The new onion culture; a story for young and old, which tells how to grow 2,000 bushels of fine bulbs on one acre ..

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

THE NEW

ONION CULTURE

A STORY FOR YOUNG AND OLD |

WHICH TELLS HOW TO GROW

2,000 Bushels of Fine Bulbs
ON ONE ACRE. |

THE NEW SYSTEM FULLY EXPLAINED.

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By T. GREINER

Author of ‘“‘How T0 MAKE THE GARDEN Pay,” “ PRAC-
TICAL FARM CHEMISTRY,”’ ETC.

ALL. RIGHTSRESERVED

JANUARY, 1891.

A NEW BOOK READY BY APRIL 1st, 1891.

Practical Farm
Chemistry,

A Handbook of Profitable Crop Feeding.

Part I—THE RAW MATERIALS OF PLANT FOOD.

Part II—THE AVAILABLE SOURCES OF SUPPLY.

Part III.—PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMIC APPLICATION OR
MANURING FOR MONEY.

By Tl. GREINE EH:

A handsome voiume of [50 pages substantially
bound in cloth. Price, $1.00.

This work, written in plainest language, is in-
tended to assist the farmer in the selection,
purchase and application of plant foods. If
you wish to learn ways how to save money in
procuring manurial substances, and how to
make money by their proper use, read this book.
If you want your boy to learn the principles
of crop feeding, and become a successful far-
mer, give hima copy of this book. The cost
of the book will be returned a hundred fold to
every reader who peruses its pages with care,
and applies its teachings to practice.

For copy, free by mail, forward the price ($1.00) by Express
Money Order or Postal Note to the Author and Publisher

T. GREINER, La Salle, Niagara Co., N. Y.

i NW,
ONION CULTURE

A STORY FOR YOUNG AND OLD

WHICH TELLS HOW TO GROW

2,000 Bushels of Fine Bulbs
ON ONE ACRE.

THE NEW SYSTEM FULLY ‘EXPLAINED.

Author of ‘‘How To MAKE THE GARDEN Pay,’’ ‘‘ PRAC-
TICAL FARM CHEMISTRY,”’”’ ETC.

pee seh | So RESERVED:

JANUARY, 199fq nev OFS

COPYRIGHTED, 1890.

BY T. GREINER, LASALLE, N.Y.

*)

HAAS & KLEIN, PRINTERS,
TERRACE COR. SENECA ST-e, BUFFALO, N. Y.

CONTENTS.

The Whys and Wherefores, A Sort of Introduction.—
A Fable. The Cat’s Trick. Formidable Competition.
A Disclaimer. A Secret Worth its Price. Horticul-
tural School for the Young, - - - -

First Chapter. Well Begun, Half Done. How the
Plants are Grown.—Trying for the Prize Crop. The
Cold Frame. The Seed Bed. Planting an Acre.
Quantity of Seed Required. Time of Sowing. What
Varieties to Plant, - - - - - -

Second Chapter. As You Make Your Bed, So Yow ll
Lie. What Soil to Select. How to Manure and
Prepare It.—The Best Soil. Manuring the Land.
Poultry Manure. Concentrated Manure. Peparing
the Soil. Nitrate of Soda, - - - -

Third Chapter. A Difficulty Easily Overcome. How
the Plants are Set in Open Ground.—The Real Work.
One Advantage of Transplanting. Width of Plant-
ing. Marking the Land. Setting the Plants, -

Fourth Chapter. Perseverence That Pays. Tillage as
Moisture Preserver and Weed Killer.—Objects of
Cultivation. Tools of Tillage. Hand Weeding.
Home-made Onion Hoe. Nitrate of Soda, - -

Fifth Chapter. A Timely Pull and Haul. When and
How to Harvest the Crop.—Danger in Delay. Signs
of Maturity. Curing the Crop. A Curing Shed, -

Page.

30

45

vl CONTENTS.

Sixth Chapter. The Fragrant Bulb in Market. The
Prizetaker A Pricetaker. Weight of Crop. A Cali-
fornia Crop. Price Received. Prizetaker and Spanish
Onion. Wintering Onions, - = s =

Seventh Chapter. AlVs Well That Ends Well. Advan-
tages and Profits of the New Way. Some Offsets.
Advantages of the Method. Estimate of Cost and
Returns, 2 s 4 é s : 2

A Sort of Postscript. The. Old Onion Culture. Sowing
Seed in Open Ground by Hand and with the Garden
Drill. After-Culture. Pickling Onions. Growing
Sets. Conclusion, - - - - - -

THE

WHYS AND WHEREFORES.

A SORT OF INTRODUCTION.

“Tf I were a tailor, ’'d make it my pride
The best of all tailors to be ;

If I were a tinker, no tinker beside
Should mend a tinkettle like me.”

HO has never met the “ Jack-of-all-trades”
—knowing a little of all, and being pro-
ficient in none—a-clever sort of person, and
handy to have around as a ‘‘general utility ”’
man, but never rising above the level of med-
iocrity in anything, or able to--aspire to great
things, or command large pay! The man who
excels, even in a seemingly unimportant spec-
ialty, is the one who will achieve a brilliant
success and command big pay for his work.
Some of my readers undoubtedly have heard,
or read, the old fable of the fox and the cat.
The story, like other fables, has a
moral, and is worth repeating. The
two animals met in the woods, when the voices
of hounds were heard in the distance.
“ Poor pussy,’ said the fox, ‘‘ what will you
do when the dogs get after you ?”’

A Fable.

(0)

NEW ONION CULTURE;

“T know a trick,” replied the cat, “and am
not alarmed.’’

‘*One poor, contemptible little trick!’”’ the fox
exclaimed in derision. ‘“ Why! you are to be
pitied. I have a whole bagful of tricks.”

The hounds, in the meantime, had come
pretty close, and conversation was brought to
a stop. The fox sped through woods and fields
and meadows, playing one trick after another,
in the vain attempt to throw the hounds off the
scent. The pursuers remained on his track,
and finally overtook and grabbed him.

In his dying moments he looked up, and saw
the cat in the top of a tall tree, safe from mo-
lestation. ‘‘ Your one trick is worth more than
my whole bagful,’’ sighed he, and expired.

Many farmers are situated pretty much like
the fox in the fable. They have a whole bag-
ful of tricks by which they hope to escape
the usurer, and perhaps the sheriff. They
raise a little wheat, and a little oats, a
few potatoes, a litte hops, some berries, a few
hogs, or a cow, a horse, ete., things which prob-
ably cost them $1.25 for every dollar they
get for them. They try one trick after another,
or two or three at a time, changing from one
thing to another; and the harder they try, the
harder they find themselves pressed, and at
last—pity ’tis, ’tis true—in only too many cases
they meet a fate somewhat like the fox’s.

The whole bagful of ordinary tricks does not

WHYS AND WHEREFORES. 9

save them; but the one special-cat’s trick of
climbing up to the top of tree or ladder will
never fail to give away of es-
cape. To rise above the heads
of the crowd—that is the trick worth knowing,
and it makes very little difference whether you
climb up a tree, or a pole, or a ladder, though
you get to the top. Learn the one trick well,
and you ’ll be safe.

