Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-08
EMBARRASSING.
Some OF the Mistakes Made by tho Major.
fv 0f


some OF the Mistakes Made by tho sIajor-
ity of Farmers.
The first seed to be planted in the.
spring aside from the lettuce and
radish is that of onions. The success
of the crop viii depend very largely on
the early planting of the seed. The
growth of onions stops after the weather
becomes hot and the soil dry. They
must attain their entire growth and be-
come ripe before the middle of August.
If the seed is planted quite late the
! onion will be small at the time the
condition of the air and the soil puts q
stop to their growth. Many farmers
complain that they do not find onions
to be Il profitable crop, and they often
/ wonder how market gardeners con-
/ tinue to raise so many on small piece
of land. Their first mistake is in de-,
laying the planting of the seed till they
plant beans, peas and other garden
vegetables. They have time for
making garden" and at this time
they plant all manner of seeds. The
market gardner, however. prepares the
land he proposes to devote to the pro-
duction of onions the previous fall, and
sows the seed as soon as the frost has
left the soil. His onions are large
enough to thin out before the farmer
has sown his seed.
The next mistake of farmers in rails
ing onions consists in negiecting to
make the land on which they are plant
ed sufficiently rich. Market gardeners
near our large cities frequently apply
thirty tons of stable manure or
its equivalent in other fertilizers to an
acre of land that is to be devoted to
onions. They also apply lime. ashes
and SCOT to it. They have learned
that onions are very gross feeders, and
that large crops can not be produced
without high manuring. Well-rotted
stable manure, free from the seeds of
weeds and grass. is as good fertilizer
as can be found for unions. Hen
manure is also excellent. Muck Or
peat forms valuable addition to the
soil. 1t retains moisture and protects
the roots of the onions. During the
past few years very large crops Of
onions have been raised on reclaimed
Dogs. The manure and muck that
have been applied to the land should
be well worked with it. and the entire
soil well pulverized. More onions can
be raised on one rod or acre of land
that has been well prepared than ON
twice that amount that has been indif-
ferently prepared. Time spent in pre-
pairing land for onions will be saved in
the management of the crop.
no Of -
soil much deeper than many suppose.
When the bulbs are growing they have
long roots. After the bulbs have at
tanned their full growth and have COM
menced to rpen. the roots are par
tally absorbed or become dry. and the
impression is carried by looking at
onions as they are pulled in the fall
that their roots were always short and
far from numerous. To allow the
roots to penetrate the soil it should be
fine and soft The surface,
however, should be quite firm, to pre-
vent easy evaporation and to insure
the quick termination of the seed. A
roller, drag or other implement can be
to render the surface of the
soil firm. The surface should also be
made as level and smooth as possible,
as ridges and small hills will be
washed down, causing loss of the
seed or the destruction of the young
plants by leaving their roots exposed.
If the land devoted to onions is to be
worked with Il hand-hOe the rows
need not be more than a foot apart.
The plants, when thinned. should be
five or six inches apart. The thinning
should be done while the plants are
small, for if they are left until they OBJ
tain u strong hold in the ground they
can not be removed without disturbing
or injuring those that are to remain
for producing a Chicago Times.