402 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
544. Bermuda onions. — Tn the South and the South- 
west the seed is sown in specially prepared outdoor 
beds from the middle of September to the middle of 
October. The seedlings are transplanted in the field 
from November 20 to January 10 or even later. (U. S. 
D. A., Farmers’ Bulletin 354, p. 31). The bulbs are gen- 
erally harvested before fully ripe, by the use of a one- 
horse plow, potato digger or cultivator with cutter-wing 
attachment. After cleaning, drying (in the field) and 
topping, the bulbs are graded and usually sent to mar- 
ket in folding crates, about 20 inches long, 12 inches 
wide and 12 inches deep. They weigh 6 or 7 pounds, 
cost about 18 cents and hold 50 pounds of onions. The 
general average yield is 10,000 or 12,000 pounds an acre; 
the average price, $i.6o a hundred weight. The buyer 
furnishes crates and loads the cars. The United States 
Department of Agriculture estimates the cost of pro- 
duction as follows: 
Preparation of land and fertilizers $70 
Seed 9 
Transplanting 20 
Irrigation 1 5 
Cultivation and hand weeding 16 
Harvesting 20 
Interest on investment 20 
Total $170 
On heavily manured land the average yield is said to 
be about 16,000 pounds an acre, making gross receipts 
$256 an acre and profits $86. Much larger yields are 
often obtained, with profits correspondingly larger. 
545. Growing sets. — Onion sets are very small matured 
bulbs of the same varieties as will grow to a large size 
when proper conditions are provided. These miniature 
bulbs are obtained by crowding, so that a dozen or more 
plants occupy the same space as one when large onions 