What I wish to do in this little work, is to
tell you of a genuine cat’s trick which I have
recently discovered—the trick of climbing up
to the top in onion culture.

To grow larger and better bulbs, and more
bushels on a given area,.than anybody else, has
always been my aim as an onion grower. My
chief and almost only competitor has been the

grower in California, favored by

aeuasunien that wonderful climate. It would

be idle in me, the eastern grower,

who has to operate with old, well-worn soil,

and a short and unreliable season, to enter a

race for biggest yield with the grower in a

state, where bulbs, weighing five pounds and

upwards a piece, can be produced in open ground
by ordinary good culture.

How we were beaten quite badly by a Cali-
fornia party, in 1890, in consequence of clima-
tic and atmospheric conditions which were
favorable to our competitor, and exceedingly
unfavorable to us, will be told later on. Iam,

The Cat’s Trick.

10 NEW ONION CULTURE ;

however, still in the field for further tests of
strength, notwithstanding all the drawbacks of

climate Ail worn soil, for.

oy . DPve made it my pride
The best of all growers to be.”

The greatest obstacle is in myself—my love
of gossip. If I find out a trick or secret that I
am sure is of value to the world at large; I can
not bear to keep silent but must tell it at once
to everybody.

Now I have discovered such a “secret” in
onion growing, one which eliminates every
element of uncertainty from the whole business,

and gives me such advantages that
spe ore even California people would not
stand the ghost of a chance in
competition against me for best crop, so long
as they practice only the ordinary old method.
It’s mere child’s play for me, or anybody that
follows my new plan, to grow two or three
times as many onions on an acre as professional
growers do under the old method, and to send
bulbs to market over which the commission
merchants, and the storekeepers, and consu-
mers themselves, can grow enthusiastic; bulbs,
too, which are readily selling for $1.00 a
bushel, when ordinary onions bring 80 cents.

Now here is a secret worth nioney; and if I
had been shrewd enough to keep the matter to
myself, and work it for all its worth, I might
make a nice round sum of money by a discretion
which, as usual, is the better part of valor.

WHYS AND WHEREFORES. ii

But it is n’t my nature. 1 have to give the
whole thing away, and teach my would-be-com-.
petitors the ways in which they may. possibly
beat me. So I shall at least not be open to the
charge of taking an unfair advantage of them.

On the other hand, I claim considerable eredit
for the discovery of the new method. T admit
Tam not the first person to transplant onions.
Ona small scale, specimens have been grown
in England for exhibit ina similar way; various
growers have for generations employed the
transplanting process for filling out gaps in
their onion rows; and others have practiced a
plan almost identical with mine in growing
early onions for bunching. But to apply the
principle to field culture, to reduce the crude
plan to a system, and to practice, advocate, and
teach it in advance of all others—that, I claim,
is my merit.

Credit is also due, however, to Prof. Wo).
Green, of the Ohio Experiment Station, who
has worked out this same problem, simulta-
neously with me, but entirely independently.
Neither of us knew that the other was following
the same track. I got somewhat the start of
Mr. Green, by getting the results of my inves-
tigations before the public first. The first,
though brief, description of the novel method
appeared in “ How to Make the Garden Pay,”
written by me in autumn 1889, and published by
Mr. Wm. Henry Maule, of Philadelphia, at the

12 NEW: ONION CULTURE;

beginning of 1890. Prof. Green is almost more
enthusiastic in regard to the new onion culture
than I am myself. In a general way he has
come to exactly the same conclusions that I
have. This endorsement of the new idea has
‘been a matter of much satisfaction to me, for
it can only serve to strengthen an already
strong position.

In the following pages I tell the story of the
prize crop that failed to get the prize; the story
of the crop which was a big success for the
novice, and a dismal failure for the expert. I
have tried to make every detail of the new
onion culture perfectly plain, so that even the
beginner can go to work at once with a prospect
of growing not less than 1,000 bushels on an
acre in a poor.season, and twice that amount in
a good one.

I wish it distinctly understood, however, that
I teach how success can be attained, but that I
do not guarantee it. My method has to be

learned like any other business
operation. My emphatic advice
is to begin ona moderate scale. Plant an ounce
or two of seed, learn what can be done, and
then if you wish, planta larger patch. J¢ is
always safer to grow into a specialty, than to
go into it. .

The information given in this little work I
know to be valuable. The professional onion
grower who takes advantage of my advice and

A Disclaimer.

WHYS AND WHEREFORES. 13

teaching will see his annual profits increased
by hundreds of dollars. Consequently I do
not fear anybody will question that the infor- .
mation is worth its price. <As
= ea ra agricultural literature goes,
now-a-days, the price I ask for
a little work like this may seem high, but I
should be conceded the privilege of setting my
own figure on my own professional advice; it is’
for this alone—for the information—that I
charge; not for the paper and the print.
Suppose, after a careful perusal of the fol-
lowing pages, you order a single paper, or a
single ounce of onion seed, of one of the vari-
eties hereafter named, and treat it as did our
young friend in the story, and according to my
advice, you will be pretty sure to raise a crop
worth from ten to hundred and more times the
purchase price of this little volume.
Thad still another abject in view in writing
the ‘‘story of the prize onion crop;” a story of
success achieved by a young
a hea ores greenhand under my advice and
raining for : :
YourBoy. direction. What was done by
Gerold, in this case, can be done
by any wide-awake youngster of ordinary in-
telligence. This story will show him an easy
way of earning a little pocket money of his
own, and of growing a crop of which he may
be proud, and which will take the prize at hor-
ticultural fairs notwithstanding the competition

14 NEW ONION CULTURE.

of the ‘‘old experienced’ onion grower who
works still on the old plan.

And what a horticultural schooling and train-
ing this affords besides! Can there be a better
opportunity for awakening your boy’s interest
in horticultural matters and making him study
up horticultural problems for himself, than by
putting a copy of this book, and a package or
ounce of Prizetaker onion seed into his hands,
and a few square rods of good land at his dis-
posal for a start, with these words:

“Here you have the story of Gerold, and all
needed requisites. Now go and see what you
can do?”

It will be worth more to your boy than if
you were to present him with a clean $100 in
cash. ,

What say you, dear reader?

T. GREINER,
Jan. 1, 1891. TA SA TH eM Ye

Fikos. CHAPTER:

WELL BEGUN—HALF DONE.

HOW.THE PLANTS ARE GROWN.

EROLD usually knows a good thing when

he sees it. He saw the splendid Prize-

taker onions grown in my garden, in 1889, by

the new method, and he knew this was his
chance.

“Had n’t 1 better raise a big patch myself,
next year?’’ he suggested one day, after he
had done considerable mental figuring on cost
and. profit.

I knew my young friend to be a very impul-
sive youth, but I was not convinced of his
perseverance. So I tried to show to him—the
greenhand in onion culture—the magnitude of
the task, and what an elephant he was going to
tackle; but Gerold was bound to make the trial.

The boy appeared so eager, that at last I
became enthusiastic in his behalf myself.

