The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1872-05-18
Onion Culture in the South.


might be made extremely profitable in
the Southern States, but such is the fact
m Every year there is great demand for
B0sI both North and South, as all the
early ouions must be raised from these,
i @nd sets can only be grown below the
latitude of Baltimore. Above that line
they mature the first year from the seed
becoming what we call late annual on
ions.
Onion sets are simply the first years
.Yy 4, opions, from the seed, which have been
forced into the formation of small bulb
by the extreme heat of the climate The
onion stops growing ere it has attained
to half its natural size, but when re.
- aplahted the next season, before the ex-
treme heat sets in, it resumes its growth
Where 10 left of, and soon becomes a
large bulb.
, nsAttempts are often made by gardeners
4 ga = In the North, to grow their own onion
sets, with view to saving the consider
~, able outlay necessary to purchase them,
but all attempts have so far, resulted in
IA failure; for the onions kept on growing
20 It'll they matured themselves When
means have been resorted to to dwarf
pa Them, the result has been no better; for
although the product looked like sets,
los' it was found, on putting it out the next
- year, that it had flushed its growth, aud
Consequently, would do nothing more.
Then, as the set-growing business of
this country is climatically secured to us
weought to take advantage of it. Most
ofthe sets how used are brought from
the southern countries of Europe-if it
will pay to import them under heavy
duty, twill certainly pay us to raise them
them for sale. Our sandy soils of the
j tse lower pine country are exactly suited to
.Gpae them, and as they require but little fer
tilizing, and but little culture, there mus,
3'. undoubtedly be money in the business.
.,nsa From pamphlet by JAS. j H. Gre
.a1sli CORY, Marblehead, Mass, on the subject
.bIri of "Onion Raising" We Gull the follow
ing information:
Onions can be raised on a variety of
77E=~ soils, but yield the most satisfactory re-
turns on sandy loan, gravely soil or
to state general rule, on those soils
which are light in structure.
PREPARING THE Soil.
:, Don't plant weedy soil to onions, or
land which abounds in witch or crab
grass-if you do you will repent it on
your hands and knees.
In the fertile lands of the West, the
method of procedure is briefly this Land
on which grows the bush hazel is select
.ss ed, if accessible, the bushes cut down,
and the top surface but little more than
pared with the plow.-In this condition
it is usually allowed to remain a season
exposed to the drying effects of the sun,
when it is most thoroughly narrowed
y and raked, and all the numerous root.
and waste burned. The land is then
plowed to a moderate depth and the sc ed
6own either broadcast or in drills.
The farmer who brings up the subsoi
in his onion bed will find he has made
2Siainistake. Onions do not require deep
plowing; four OF five inches is sufficient
depth to insure good crop. y y **
S''sr *afhfthe West the ground having been
plowed in the fall, frequently only re-
ceives cultiyating or narrowing in the
spring
AS the great object is to get the land
in thoroughly fine condition, to faeili
Ieate the covering of the seed with fine
earth to leave the soil light that there
may be a vigorous growth of the plants
No labor should oe spared to
attain this end
Is How MUcH SEED TO THE ACRE.
1T If it is designed to pull the onions
when snail for punching for the market,
HI" seven or eight pounds of seed will be
required to the acre. Ifthe intent is tn
raise the very small onions known as
no r sets, then much larger quantity will be
aig12 required.
KIND OF SEED.
THE Danvers onion il the most hand
some in shape, and yields as much as any
O. other sort, and more than any OF the fat
varieties. The large red is
quite q favorite in the West and is con.
sidered by so nc dealers the best variety
for shipping purposes TThe White