<2? ~ oe x, 7 
- 
* ‘ 7. - 
s 
184 [ASSEMBLY 
It appears that in nearly every case’ the yield was smallest in the 
first, and largest in the third row,-but in no case was the increase in 
the yield of the second and third rows in proportion to the increased 
number of plants. We noted that, as a rule, the largest bulbs were 
in the first row. 
Asan additional experiment in growing onions at different distances 
apart, we planted, June 3d, four rows of the large red Wethersfield 
variety, sowing the seed thickly. After the plants had vegetated, we 
thinned those in the first row to six inches apart, those in the second 
to three inches apart, those in the third to one inch, while those in 
the fourth were not thinned. ‘The planting was done too late to ob- 
tain the best results, but we note the yields, as follows : The first row 
yielded two solid bulbs and twenty-six scallions ; the second row yielded 
eight solid bulbs and thirty-seven scallions; the third thirteen solid 
bulbs, thirty-five scallions, with many undeveloped plants, and the 
fourth yielded fifty-seven solid bulbs and fifty-seven scallions. 
These results seem to indicate that there is some foundation for the 
opinion held by some onion growers, that the bulbs develop better 
where they touch each other in the row than where they do not. 
Another experiment with onions is quite suggestive. We saw a 
statement in an agricultural newspaper that onions will-succeed better 
on a compact than on a loose soil, provided that the surface is well 
_ pulverized to a slight depth. With the view of verifying this experi- 
ment, we thoroughly pulverized the soil on a small plat of ground, 
and on an adjoining plat of equalsize we packed the ground:as hard as 
possible by repeatedly pounding it with a heavy maul. We then cov- 
ered the surface of both plats with finely pulverized soil to the depth 
of half an inch, and, June 3, planted three rows on each plat with 
seed of the large red Wethersfield onion. The late planting undoubt- 
edly prevented a fair yield, but the three. rows on the compacted soil 
yielded nine pounds, seven ounces of merchantable bulbs, while the 
three on the pulverized soil yielded but three pounds, three ounces. 
The percentage of vegetation in the two plats was not noticeably dif- 
ferent, although the vegetation was more prompt in the compacted 
soil. Wehopeto repeat this experiment the coming season on a more 
extended scale. 
We also planted, April 26, seeds or sets of the following plants be- 
longing to the onion family, with the results noted. 
. 


—_— 


© I 
ee : feet 
37 Z . 
SHALLOTS, LEEK, ETC, 3 a. 2. ou 
as °3 28 Ee 
gs fe ss se 2 
Shallots, from seed........... | 28 23 jee 
Shallots, from 'setsy 7.42%... 13 > 127 
Fieelk. London lags. «. a> ts, 28 54 161 
*Teek, Musselburg............ 28 12 161 
BW olsh “Onion cites es ata Ee 30 55 161 
Garlic, from sete '3,'¢ 20 chan ses Nip RRS 127 
Chives, from sets............. 36 ede 


* Pulled before the tops were_alljdead. 
’ 
oe 