16 NEW ONION CULTURE ;

‘“Why not try for the $50 prize offered by
one of our prominent seedsmen, for the largest
crop of Prizetakers grown from
one ounce of seed?’’ Gerold’s
face beamed with pleasure when
I offered this suggestion. The unfortunate habit
of ‘‘ putting off until to-morrow what might be
done to-day,’ interfered, however, with the
prompt ordering of the seed, and before this
came to hand, April had arrived. This delay
was a blunder which cost Gerold many bushels
of onions. It became plain, in the course of
the season, that the crop was reduced not less
than one-third, or more, from this cause—but it
was a lesson which will not easily be forgotten.
The seed, of course, was planted the same day
as received, but at that time I had plants in
my frames already large enough for setting in
open ground. An early start is the chief con-
dition of full success. Without it, the under-
taking is not well begun; with it, it 1s really
more than half done.

At once, after ordering the seed, Gerold had
prepared a little cold frame three feet by six,
or just large enough for an or-
dinary hot bed sash, such as
happened to be at hand. The picture of frame,
on opposite page, will give the beginner an
idea how it looks. It is a simple box, slanting
from rear where it is about twelve inches high;
to front, where about eight inches high. This

Trying for the
Prize Crop. _

The Cold Frame,

GROWING THE PLANTS. leg

box is set directly upon the ground in some
well-drained and well-protected sunny spot,
facing south or south-east. It is then filled

ONE-SASH COLD FRAME.

with a mixture of good turfy loam, sand, and
fine old compost to about four inches from the °
top. Ordinary rich garden soil, freed from
stones and rubbish by sifting, and further en-
riched with fine compost, well mixed and sifted
together, will also answer every purpose. The
surface is made fine and smooth
with a steel rake, and marked off
with straight furrows from front to rear. They
are easily drawn across with the handle of the
rake, or with a little stick, or even the finger,
and should be about an inch deep, and four
inches apart.

The Seed Bed.

18 NEW ONION CULTURE;

Such was the frame and seed bed as Gerold
had prepared. The ounce of seed was evenly
scattered over the whole surface of the bed,
and each furrow carefully filled in again with
the hand. The latter operation buries all the
seed in the furrows. Afterwards the soil was
well firmed by patting it with the face of the
rake, or by means of a piece of board. Now
the sash was put on, and the bed left pretty
much to itself, except giving air on fine days,
and an occasional thorough watering when the
soil seemed to become very dry. -As the season

PLANTS READY FOR TRANSPLANTING.

advanced, the sash was removed, at first par-
tially, and then entirely, in order to harden off
the plants, which is an important matter. In
from four to six weeks after sowing the seed,

GROWING THE PLANTS. 19

the plants were ready for transfer to open
ground, and there were just 5,000 of them, ap-
pearing then as shown in illustration, page 18.

I have told and illustrated this for the benefit
of the youngster who very likely knows nothing
about the construction and use of cold frames.
For the benefit of the market gardener, and all
those that wish to grow onions on a larger
scale, I will say, that I am making the rows
only three inches apart, and use about one and
one-half ounces of seed to the sash. The
eleven rows thus give me .
about 8,000 good plants, and
as we have to calculate on about 130,000 plants
for an acre, we should use a frame of about
fifteen sashes to get plants enough for a one-
acre patch. Perhaps it might do to crowd the
plants still more, and grow the needed plants
in a twelve-sash frame. At any rate we will
require about one and one-half pounds of good
seed to grow an acre of onions
in this way, if we plant for
largest yield on that area. The
old method requires six or eight pounds of seed
per acre. The saving of the difference is an
advantage of the new method, and although
one of the less important ones, is yet worth
mentioning when seed costs $5 or $6 a pound.

The plants can be transplanted at almost any
stage of growth, from the tiny thing not bigger
than a darning needle, as found three weeks

Planting an Acre.

Quantity of
Seed Required.

20 NEW ONION CULTURE;

after sowing the seed, to the vigorous and well-
rooted plant of pencil size, and larger. When
of about ;3, inch in diameter, however, they are
of the best size for the operation. They are
then more easily handled, and there will be
a smaller percentage of loss than when the
plants are smaller. When planting on a large
scale, we may need several weeks time for the
job of transplanting. So if we want the plants
all just at the right size, it would be better to
sow only a few frames at a time, at intervals of
several days, to have the plants come in proper
succession. The first lot may |
be sown six weeks before the
time that the soil is usually in good working
order. For this vicinity (Western New York),
for instance, I begin to sow about March Ist, or
evena week before, and at intervals until March
15th, when the last seed should go in. In an
emergency frames, covered with waterproof
cloth (muslin painted with a mixture of linseed
oil and raw egg) may answer, but glass is by
all odds the best and safest to use.
For the first sowings, and in localities with
rather severe winters, it may be necessary to
use a hot-bed with moderate bottom heat in
place of the cold frame. In that case, get for
each single sash a one-horse load of fresh horse
manure (from well-fed horses), preferably mixed
with quarter its bulk of dry forest leaves, and
place an even layer, eighteen to twenty-four

Time of Sowing.

VARIETIES. rat

inches deep, either in an excavation of about
the same depth, or directly upon the ground,
and upon this manure place the frame and the
soil for the seed bed.

What varieties to select for our purpose, is

AWS

o\ =
TANS
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PANN

PRIZETAKER ONION.

a leading question. I prefer the Prizetaker to
; all others. It. seems especially

wt enews calculated for the new method.

I consider it the finest, hand-

somest and largest onion now in cultivation in
America, and its flavor most.excellent. Any
gardener can fall in love with this variety.’ If
well grown, it closely resembles the imported

22 NEW ONION CULTURE.

‘‘Spanish’’ onion kept on sale at groceries and
fruit stores. Next to Prizetaker, and some-
what similar, is Spanish King, also a grand
onion, but not equal to the other.

Prof. W. J. Green thinks that the old
standard varieties—the Wethersfield Red and
Danvers Yellow—are also suitable sorts_ for
growing under the new system. I do not yet
put forth any such claim. I believe, however,
that the White Globe (Southport White Globe)
will do beautifully when thus grown, and I
shall plant it quite extensively next season.
The white onions, for the last few years, have
brought exceedingly good prices.

There are also a number of others, newer.and
-older, among the foreign (Italian) varieties,
such as the Silver King, the Giant occas,
Tripoli, etc., etc., which might -be grown with ,
advantage by the same method ; but as most of
these sorts are poor keepers I prefer those
first-named. Prof. Green writes me, however,
that the White Victoria has done very nicely
with him, and that he considers it superior to
any white sort tested at the station grounds.

SECOND CHAPTER.

AS YOU MAKE YOUR BED, SO
YOU EE LIN.

WHAT SOIL TO SELECT, HOW TO MANURE AND
PREPARE IT.

Wy spot would you advise me to select.
for my onion patch?’ asked.Gerold,
after we had sown the seed.

We hada piece of good loam, not very fertile
tis true, but having been cropped with carrots
and beets the year before, conse-
quently quite clean, and in fair
tilth. It is underlaid witha kind of quick-
sand which supplies moisture by capillary
action even during a dry spell, while the excess
of water is carried off by tile drains.

