Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-11-04
MEANWHILE TENNESSEE SATURDAY NOVEMBER A. 1882

in case of the ground becoming baked
after heavy rain, the rows can be
traced and worked out if necessary,
before the onions are up. If the seed
is to be sOwn by hand, use a marker
made like rake with the teeth one
foot apart. Stretch a line to start with
and in returning follow the last mark
with one of the end teeth of the marker
in order to have the rows straight and
of equal width. The seed can be COW
cred very quickly by drawing the same
marker close by the side of the drills,
thus covering six or eight rows.at once.
If the ground is quite moist a piece of
plank may be drawn over it to make it
level; but if sufficiently dry it should
be rolled heavily and the soil firmly
packed around the seed,
VARIETIES TO PLANT.
The Early Red, Large Red Wethers-
field, Yellow Danvers all do well, but
where part of the crop can be sold in
green or half grown state, the Silver
Skin or White Portugal are to be pre-,
ferred, as the white onions sell better
in punches. The new Queen onion
(ltalian) is splendid variety to sow
for punching for market; it natures
very early, and comes in just after
those grown from sets.
CULTIVATION.
If the wheel hoe is used, work out
the rows as soon as they can be seen,
with pair of light hoes, throwing the
earth from the plants or use a sharp
steel rake and rake over the whole
ground with short, quick strokes, bear
ing on more or less, according as the
surface is hard or loose, don't be afraid
of pulling up the plants, as not one in
a hundred will be injured. In about
two weeks, or sooner if the surface be-
comes hard from rains, 60 over them
again either with a light or a sharp
steel rake, ten inches wide for twelve
rows, walking backward, leaving the
soil loose. When the plants are three
or four inches high, thin out to three
inches apart, at the same time pull out
the weeds, if any, in the row. Get
down on the hands and knees and doit
right, pulling mp those that are not
wanted, instead of breaking them off
at the ground. Hoe again in two or
three weeks or less, and if possible sow
wood ashes over the piece and work
them in at the hoeing; 200 bushels to
the acre is little enough to use. They
will prove great benefit, especially in
a dry season, as they retain moisture
and keep the surface loose. As soon
as the onions begin to "bottom" orform
bulbs, the earth must be drawn a,cay
from them, allowing the bulb to form
on the surface. They probably will
need little working after this, but if
necessary give them another hoeing,
keeping the soil in the middle of the
row, at least not covering the bulbs en-
tirely. 1t is easy enough to grow on
ions from seed here if strict attention
is paid, lst, to making the soil rich and
mellow, and, second, beginning the cul-
tivation while the plants are small, or
before they can be seen, if the surface
is hard, by raking over the whole
ground, and keeping up the cultiva-
ton until the onions are matured, al
lowing no weeds to grow, or at any rate
permitting none to get large enough to
be in the way Of the crop even when
completed, as they will be in the way
in HARVESTING.
When the tops fall over and the
greater part of them are dry, the on
ions may be pulled, throwing eight or
ten rows together in a windrow. If the
weather is very hot they should be sha-
ded in the hottest part of the day by
throwing litter over them. If a shed
or open barn can be used, it will be bet
ter to put the onions in it as they are
pulled. They should be left scattered
or spread out for few days and after
wards piled in heaps of about three
bushels each to sweat, and then left in
this shape about ten days or two weeks.
Then spread them out and dry
them well, turning them over with
wooden rake. In two Or three days, if
to be sold soon, they may be put in
barrels having openings in the sides,
but they will keep much longer if plac.