a rake. At convenience cut off the tops half an 
inch to aninch from the bulbs and very soon afterward the 
bulbs may be picked up in crates and piled loose under cover. 
The large 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 procured readily we find it much cheaper to 
top the onions with a rough edged case knifeand rake away 
the tops before pulling. 
It will not do to store 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 till spring. The best way is to keep them 
dry,giving bottom ventilation if possible, and at a uniform tem- 
perature of about 32° to 34° Fr. 
“Bagged” flower heads in stock seed crop of onion at Oakview. 
of crossing. 
Extra Early Red 
yields well and is very uniform in shape and size. 
The variety succeeds in cool soils. 
Lb. $2.50 
Large Red Wethersfield 
for shipment. 
bulbs are large and are flattened, yet quite thick. The skin is deep purplish red. 
The variety is very productive, one of the best keepers and very popular 
fine grained, rather strong but of pleasant flavor. 
This method insures self pollination and eliminates possibility 
Purebred strains require exacting care 
Sometimes called Extra Early Flat Red. Although the first of the red sorts to ripen, the bulbs are 
firm and keep remarkably well forso.early a variety. It is a very hardy, medium sized, flat variety that 
The skin is uniformly rich purplish red and moderately stron 
comes into use about a week or ten days earlier than Large Red Wethersfield. The flesh is white with tinge o 
It is very desirable for early market use. 
flavored. It 
light purple. 
Y, Lb. 75c; 
Pkt. 10c; Oz. 25c; 2 Oz. 40c; 
This is the standard red variety and a favorite onion in the east, where immense crops are grown 
It is very extensively grown for home garden use as well as the market. 
The 
The flesh is light purplish white, moderately 
for general cultivation. This medium early or main crop variety does best on rich, moderately dry soil but on low muck land 
it is more apt to form large necks than the Danvers. There is no better sort for poor and dry soils. 
40c; %4 Lb. 75c; Lb. $2.25 
Pkt. 10c; Oz. 25c; 2 Oz, 