‘*Here is the exact spot that you want,”
said [.

‘‘Why not plant it on that deep, rich muck? ”
came the next query.

The Best Soil.

24 NEW ONION OULTURE;

‘*Tt is too loose, too deep, too rich way down,
and decidedly too moist. The fine Prizetakers
might all take a notion to grow up thick-necked
—romps, scallions—and worthless for sale or
keep. By all means take loam, sandy pre-
ferred, and if possible with good natural drain-
age, but certainly not without drainage of some
kind. Water should never stand on the sur-
face of an onion patch even for a single day.

Of course, the soil must be free from stones,
and coarse gravel, and rubbish of any kind, and
as near as possible, also from weed seeds. A
new clover sod that will pulverize nicely will
do first rate; but if the sod is old and tough,
it would hardly: be suitable for our purpose
shortly after being broken. A crop of potatoes,
corn, beans, beets, carrots, cabbages, etc., will
get such sod land in admirable shape for a suc-
ceeding crop of onions.

Of course, my advice decided the matter con-
cerning the spot to be used for the prize crop,
and the sequence proved the choice to have been
a wise one. The seven weeks’ drought in July
and August, which came very near killing a big
patch of the finest onions for me, which had
been planted on rich loam underlaid with stiff
clay, but thoroughly tile-drained, had but little
effect on the plants of the prize crop, as the
porous subsoil allowed the passage of sufficient
moisture from the underground reservoirs, to
keep the crop in growing condition during all

[)

MANURING THE LAND. 5)
that long dry spell. This advantage of porous
subsoil should be well remembered in the selec-
tion of soil.

Gerold’s piece of land had been well plowed
the fall before, in narrow beds with deep fur-
rows between, that provided thorough surface
drainage during the seasons of super-abundant
rainfall.

‘* Shall I plow the land again?’’ Gerold asked
when the plants were nearly large enough for
transplanting.

‘‘ No, sir; no need of plowing it again when
we have such excellent harrows to stir the sur-
face sufficiently deep.’’

‘* What about manure?” Gerold asked again.
I pointed to the big heap of fine cattle-yard

manure, consisting of cattle drop-
ae _ pings and urine-soaked sand and
soil, several car loads of which were

bought and stored during the fall before.

‘*Put it on thick!” I said, and Gerold was
ready enough to follow the injunction.

The fact is, that any kind of good compost
may be used, and it can hardly be put on too
generously. For next season we have plowed
an acre of land of the same general character as
that used by Gerold, and we are now putting
on three car loads of such cattle-yard manure
broadcast. I like to have the fine compost
several inches deep over the whole surface.

We also had a lotof old poultry manure, and

26 NEW ONION CULTURE;

this was applied broadcast on top of the first
dressing. Poultry manure is most
excellent for onions, and there is
no need of being afraid of it. My
way of managing it, is to scatter some dry soil,
muck, or sifted coal ashes under the perches from
time to time. Thus I obtain a fine, dry, rich
compost, and I would not hesitate to put this
one-half inch deep all over the ground if I could
only get enough of it for such a dressing. It
brings the onions every time.

Besides these manures I would use everything
else I could get hold of in the shape of fertilizing
materials, such as wood ashes, leached and un-
leached, etc., but I should not use raw manure,
especially if not entirely free from weed seeds.

‘*Shall I put on any fertilizer?’’ was Gerold’s
next question.

‘‘Tf under this term you mean one of the
concentrated manufactured manures, such as
Mapes’ potato fertilizer, or any
other high-grade complete ma-
nure, as made and sold under
the name of ‘‘ special vegetable manures,” why,
yes, but not until the surface of the soil has
been well stirred up, and the compost mixed
in by means of the Pulverizer.”’

One. style of ‘‘Disk’’ Harrow or Pulverizer,
and the ‘‘Acme’”’ Harrow are shown opposite.
The former cuts deep, and works the ground
over very thoroughly, and I prefer to use it

Poultry
Manure.

Concentrated
Manures.

PREPARING THE GROUND. 2

first, then follow with the Acme which
smoothes the surface, that the Disk has left

DISK PULVERIZER. —

somewhat ridged. In the absence of an Acme,
an ordinary smoothing harrow will do very

ACME HARROW.

well. Should neither Disk nor Acme be at
command, I would use a narrow-bladed culti-

28 NEW ONION CULTURE;

vator, perferably the Planet Jr. horse cultiva-
tor, manufactured by S. L. Allen & Co., of
Philadelphia, Pa., stirring up the whole sur-
face, and thus mixing the compost with the soil.

With a heavy dressing of fine rich compost,
and additional applications of hen manure,
ashes, ete, the use of concentrated manufac-
tured manures (the “fertilizers’’ of common
farm parlance) might be very well dispensed
with, but I dislike to omit it even then, as it
may serve to make an assured success still
doubly sure.

Under some soil conditions—in rich old
gardens, or peaty soils, for instance—we might
operate with concentrated manures without
compost, etc., but if you wish to see very clear
in this matter, I would advise you to study
my ‘‘ Practical Farm Chemistry.’

The Mapes’ potato manure was at hand. The
only query was, how much to apply. I advised
the use of about 1,000 pounds to the acre; for,
with liberal manuring, such as here described,
the application of larger quantities would
probably be little else but waste. The ‘‘ fertil-
izer” is sown broadcast on the surface, now
reasonably smooth, and also -
stirred into the soil, but this
time with the small Disk or Meeker harrow.
This makes the surface about as even as could
be done by hand raking, and in one-tenth or
one-twentieth the work or time required for the

Preparing the Soil,

PREPARING THE GROUND. 29

latter operation. The Meeker harrow is adver-
tised by some of our leading seedsmen, among
them James Gregory and P. Henderson & Co.
It costs about $25, but it is a great labor saver,
and almost indispensable in the market or farm
garden. The ordinary steel rake, however, is
good enough for smaller patches. Whatever
tools you use, the surface should be smooth as
a board, and the land is then ready for planting.

My friends may call my way of manuring
‘‘high,’ if not excessive, or extravagant. But
Iam not yet satisfied. While
the 2,000 bushel crop in many
cases can be secured even with less generous
manuring than I recommend, I would consider
the work but imperfectly done when nitrate of
soda is left out. But this I apply later on, and
I will tell how, in due time.

Nitrate of Soda.

THIRD: CHAPTER.

A DIFFICULTY EASILY OVERCOME.

HOW THE PLANTS ARE SET IN OPEN GROUND.

ae transplant a few hundred onion plants is

not a formidable task, but when you

set 130,000, covering an acre, you

ee have a big job on hand, and no
mistake. Indeed, it is fhe work

connected with my new onion culture; all the
rest of it iseasy—mere child’s play, I might say.
Gerold, who had imagined that setting his
5,000 plants would be only a few hours’ job, and
an easy one at that, soon discovered his mistake.
Unused to out-door labor, he soon wearied of
the task, especially while working alone, and
could not be induced to keep at it more than a
little while at a time. So the work dragged
along slowly, until hired help was called to his
assistance, and the work speedily finished. By
the way, this is not a new lesson. Nobody

TRANSPLANTING. — Silt

should expect to see much work done, when a
youngster is set at a tedious job all alone by
himself. Let him have good steady company
and he will do all right.

