The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-03-22
Failures With Onions.

More persons fail with onions than
with almost any crop raised in the field
or garden. They read in a paper that
some person has Iaised from seven hun
dred to one thousand bushels of onions
on a single acre of land without the en-
ployment of fertilizers and with very
little labor, and they conclude to do the
same They purchase the seed re-
quired, expend large amount of labor,
and raise few bushels of very poor
onions that will not sell for enough to
pay Tor the seed purchased several
months before. Onions are in the main
easy vegetables to raise. and many do
not understand the cause of the fire.
quent failures to produce them The
failures are to be attributed to one
of the following causes: In udicious
selection of land, imperfect preparation
of the soil, lack OF fertilizing material,
poor seed, delay OF sewing it in the
spring, neglect to keep the soil free
from weeds, injury from insects. The
successful production of onions de-
ponds on attention to several things,
and neglect in relation to either of
them will result IN a very poor crop.
Good farmers who understand the i'm
pOrtance of doing work well are quite
as likely to faI in raising onions as
other persons,
Experience shows that the Rest land
for onions is a well-drained bay or por-
ton bottom land. The soil is gener-
ally rich. tOlerably retentive of moist
ure. and free from the seeds of weeds
and grass. Any good corn land that
has not had its fertility exhausted by
the reduction of other crops is capa-
bic Of producing a good yield of onions.
1t hOuld, however, be quite level and
free from stones, stumps and turf. If
it is not level portions Of the soil will
wash away from the seeds or plants. 1t
should ii possible. be prepared the fall
before the crOo is to be raised. The
black soil of most of our Western prai-
ries will produce a good crop of onions
without the application Of manure
Land largely composed of clay or sand
should not be devoted to onions. If any
stable manure $ applied it should be
well rotted and thoroughly pulverized.
Wood ashes are highly advantageous to
this Gro The application of salt at the
rate of two bushels to the acre has the
effect to make the soil somewhat reten-
tive of moisture and to destroy magqOts
which are likely tOdO considerable dam
age. The soil should be plowed deep,
well narrowed and raked as smooth as
EraCJi car Inc use or the roller IS aQ-
vantagaOus, both. before and after the
see is sOwn. 1t breaks up Jumps and
helps firm the soil.
The seed should be soWn as early in
spring as the soil is in condition to be
stirred The delay of few days after
the frost is out of the ground may result
in the loss of a good crop. About four
pounds OF seed is re ,uired for an acre.
1t can be planted with a drill, which
makes the opening, drops the seed and
covers r. The rows should be straight
and within a foot of each other. The
most successful raisers use no imple-
ment in cultivation but the common or
scufe hoe. In fat, the entire cultiva-
ton consists in keeping the soil free
from weeds and grass. If the seed is
carefully distributed at the rate of four
pounds to the acre no thinning of plants
will be required. 1t is necessary, how
ever, to pull the weeds and grass that
grow in the rows by hand, and if they
are ikcly to take root when thrown on
the ground they should be rem we'd
from the field. Neglect to keep the soil
free from any plants but onions from the
time the seed is sOwn till the bull, are
ripe, is the leading cause of failure.
Most farmers are likely to allow the
or und devoted to onions to grow up
to weeds and grass while they are en-
plOYed with other crops. - Chicago
Times.