The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-01-03
CONDUCTED By s. II. ST4CKH0USE,
ONION CULTURE.

ONIVN NAAAA u NhAs
Onions are getting to be very profit
able, and are now being grown quite
extensively in the South for Northern
markets. A gentleman from Illinois
is planting out two acres near Crystal
Springs, and we will endeavor to keep
our readers posted as to his success.
We take the following interesting
mode of cultivating onions from
Whites Gardening for the South :"
Onions are raised from the seeds or
sets, which may be planted from De-
tober to April, but February is the
best month for this purpose. They all
require rich friable soil, and a situa-
ton enjoying the full influence Of the
sun, and free from the shade or drip
of trees. If the soil be poor or eX-
hausted an abundance of manure
should be applied some time before
planting, and thoroughly incorporated
with it. If applied at the time of
planting the manure must be thor
oughly decomposed, and turned in
only to a moderate depth. If the
ground be tenacious, sander better
still-charcoal dust is advantageous;
ashes and SCOT are particularly beniti-
cial. Common salt, at the rate of six
to eight bus els per acre, is an excel
lentapplication to this family ofplants.
In digging the ground small spades
full should be turned over at time,
that the texture may be well broken
and pulverized. Ashes, bone dust,
gypsum and the salt and lime mixture
will supply nearly all organic con-
stituents of the crop, and where they
do not exist in sufficient quantities in
the soil, may be supplied in addition
to animal manure. An experienced
cultivator states that when sufficient
manure cannot be obtained, four hun
dred pounds of Peruvian guano, COM
posted with five bushels of bone dust,
Dissolved in sulphuric acid, and enough
charcoal dust to divide the mass, will
be found to produce a maximum crop.
Guano, water and spirit I've, well di-
luted, are excellent manures. They
do not require 4 change of soil, being
an exception to the general rule that
plants like a rotation, as they have
been grown in Scotland century in
the same spotwithout any diminution
of the crop.
1t is a good plan to make the beds
just wide enough for three rows, say
thirty inches wide, with narrow
alley between, which may be filled
with sweet corn or cabbagcs, after the
crop is laid by. But in common garden
beds four feet wide and the rows there
on twelve to fourteen inches are most
convenient. The soil of the beds
must be finely dug, the surface rolled
smooth, and all the clods beat fine that
may have escaped the spade. The
drill should be drawn very shallow,
as the best onions grow upon the sur
face of the ground. For this reason, |
it is well to roll the bed, or beat ii |
smooth with the back of the spade |
before making the drills. Do not SOW .
very thickly, only one or two seeds in
place. A seed every inch is quite
thick enough, as thinning out when
too thick is apt to injure the remain
der. Cover the seeds about half an
inch thick with fine sifted soil, and
press down the earth upon them with
a roller or by walking over them on a
plank.
When they come up thin them out
in the drills to six inches apart. Keep
the bed clean and free from weeds, and
stir frequently but not deeply with a
hoe. Do,not hill the earth up against
the bulbs, but draw it away from them
with the fingers, as they keepif grown
pretty much above the ground. There
is no crop more easily raised or pre-
served, if the ground is rich enough, |,
and the bulbs made to grow upon The
surface. After the onions have got a
good start it is better to drop the hoe
and resort to hand wedding.
In dry weather thorough drenching
in weak liquid manure or soapsuds is
excellent.
If they throw up a seed stalk, it
must be promptly broken off, or they
will form no bottoms. When the crop
is ready for harvesting, It's known by
The drying up und change of color Of
,he stems. To preserve them, pull
hem up dry day, dry them thor
,ughly in the shade, and stow them in
| loft where they can have plenty Of
Iir. From two to five hundred bushels
Der acre is the usual crop, which gen
rally sell from fifty cents to two dol =,
ars per bushel in the Northern mar
,ets, according to earliness and va
iety. The best variety no doubt is
he Queen onion, or white silver skin.
A Mort horn gentleman who has