The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-05-14

Fev farmers seefu to realize lhe fact
that as much money may be obtained !
from an acre OF land in onions as from
fOrty-acre farm devoted TO the usual
crops. At present prime onions are
worth - per barrel by the car load. and
two huRdUed and fifty barrels may be,
and not uufrequently are, produced from
an acre of land. Let no one, however,
expect to realize thousand dollars from
an acre of onions who does not pay the
best attention TO the crop. TO begin
with. land naturally adapted TO produc-
ing the crop should be selected. ENper- .
iuneuts made in the Eastern states, .
where large quantities Of onions are .
raised for the Southern market, show .
that there is no better soil for onions .
than that of a recsaimed bog. OF course i
The land must be well drained and The :
surface soil decOmPJ5sd by exposure to I
the action of the atmosphere. Most OF
the black prairie soils are suitable to
the production Of onions if they are
rightly treated. The turf must become
entirely TOtton and mixed with the earth
below. Land that has been in pasture
for several years Is easily prepared for
crop of onions. rs the turf is compare
lively thin while the soil is quite free
from weeds. That portion OF Il pasture
IN which cattle and sheep lie at night
may be converted into an onion patch
to excellent advantage.
y field fOr onions should be very near
" level. II there are elevations in 1t
the soil on them will be likely TO wash
away. carrying off the seed before it
gcTmiuates, o. leaving part Of the Oni-
Ous exposed to the sun. y piece Of land
intended for onions should be entirely
free from the seeds of weeds in the start
and there should be q determination on
the part Of the grower to allow none to
attain any considerable size Absolute
" clever culture is essential to prOduc-
ing paying crop of onions Neglect in
this matter Will cause Ct vast amount Of
work which vii. not. after all, insure
4 good crop Of onions. \ field of Oni-
Ons can not be neglected on account Of
a demand for labor on other parts OF the
farm. Unless q farmer has help That
can attend 10 his field of onions during
the season Of plOWiug corn, emitting grass
and harvesting grains, il viii be better
not 10 attempt 20 raise the crop at all.
The care of onions. however, calls for
light work. which may be chiefly per
formed Uy old men. partial lnEalIds.
woman and children. Persons who can
not perform heavy work on the farm
may engage in onion raising to excellent
advantage.
II Is useless 10 undertake TO raise a
paving crop Of onions on land that is not
very highly maHurrd. From thirty TO
fifty loads of manure should be applied
to an acre of land designed for produc-
ing this crop. It should be well TOtted
and free from the seed Of grass and
weeds. tulcachcd ashes form q Valu-
able addition 10 CompUsted stable man
Ure. After piece Of land has been pre-
pared for onions II is best 10 continue
the crop fCTa series Of years. ~ onions
are gross feeders it viii, of course, be
necessary 10 apply coating of manure
every season. The soil of aH onion field
should be well pUlveriZtL and the man
ure thoroughly incorporated with it,
After IT is piUWed and narrowed a roller
should be employed for crushing thc
Jumps.
Many growers employ Z. hand rake ror
finishing the soil before the seed is
sOWn. About tUUr pounds of seed are
required for an acre. il should be the
product of the previous season. The
seed may be tested by counting out a
certain number and placing them on
some moist cotton laid in q saucer. If
good, il will gcrmiualc in three or four
days. The seed should be sUwn as early
III the spring as il j. possible to prepare
the land. Growers who aim 10 gc, the
largest yield from "a given amount OF
iaHd allow only tue space Of e foot be-
tween the rows. There is drill which
plants two ToWS OF onion seed at once.
II sowu by hand one seed should be
dropped every inch. III order TO mark
the rows iJ is well 90 drop a radish seed
every i've on six inches The rddishes
will grow very rapidly, and viii be large
enough to pul! before the onions attain
sufficient size TO be injured by their pre-
seLCe. Il there ls 40 market for radish-
Cs in ths vicinity. cabbage plants may
be raised iu their place. When Of sulI-
eient size they may be pulled and trains
planted.
The cultivation uf onions must be
chiefly performed 10y means of hand
tools. The shuttle hoe is the best iInple-
meut FOR doing most of the work. 1t
should be 81 Ju. best quality. aud great
pains should be taken to keep il clean
and sharp. After the plants are about
four inches high they may be thinned
SO that each has q space of about three
inches in which TO grow. Some grow
ers who seek to raise very Iargt crau5
allow three onions to grow III the space
of six inches. OF course they crowd
each other after they have become of
p~1rly fun size, but tui5 thick setting is
Ees>aTy to secure Inc maximum Weld.
After they are thuucd % The proper
distance nothing is required by way of
cultivation except to keep the soil light
and free from weeds Cbi-Ig5 Times.