To plant one acre, we have to set. 130,000
plants, as already stated. I can get boys, that,
with some practice, will set 2,000 to 8,000 plants
a day, and nimble-fingered persons, used to
garden work, will easily set 4,000. The job of
planting an acre is therefore equivalent to
probably not less than 30 to 40 days’ work, and
in some cases this estimate may be considerably
exceedéd, but the amount of $50 should be
more than enough to pay for the whole job.

Transplanting so many onions may be a costly
operation, but it relieves us of much, if not all

hand-weeding, and entirely of

sirens: the job of thinning. Old onion

growers know something about

the tediousness and costliness of these oper-

ations. The saving, inthese respects, more than
pays for the labor of transplanting.

‘“ How far apart shall I set my plants?” comes
the next inquiry.

As I wish to raise the largest crop on an acre,
I plant. close. No use wasting space and op-
portunity. Twelve inches is space
enough between the rows, and four
inches enough between the plants
in each row, even for the Prizetaker and other
large varieties. Three inches space between

Width
of Planting.

32 NEW ONION CULTURE;

the plants would be sufficient for the White
Globe, Danvers Yellow, and other American
sorts. —

The marker we use is a simple home-made
affair, still simpler than the one illustrated
below. The teeth, made of 1 by # inch stuff,

and 8 inches long, may be just

began nailed to a 8 by 8 inch piece of
proper length, so that the points

will be 12 inches apart. I like to have two poles

SIMPLE MARKER.

fastened to the scantling in thill fashion, and a
convenient handle back of the scantling for
better guidance. I.should always prefer to
have twa persons operate it, one to draw it and
the other walking behind and keeping the lines
or marks straight. They need not be deep or
broad. All we want of them is to guide us in
planting.

Straight and uniform rows, and uniform dis-
tance between the plants, add largely to the

SETTING THE PLANTS. 33

attractiveness of the patch, even if they were
not of practical usefulness in facilitating the
work of cultivating, and perhaps otherwise.
Consequently we mark off the land beth ways.
Only the long rows need be straight, and they
should not be marked off much in advance of
planting. The cross marks merely serve as an
aid in planting the onions at uniform distances
in the rows; consequently we just draw the
marker across the long marks in any way we
please, and without troubling ourselves whether
this is done in straight or crooked lines. One
plant is to be set into each cross mark, and two
plants between each two, which makes three
plants to the foot of row. Of the ordinary
varieties (Yellow and White Globe, Danvers,
etc.) we set three plants between each two cross
marks, which gives us four plants to the foot.
‘“‘ How is the planting done?’’ you ask.
The first thing needed is a small dibber, which
may be made of a piece of seasoned hard wood,
six inches long, one inch in. diame-
eae ter at larger end, and tapering to a
‘point at the other. The operation
of setting the plants is made so plain by
the illustration on the next page, that little
explanation by words will be needed. Open
the hole with the dibber and insert the
plant, not over an inch deep. Then strike the
dibber into the ground an inch or so back of
the plant, and, using its lower end as a pivotal

34 NEW ONION CULTURE;

point, draw the upper end towards you, thus
pressing the soil firmly against the underground
part of the little plant. This, of course, leaves
another little opening a little back of the plant.
This may be closed, and the surface somewhat
smoothed by another light stab or so with the

SETTING THE PLANTS.

dibber, or a simple manipulation of the fingers.
A broken kitchen knife ground to a point,
or a little flat steel dibber with handle, such as
illustrated on the opposite page, and as may
be made by any blacksmith at small cost,
will also do good service. In opening the hole,
have the flat side of knife or dibber facing you,
and pull the top justa little towards you. Then
insert. the plant back of the dibber, withdraw
the latter and strike in again back of the plant,
pressing the soil against the roots in the same
manner as was done with the wooden dibber.

SETTING THE PLANTS. 35

The most expedient way of managing this
whole business is as follows: Take up a lot of
plants from the seed bed, which may be done
by running the point of a small trowel under
them, and lifting them out. Carefully separate

7

BROKEN KNIFE. SMALL DIBBER.

and straighten them out. Then let a boy take
a basketful and drop them just ahead of the
planters. Of course the work should be begun
just as soon as the ground can be got in proper
shape. It must be moist and crumbly, but not
wet and sticky. Begin with the plants that
were started first, or are largest, and carry the
job to completion as speedily as possible.

36 NEW ONION CULTURE.

The great trouble Gerold had with his “ prize
crop’’ was the delay in transplanting, which
was to a small part due to the rainy season and
the spring floods, and to a much larger part
Gerold’s own fault. The result showed very
plainly that the difference of a week or two in
time of planting with this crop may make con-
siderable difference in the yield—of course in
favor of early planting.

FOURTH; CHAPTER:

A PERSEVERANCE THAT PAYS.

TILLAGE AS MOISTURE PRESERVER AND WEED
KILLER.

ITTLE needs to be said to the expert
gardener about cultivation and its objects.

He knows the importance of keeping the soil
well stirred among all garden crops in general,
and among onions in particular. ‘‘ Tillage is
manure” is anold saying. In the
present case, however, we care
little about the manurial effect,
for we have provided plant-food in great abun-
dance. The great benefit we expect from cul-
tivation, is the preservation of moisture, and
incidentally the destruction of weeds. An
inch or so of loose soil acts as a mulch, and a
most excellent one at that, which prevents the
rapid evaporation of the soil water. The
moisture rises through the compact soil, by
means of capillary action, until it reaches the
stirred portion. Here its progress is arrested,

Objects of
Cultivation.

\

38 NEW ONION CULTURE;

and the only way to reach the surface, and

escape in the air, is by evaporation, which is
so greatly retarded by the loose layer of soil.

The chief tool required for the process of

soil stirring, isa good hand wheel-hoe, arranged

for straddling the row. I use both

oe the Planet Jr. double wheel-hoe,

and Gregory’s finger weeder. Some-

times I think the one and sometimes the other

FINGER WEEDER.

does better work. Perhaps it depends some-
what on the condition.in which the soil hap-
pens to be. Either one, however, is a perfectly
reliable tool for the purpose. There may be
others nearly as good. This weeder was intro-
duced by J. J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass.

CULTIVATION. 39

Whatever wheel-hoe you have at your com-
mand, use it thoroughly and frequently. As
soon as there is the least sign of a crust over
the surface, start the wheel-hoe without. delay.
The mulch of loose soil should be kept on the
ground all the time.

Running a wheel-hoe is not heavy work.
The average boy will rather enjoy it. Gerold

PLANET JR. DOUBLE HOF.

needed no particular coaxing to do the job at
proper season, and to do it well. In reality it
is probably the least tiresome work in the
whole business. An acre can be gone over by
one person, even a boy, inside of one day.

As the season advances, I also occasionally
like to use a wheel-hoe or cultivator between
the rows. For this operation the Planet Jr.

