GROWING PRIZE ONIONS IN MY GARDEN 
Essential Combinations of a Few Conditions Easily 
Attained and the Choice of a Variety that Fits the Soil 
1. THE CULTURAL DETAILS 
A. RUTLEDGE, PENN. 
THE BERMUDA ONION 
FOR LIGHT SOILS 
It comes in three varieties, 
differing in color. This type 
is famous for its very miid 
flavor and is notoriously 
poor in keeping quality 
HE gardener of the East and North who sees Bermuda 
Onions in the market cannot escape pangs of jealousy. 
And yet, while the average man can hardly grow the 
tremendous globes that come to maturity in the irri- 
gated fields of Texas, there is an excellent opportunity for him 
to grow Onions of a size that will rank them as prize-winners. 
He must, however, observe certain fundamentals. 
The Onion, while a most ready grower in almost any soil, is by 
no means willing to take on respectable size unless all conditions 
are right. Soil, moisture, length of season, judicious fertilizing, 
careful hand-culture, proper drainage, shading if a hot wave 
comes while the plants are still growing strongly— these are some 
of the matters to be kept in mind. 
W HERE the season is short, Onions must get an early start. 
Also, it is the experience of most careful gardeners that 
much larger Onions can be grown from seed than can be had 
from “sets.” The latter are quicker growers, but are inclined 
to shoot to seed, to the loss of the bulbs. I always start my 
seed in a hot-bed late in February. Toward the end of March 
1 have the bed in the garden ready, and the little plants, about 
four inches high, are transplanted, after having their tops cut 
back severely. In a backward season it may be the middle of 
April before this work can be done. The plants are set three 
inches apart in rows four inches apart, or sometimes five. 1 
drop every seventh row in order to give me opportunity to get 
among the plants for hand-cultivation. There is never any 
trouble about their growing immediately; and if they have been 
hardened off a little before transplanting, there is no danger of 
their being injured by cold. 
T HE soil should be exceedingly well prepared, the surface 
being raked repeatedly to make it fine and loose. 1 use a 
little very fine stable manure, and also a judicious sprinkling of 
wood-ashes, carefully incorporated in the soil; but my main 
dependence is upon nitrate of soda, which seems to be by far the 
best fertilizer for Onions. By experiment I found that Onions 
treated with nitrate of soda grew to almost double the size of 
others in the same bed not so favored. It may be worked into 
the soil as a top-dressing after the plants have made a good 
start. 
Keep the bed scrupulously clean, and the soil like a loose 
mulch all the time. Indeed, I know of no crop which de- 
mands more careful cultivation, and hardly any crop better 
repays it. 
In July a hot wave may come. Though the Onions may 
then be growing strongly, this will terminate growth unless 
the plants are shaded with burlap, slatting, or anything con- 
venient. If the gardener 
plans to grow prize Onions, 
he must remember not to 
let the sun discourage his 
plants before they have done 
their best. 
If these , suggestions are 
followed, Onions may be 
so grown in the home garden 
that people will say, “Why, 
they look like giant Ber- 
mudas. You didn’t grow 
them here, did you?” 
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