ipi ij The Cultivation of Onions. 



639 



The importance of thorough cultivation cannot be over- 

 estimated, and perhaps the greatest mistake in onion growing 

 is the neglect of this precaution. 



The land should be cultivated in October or November, and 

 left in a rough state, so that it may benefit from the action of 

 frost during the winter. Some growers recommend a deep 

 "two-spit" trenching, but others consider that a "one-spit" 

 digging or ploughing of about six inches in depth is sufficient. 

 The choice between the two methods depends largely upon 

 the rotation practised. If onions are grown at all frequently 

 on the same land, trenching is without doubt the better plan. 



A difference of opinion also exists on the subject of 

 manuring. Some growers apply a dressing of good half- 

 rotten stable or cow manure, say 10 tons to the acre, while 

 others, who are equally successful, use artificial manures only. 

 Some of the Bedfordshire growers have been known to apply 

 as much as 50 tons of half-rotten stable manure to the acre. 



Manure should not be allowed to lie on the land for any 

 length of time, as this encourages insects ; fresh farmyard 

 manure should never be used. 



The advocates of the "two-spit " and cow-manure principle 

 recommend, where the grower has only stiff land at his dis- 

 posal, the addition of a mixture of wood and cinder ashes with 

 basic slag or lime to the top spit, in the proportion of 7 cwt. 

 of ashes and 10 cwt. of lime or basic slag to the acre, in 

 addition to a good dressing of short mellow manure. 



It is not uncommon for onions to follow a crop of celery. 

 The rotation by this, method would be: — (1) Early crop 

 of potatoes or cabbage, the land being cleared in July; 

 (2) crop of celery; (3) onions. The advantage of this method 

 is that the extra cultivation of the land, owing to the 

 constant " moulding up " of the celery, and the heavy 

 manuring of the trenches, serve to bring the soil into an 

 excellent condition to receive the onion seed. The land, as 

 soon as the celery is off, should be dug and left until February 

 or March. Good results are also obtained with onions follow 

 ing corn, cabbage, carrots, or parsnips. 



Preparation for Sowing. — A dressing of 5 cwt. of super- 

 phosphate, and from 3 to 4 cwt. of soot to the acre, is recom- 

 mended. Soot is particularly valuable. Other artificial 