40 NEW ONION CULTURE;

single-wheel hoe (with cultivator teeth) is my
first choice.

‘‘Ts no hand weeding to be done at all?” you
may ask me.

That depends. If the soil is of a weedy
character, or the patch is neglected for any
length of time, we may find considerable work

—and disagreeable work—to do on

ee hands and knees. With timely at-
tention little is needed, and that

little can be done very effectively by means of

PLANET JR. SINGLE WHEEL HOE.

the Langs’s hand weeder, or of a kitchen knife
the blade of which is bent in the shape of a
curve, and sharpened on both sides. The way
the hand weeder is used is shown opposite.

WEED KILLING. 41

A most excellent tool for taking out the
weeds in the rows from between the plants, can
be easily made from an old worn-

Home-mac® out hoe. Cut the blade down
as shown on next page, leav-

ing the lower part (between the corners) only
about 2 or 23 inches wide. With this sharp-

LANG'S HAND WEEDER IN USE.

cornered tool you can strike between the
plants, cutting out the weeds, and loosening
the soil. .This manipulation, and the free use
of the wheel-hoe, will usually be all the culti-
vation needed. But the hand which wields
the sharpened hoe should be a careful one, and
be guided by a head possessing a fair degree
of intelligence.

“Ts nitrate of soda a factor in this after-cul-
tivation ?”

42 NEW ONION CULTURE.

Of course I use it, and I would hardly wish
to be onion an grower if I had to do without it.
The plants are hardly in the ground,
when I begin with a dressing of
about 75 pounds per acre of nitrate
of soda, sown broadcast in the same way as
wheat is sown.

These dressings are repeated about every ten
days until along in July. Mr. Joseph Harris

A GOOD ONION HOE.

thinks the whole application might be made
early in the season all at once, say at the rate
of 500 to 750 pounds per acre, but I am too
choice with the costly nitrogen, and prefer to
apply as stated—in five or six applications,
requiring in the aggregate from 375 to 450
pounds per acre. The application can be made
at almost any time, rain or shine.

a
7

FIFPE CHAPTER:

A TIMELY PULL AND HAUL.

WHEN AND HOW TO HARVEST THE CROP.

OW we come to an important point in our
undertaking. A little neglect in pulling
and hauling may result in great damage, if not
ruin to the crop. I know whereof I speak.
When grown by the new method,
the onions mature several weeks
earlier than they would if grown in
the old way. If the mature bulbs are left in
the ground, especially if ripened somewhat
prematurely by a dry spell in July and August,
and a long period of rain should follow as:
sometimes happens—and it happened the past
season—growth will be renewed; and we might
just as well try to make water run up hill as
attempt to stop an onion from growing when
once started. Of course this second growth
ruins the bulb for market.

Danger
in Delay.

4 ‘NEW ONION CULTURE;

A lesson which I have learned by costly ex-
perience is, that the crop should be pulled just
as soon as the bulbs have reached maturity.

‘* How am I to know,’’ asked Gerold, *‘ when
_ the onions are fit for pulling? ”’

“The tops fall over at maturity, and begin
to waste away, the substance being gradually
absorbed by the bulbs. So, when
the majority of the tops are dying
down, your time has come. Don’t
wait any longer, especially if it is getting pretty
well along in the season.

Some of the tops may yet be green and stand-
ing up like soldiers, but it matters not. Pull
the crops and leave on the ground. The bulbs
will absorb the substance of the tops, and the
latter dry away.’

Dry weather is very desirable as long as
onions lie on the ground to cure. If rain comes,
it is well to rake- them over carefully with a
lawn rake or wooden rake with dull teeth.

‘*How long should the onions be left on the
ground to cure?”’

It may take a week or. more ‘of dry weather.
At any rate the best thing that can be done is
to gather the crop, even if only
partially cured, and put it under
shelter—in open sheds, lofts, on the
barn floor—anywhere where dry and airy, and
where the onions can be spread thinly on
a dry floor. If necessary, work them over,

Signs of
Maturity.

Curing
the Crop.

CURING SHED. ; 45

which may be most conveniently done by means
of a wooden scoop or shovel. Of course the
afternoon of a dry day is the best time for
gathering and hauling the onions, \for they
should be perfectly dry on the outside—no dew
or rain on them when put under shelter. In
such places they may be left until perfectly

ONION CURING SHED.

cured, z. é., until the tops have entirely dried
away.

Barring accidents, my crop next season will
be too large to be accommodated by our floors
and sheds. I have in mind to build a curing
shed as shown above. The
dimensions for such a shed may
of course be varied to suit the needs of the
grower. All the bins are made of slats, with

Curing Shed.

46 NEW ONION CULTURE.

spaces between for free circulation of air. In
rainy weather the sides may be covered with a
canvas or adjustable boards. Perhaps some of
the readers may be able to suggest improve-
ments on my plan, or to give me descriptions
of sheds now in successful operation and ap-
parently superior to mine. If so, I shall be
pleased to hear from them. —

Of course, the spaces between the bins should
be large enough for convenience in manipula-
tion.

SIXTH CHARTER:

+

THE FRAGRANT BULB ON SALE.

THE PRIZETAKER A PRICE-TAKER.

EROLD’S “ prize crop”’ was somewhat late,
owing to late sowing, late setting, and the
terribly poor season, perhaps also to a little
negligence on Gerold’s part in destroying some
of the weeds that had appeared in the rows be-
tween the plants. Hand weeding did not seem
to be to Gerold’s taste—and it was fortunate
that there was but little of it required. Had
the crop been grown by the old, ordinary
method, probably the onions would have been
lost in weeds, and finally given up for lost.
During the latter half of the seven weeks’
drought, the plants had made mucli less pro-
gress than they doin a fair average season. The
rains came late in August, the plants kept on
growing vigorously, and they were hardly ripe
enough for harvesting late in September. But
as fall was drawing nigh, it was decided to pull,
cure and put under shelter as speedily as possi-
ble. So the bulbs were pulled a week or ten
days before October, and the weather happened

48 NEW ONION CULTURE;

to be dry and pleasant until the first of that
month.

‘* Was the prize crop a success?”’

Not exactly, and yet it was a pretty good
success for a failure. At least all who saw the
fine bulbs lying thickly upon the ground while
curing, called it a success, pure and simple.

We weighed the crop on the last day of Sep-
tember, and it came to within a few pounds of
aton. The loss of plants, owing to the small
size of plants when transplanted, had been far
above what I have usually found it, and had
reduced the original 5,000 plants
to 4,000—a loss of 20 percent. As
these 4,000 plants weighed almost
exactly 2,000 pounds, the average was one-half
pound per bulb. We had aimed for at least
one pound a piece, and such average I would
have called a whole and. full and unqualified
success. The 2,000 pound crop, therefore, I
am justified in calling a half success.

But it was no success as a prize crop. It
would have been, had competition been re-
stricted to the east. As it was, Gerold
found a formidable competitor in a grower

somewhere in California who,at the

og last moment, and when we almost
thought we had won, reported a

Tiel from the one ounce of seed, ue over 8,000
pounds, or near two pounds apiece. Uudeube
edly our California friend had also hit upon the

Weight of
Crop.

