D. M. FERRY & CO., DETROIT, MICH. 



43 



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 snabling us to maintain stocks of such high quality that we challenge 

 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 ivith 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 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, 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. Where climate permits seed may be sown early 

 in winter. 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 

 potash reduces the tendency to scallions or coarse necked 

 bulbs. 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. We prefer a drill that 

 sows a very close row. 



r> . 1-1 i Sometimes called 

 Lxtra Larly Extra Early Flat 



Red Recl ' Altnou g Q tne flrst of 



the red sorts to ripen, the 

 bulbs are firm and keep remark- 

 ably well for so early a variety. It 

 is a very hardy, medium sized, flat 

 variety that yields well and is 

 very uniform in shape and size 

 The skin is uniformly rich pur- 

 plish red and moderately strong 

 flavored. It comes into use about 

 a week or ten days earlier than 

 Large Red Wethersfield. The 

 flesh is white with tinge of light 

 purple. The variety succeeds in 

 cool soils. It is very desirable for 

 early market use. Pkt. 10c; 

 Oz. 20c; 2 Oz. 35c; % Lb. 60c; 

 Lb. $2.00 



Large Red Wethersfield 



This is the standard red variety 

 and a favorite onion in the east, 

 where immense crops are grown 

 for shipment. It is very exten- 

 sively grown for home garden use 

 as well as the market. The 



CULTIVATION. As soon 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 as a perfect 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; follow as quickly as 

 possible with a thorough hand weeding, keeping in mind that 

 a 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 

 to the 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 as the 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 an inch 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 knife and 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. This method insures self 

 pollination and eliminates possibility of crossing. Purebred strains require exacting care 



bulbs are large and are flattened, yet quite thick. The skin is deep purplish red. The flesh is light purplish white, moderately 

 fine grained, rather strong but of pleasant flavor. The variety is very productive, one of the best keepers and very popular 

 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. Pkt. 10c; Oz. 20c; 2 Oz. 

 35c: V* Lb. 60c; Lb. $2.00 



