The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-05-07
An Acre Of Onions.

Few farmers seem to realize the fact that
as much money eau be obtained from an
acre of land in onions as from iorty.acre
farm devoted to the usual crop. At present
prime onions are worth 81 per barrel by the
carload, and two hundred and fifty barrels
may be, and not unfrequently are produced
from an acre OF land. Let not one however
expect to realize thousand dollars from an
acre Of onions who Goes not pay the best at.
tention to the crop. To begin with, land
naturally adapted to producing the crop
should be selected. Experiments made in
the eastern states, where large quantities of
onions are raised for the southern mark ct
show that there is no better sol for onions
than that Of a reclaimed bog Of curse the
land must be well drained and the surface
soil decompo~ed by exposure to the action OF
the atmosphere. Most Of our black prairie
soils ara suitable to the production of onions
If they are rightly treated The turf must
become entirely rotted and mixed with the
earth below. Land that has been in posture
for several years is easily prepared for a
comparatively
thin, while the soil is quite free from weeds
That portion Of a pasture ia which cattle
and sheep lie at night may be converted in.
to an onion patch to an excellant adj
vantage.
field for onions should be nearly level
If there are elevations in it the soil on them
will he likely to wash away, carrying of
the seed before it germinates, or leaving
part of the onions exposed to the sun. A
piece of land intended for onions should be
entirely free frou seeds Of weeds in the start
aid there should be determination on the
part Of the grower to allow none to attain
any considerable size. Absolutely clever cu,-
ture Is essential to producing paving cror
OF onions. Neglect in this matter will cans,
vast amount of work, which will not. atte,
all insure good crop Of onioni. A field
of onions can not he neglected on accom-,
OF demand for labor on other parts of the
farm. Unless a farmer has help that car
attend to his field of onions during the sea.
son of blowing corn cutting grass, and har
vesting grains, it will be better not to at
tempt to raise the crop at all. The care Of
onions, however calls for light work, which
which may be chiefly performed bv old mer
partial invalds, women and children. Per
sons who cannot perform heavy work on the
farm may engage in onion raising TO excel
lent advantage.
1t is useless to undertake to raise paw
ing crop of onions on land that is very high
ly manured. FIom thirty to fiftv loads Of
manure should be applied to an acre of
land designed for producing this crop. i
should be well rotted and free from the seed
Of grass and weeds Unleached ashes form
valuable addition to composted sta.
BILE manure. After piece of land has been
prepared for onions it is best to continue the
crop for a series of years. As onions are
gross feeders it will, of course, be necessary
TO apply coating of manure every season
The soil of an onion field should be well
pulvarized and the manure thoroughly in
corporated with it. After it is plowed and
narrowed roller should be used for crush
ing the Jumps.
Many growers employ hand rake Tor
thinning the soil before the seed is sown.
About four pounds of seed are required for
an acre. 1t should be the product of the
previous season. The seed may be tested bv
counting out certain number an3 placing
them on some moist cotton laid in saucer
II good, it will germinate in three or four
days The seed should be sown AS early in
the spring as it is possible to prepare the
land Growers who aim to get the largest
yield from given amount of land allow on
ly the space of a foot between the rows.
There is a drill which plants two rows of
onion seed at once. If sown by hand one
seed should be dropped every inch. In or
der to mark the rows it is well to drop rad.
ish seed every five or six inches. The rad.
lshes Will grow very rapidly, and will be
large enough to pull before the onions al
tam sufficient size to be injured by their
presence. If there is no market for radishes
In the vicinity, cabbage plants may be rails.
ed In their place. When of sufficient size
they may be pulled and transplanted.
The cultivation of onions must be chiefly
performed by means of hand tools The
shuttle hoe is the best implement for doing
most OF the work. 1t should be of the best
quality, and great pains should be taken to
Keep 1t clean and sharp. After the plants
are about four inches high they may be thin
ned so that each has space of about three
inches in which to grow. Some growers
VINO seek to raise very large crops allow
three onions to grow in the space of six in
ches. OF course they crowd each other af-
ter they have become of nearly full size, but
this thick setting is necessary to secure the
maxim yield. After they are thinned to the
proper distance nothing is required by way
OF cultivation except to keep the soil light
aud free from Weeds OicDgo Times.