THE YIELD. 49

new system of onion culture. With this advan-
tage, however, I do not consider the crop. extra-
ordinary for California. The possibilities of an’
ounce of Prizetaker seed in California are far
beyond the reported 8,000 pounds. I believe
that this result might even be reached here.

_ Still it is a big achievement, no matter where
obtained—8,000 pounds, or over 140 busliels, of
fine bulbs from one ounce of seed! Just let my
friends think of this! The majority of growers
grow only twice or three times that amount on
a wholeacre, and by sowing from five to eight
pounds of seed.

Even the one-half success, 7. ée. growing: 2,000
pounds or about 35 bushels of fine bulbs from
one ounce of seed, has made some enthusiasts
in. onion growing. And if the $50 prize was
not obtained, the crop at least brought a good
price in market.

On the last day in September the onions
were hauled to the barn, spread thinly on the
barn floor, left there until more fully cured.
Then they were picked over, graded in two lots,
barreled in the ordinary way (in canvas-
covered barrels), and shipped to a commission

dealer in Buffalo, who sold them

Henees at an average of $1.00 per bushel,

while other, onions were selling

for 80 cents. The commission man also became

enthusiastic over the Prizetaker, and the pos:
sibilities of onion culture. :

50 NEW ONION CULTURE;

‘“‘Tf you have land that will raise such
onions,’ said he, ‘‘go into onion growing by all
means. I shall be glad to take a thousand
bushels of such onions next year.”’

It is hardly necessary to talk about selling
onions of this kind. They will sell themselves
. atsight, and when ordinary onions are a drug on
the market. And yet it must be stated, that
these onions are something new on the market,
and some people are prejudiced against all new
things. But the commission man told that his
customers were cured of such prejudice by a
Single trial of the new onion, and all seemed
to like them, although some would prefer
smaller-sized bulbs.

While we might be satisfied with the price
obtained for the crop, it may be well to try to
get all there is in it. I have not yet tried the
other plan which I have in mind, although I
really intended to work off my crop of Prize-
takers in just this way. Our dealer also sug-
gested this very same scheme.

What is it? Let me tell you that the Prize-
taker when well-grown, looks for all the world
like the imported Spanish onion of our grocer-
ies. Neither can I detect much difference be-
tween the two in point of
flavor. So I have thought of
crating up the choicest bulbs,
in same way as the imported article, and com-
pete with the foreign product in our city and

Prizetaker as
Spanish Onion.

SELLING THE CROP. Dit

town markets. I think it can be done, and
quite profitably too.

I have only one more suggestion to make.
This is to sell the crop just as soon after it is
properly cured as possible. Don’t hold any
considerable part of crop fora rise, unless after
you have experimented onasmall scale and
are sure of your ground. The Prizetaker is
not the best keeper, and I would not undertake
to winter it over in quantity without consider-
able more experience than I have now.

If you can sell part of the crop directly from
the field, do so. Sell, and send to market, and
get the money. You may be sure it is nota
small job to take care of a crop such as I have
told you can be grown on even a single acre.
It’s a big thing. Never loose sight of that fact.

In spite of my warning, I imagine some people
will wish to Know how onions can be most suc-
cessfully wintered over. Under some circum-
stances it may pay well to store and hold for
spring sales such varieties as Danvers Yellow,

and perhaps Wethersfield Red and

Wintering Th: 1 way EI ;
Onions, Vv Lite Globe, etc. There is a party

over in Canada who grows quite a _-

number of acres of onions every year, and he
invariably holds them until spring, and makes
money by so doing. Of course, I was anxious
to learn how he winters such big crops, and
made inquiry. He writes me as follows:

‘*For the purpose of keeping onions during

52 NEW ONION OULTURE.

winter, we have erected two large rooms in the
end of our barn, above ground. These rooms
are almost frost-proof in the coldest weather;
are provided with double windows at each end,
and double doors at entrance from driveway on
barn floor. All the walls have a dead air space.
Building paper is tacked on in the inside of each
boarding that forms the hollow space.

‘Onions are not put into these rooms in bulk,
but in thousands of slatted bushel boxes. The
windows are kept constantly open, except in
very cold weather. The idea is to put in
dry, well-cured stock, and place it in sucha
way that it may always be airing at suitable
times, and yet be secure against low degrees of
temperature.”

‘<

SEVENTH CHAPTER.

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.

ADVANTAGES AND PROFITS ‘OF THE NEW WAY.

HAT the new method of onion growing
gives us a great increase of crop, besides
many other advantages over the old way, is no
longer a matter of doubt. We have demon-
strated this truth here, and Prof. W. J. Green
has demonstrated it in Ohio. The- great ques-
tion now is, whether the new way is also the
more profitable one, and if so, how profitable?
We have already seen that the transplanting
method calls for only about one and a half
pounds of seed per acre, while ordinarily
not less than six pounds are sown. As the
Prizetaker seed now costs $6.00
a pound, the saving amounts to
not less than $27.00 in a one-acre planting.
On the other hand, we have the additional labor

Some Offsets.

54 NEW ONION CULTURE;

of growing plants in frames, which is about a
fair offset for the saving of seed. So there is
little or no advantage in this repect on either
side.

The new way requires the considerable and
tedious labor of transplanting, an operation
which will cost about $50.00 per acre. On the
other hand, we save so much hand labor in
thinning and weeding, that one might well be
considered an offset for the other.

On the whole, we have come to the conclusion
that the expenses of the crop, up to the time
of harvesting, are very near the same, whether
we follow the new or the old method.

The chief advantages, of the new onion culture,
therefore, are clear gain. Among them we have:

1. Earlier ripening of the crop. With six
weeks to start in sowing, the crop will come to
maturity two or three weeks
earlier than it would other-
wise. This gives a chance for
marketing the earlier sorts much in advance of
competitors who adhere to the old onion culture,
as also of clearing the ground in time for a suc-
ceeding crop, such as celery, turnips, fall
spinach, etc., while the season is made consider-
ably longer for the late Prizetaker, which other-
wise has hardly time at the extreme north to
come to full development.

2. A decided improvement of the bulbs in
respect to shape, size and uniformity. A row

Advantages of
the New Method.

*»

cost AND PROFIT. 55

of bulbs thus grown appears as shown below.

3. Quicker sale and better price, in conse-
quence of the finer appearance of the bulbs.

4. A great increased yield, to the extent of
even doubling or trebling that obtained by the
ordinary method.

5. The elimination of all uncertainties from
the business. Even failure would mean what

ONIONS IN ROW.

people now call a “ big crop.” Nothing short
of hail and flood could prevent a good -profit in
this new onion culture, if managed with ordin-
ary intelligence.
Are these not advantages enough? I should
think they are worth taking in consideration.
In conclusion let me give a somewhat rough

56 NEW ONION CULTURE;

estimate of expenses and receipts on the basis
of my own experience, and
surrounding conditions. Sup-
posing that only 1,000 bushels
are grown per acre, we then have the following:

Estimate of
Cost and Returns.

EXPENSES OF Crop PER ACRE.

Rent of land, one acre, . - § 6.00
Manure, 3 car loads @ $16, z 48.00
' Special potato fertilizer, $ ton, - 22.00
Nitrate of soda, — - : : 8.00
Hauling manure, and application, — - 15.00
Plowing and harrowing, - i 3.00
Marking, - . - : 2.00
Seed, - - - - 9.00
Transplanting, - - . 50.00
Cultivating and weeding, - 24.00
Pulling crop, - : : - 3.00
Gathering, hauling, barreling, — - 20.00
Barrels or packages, - - 50.00
Commission, - - - 100.00
“otal. a : : =P San0200

, REC EIPTS.
By 1,000 bushels of onions @ $1.00, $1,000.00

Deducting the expenses with, - 350.00
Net profit, - - - $ 650.00

This, with the exception of price to be realized
from the crop, is a perfectly safe estimate.
There may be years where the grower will have

COST AND PROFIT. AY

to accept a smaller price than the one received
for the last (1890) crop. But even if these fine
bulbs should not bring more than 50 cents a
bushel, or $500 for the whole crop, the profits,
with commission reduced to $50, will still be
$200, after all expenses, every bit of labor in-
cluded, are paid.

In a good onion season the crop will hardly
be less than 1,500 bushels per acre, if properly
managed. Of course this would add to the ex-
pense in harvesting and marketing, and swell
the total expenses of crop to $400, if not over,
but it would, most likely, also increase the net
profits to $1,000 upwards per acre.

What other crop could be expected to give
you similar results, and with greater certainty?
Iam unable to name a single one among ordin-
ary farm or market garden crops. Don’t forget,
however, that I only pretend to teach my new
method, but do not guarantee results like those
named. Goslowly. Success depends on your
own efforts.

My young friend Gerold has failed to get the
prize, ’tis true. Perhaps it was not so much of
a disappointment either, as in consideration of
the drawbacks of the season and his own
blunder, he hardly expected to get it.” Never-
theless, he made a good profit in his onion ven-
ture, and he is satisfied, if not elated. ‘‘ Adz
is well that ends well.”

AS ORT COE, ROSS Gik thas

THE OLD ONION CULTURE.

‘Our fathers’ way

Was the good old way,

Brought home and land,

And cash to hand

We 71] not despise the good old way.”

Many of the details of onion growing told
in the preceding pages apply both to the old
system and the new. Some additional infor-
mation concerning what some young growers
may consider ‘‘the good old way,” will un-
doubtedly be acceptable to many readers, and
render this little book a complete guide to
onion culture in all its branches.

No matter under what system the crop is to
be grown, I would select, manure, and prepare
the land as advised in second chapter. Low
lands of mucky character are used in many

SOWING SEED IN OPEN GROUND. 59

localities with excellent results. Yellow
Globe Danvers and Early Red are well suited
for such soils. The crops are often very large,
but the individual bulbs hardly as firm as-
when grown on uplands.

Make the seed bed perfectly smooth with
Meeker harrow or steel rake. It is not neces-
sary to mark out the ground,
unless seed is to be sown by
hand. In that case use an
ordinary garden marker making furrows nearly
an inch deep, and twelve inches apart—none
crossways. Then scatter the seed in these
furrows evenly at the rate of six or eight
pounds per acre. Cover in the usual way,
either with the feet, firming the soil at the
same time, or better by drawing the steel rake
lengthwise over each row, and afterwards by
walking upon it heel-to-toe fashion, or by
using a garden roller.

For more extensive operations a garden seed —
drill should be used. I like the Planet Jr.
as well as any I have ever worked.
I begin by stretching a garden line
along one side of the path a few
inches from where I want ‘the first row. This
serves as guide, and I take great pains to have
this row and all the following ones perfectly
straight.

The opening marked for onion seed in these
garden drills, let the seed run out pretty freely

Sowing Seed
in Open Ground.

Drilling
in the Seed.

60 NEW ONION CULTURE;

—perhaps at the rate of eight pounds to the
acre—and when the soil is in first-rate order,
and the seed fresh and good, as this always
should be, I usually let the seed run through
the next smaller opening, which sows five or
six pounds peracre. The small roller attached
to the seed drill firms the soil sufficiently to
insure prompt germination of the seed. ©

The weeds have to be watched much more
closely. than in the new onion cul-
ture. The roller marks indicate
where the rows are and the wheel
hoe may be set agoing, carefully at first, even
before many of the plants have broken ground.

Next comes hand weeding, which should be
begun as soon as weeds can be seen. Scrape
the soil away from the rows. Never draw it
up toward them Repeat as often as needed,
at the second or third weeding also pull up the
plants that are in excess of a fair stand. Many
growers do not usually thin. I do, and I find
it much the better- way. It makes the crop
more uniform, and therefore more valuable and
more satisfactory. Ordinary varieties should
in no case average more than one plant to the
inch, and they should have more space on very
rich soil than on one not sufficiently enriched.
The after-treatment of crop, harvesting, etc., is
exactly the same as described for the new onion
culture. The following are good varieties for
the old method: Wethersford Red, Yellow

After-
Culture,

PICKLING ONIONS. 61

Danvers, Southport Red, White and Yellow
Globes.

Growing onions for pickling is another phase
of the business to be mentioned. . The best
varieties for this purpose are
New Queen and White Barletta.
They are very early and the crop is ready to
be harvested in July—a number of weeks before
even the Early Red and Yellow Danvers can
be gathered. The general management of the
pickling crop is the same as for market in the
old way, only that we must sow more seed, say
about twenty to twenty-five pounds to the acre,
and leave every plant to grow. The crop is to
be harvested as soon as ripe enough, thoroughly
cured and cleaned by rubbing them between
the hands, and by removing tops and roots that
have not entirely wasted away or become de-
tached from the bulbs. The final cleansing
and sorting is easily done by running them
through the ordinary grain fanning mill.

For growing sets the following hints will
suffice: Select Silverskin for white, Early Red
for red, and Yellow Dutch or Yel-
low Danvers for yellow, and sow
seed at the rate of forty to sixty
pounds to the acre. Handle in somewhat the
same fashion as the pickling onions. All that
will not pass through a sieve with 2 inch

Pickling Onions.

Growing
Sets.

meshes are too large for sets, and should go

among the pickling onions.

62 NEW ONION OULTURE.

I do not despise ‘‘the good old way.” ‘There
is (and will continue to be) money ‘‘in onions,”
even when grown as heretofore, provided the
grower understands his business,
and it doés not happen to bea year
of excessive production. With fairly good
soul, heavy manuring and skillful management
it is not a difficult task to grow 800 to 1,000
bushels, and even upwards, to the acre. Such
crop should leave the grower a good profit, even
at fifty cents a bushel. ‘

I practice the good old way myself in grow-
ing pickling onions, and some of the ordinary
varieties. But we should remember that the
average price is much lower than formerly,
while our lands have decreased in fertility. If
there is a’ way to increase the yield, and the
price at the same time, we cannot afford to
ignore it.

Conclusion,

The good old way
Of yesterday,

May not be best
For us to-day.

THE END.

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