The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-22
Short Chapters on Vegetable Culture
THE ONION.

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Short Chapters on Vegetable Culture.
THE ONION.
The onion is one of the most profitable
vegetables grown by the market gardener.
and is one of the most desirable to find a
place in the home garden. There may be
few other vegetables that yield larger
profits and are more esteemed for continual
use. but the statement made that it is one
of the most profitable and desirable cannot
he gainsaid. 1t is fairly entitled to a place
among the mine worthless" of vegetable
culture. Like a number of our garden
vegetables, the onion possesses marked
sanitive qualities along with those OF a
nutritive character. Like the cucumber
and some other vegetables, it is hoary with
age, having been transmitted to us through
more than thirty centuries. The genus
Album embraces a number of species
and each of these are composed of many
varieties The onion of commerce. and
most extended garden and field culture, is
the album Cessa. biennial, developing a
large bulb, and is propagated from seeds
which are produced the second season.
For seasoning purposes it is desirable soma
times to draw lightly on other species,
such as the potato onion and shallot. But
for table use as a boiled vegetable the com
mon onion Album Cessa claims al
most exclusive consideration. OF this
species our American catalogues embrace
about hundred named sorts, but there
are not that many distinct varieties There
are a considerable number of distinct varie-
ties distinguished by marke difference
in color, shape, size, flavor and period of
maturity. We lave well-bred American
varieties, and other varieties Of Italian,
Spanish and Mexican origin. 1t would an
pear that perfec ION has been attained in
the development of the onion, and
that there is no need for the
further multiplication of names. The
seedsmen must have some novelties every
year, even if it amounts to nothing more
than giving new name to some old va
rlety.
In treating of practical onion culture it
is not necessary to name more than three or
four varieties, or at most half dozen.
The three leading American varieties are
the yellow globe Danvers, the Wethersield
and the Southport globe either white or
Yellow. ......
OF the Italian or Spanish varieties the
new queen, the red or yellow Rocca and the
white OF red Tripoll are unsurpassed proba-
bly, by any other varieties.
variety known as the prize-talker,
which is a mere local name, is very pro-
ductive and desirable kind. Doubtless it is
only rev name applied to one of the Ital-
ian or Spanish varieties.
Besides the above, others could be named
that would yield profit and satisfaction, but
there ls no need for naming more. Multi
plying names tends to confusion.
The southern home or market gardener
makes his first planting of onions in the
fall from the middle of September to the
middle OF November. This crop is grown
from the sets usually. In fact, nearly all
the onions grown in the south are raised
from sets put out either in the fall or dur
ing the early part of February. Appar-
entity there are only few who are aware
that the onion can be grown from the seed
as readily here as at the north, and
especially where the Italian varieties are
cultivated. The writer time and again has
grown much finer onions from the seed
than from the sets. Raising a crop from
the sets, it is true, does not not require
watchfulness that crop grown
from the seed does but there
are some advantages on the
side of seed planting not possessed by set
planting, and the reverse is also true. To
grow a crop for use or market early in the
spring when the onions are sold in a green
state some weeks before they would have
mstured) it is good plan-one not likely to
be discarded-to use the sets and plant them
sOnably, and especially where properly
grown from a good variety, it is a very sat-
iSfactory plan to pursue with a good part
of the crop. From long and
successful experience in the culture of
olions we can commend the use CT se.s only
for that part Of the crop that is designed to
be used at home or marketed in green
state. Onions grown from sets do not keep
well even if they bulb perfectly instead of
shooting to seed prematurely. We have
had good many crops, apparently very
promising in March, prove almost absolute
failures in April or May from the develop
ment of seed stalks instead of forming
bulbs. This renders the onion unfit for use
except perhaps for seasoning. Ii pre-
tracted drought should occur, as it often-
times does in the spring, the check given to
the crop results in greater or less effect Of
this kind. 1t depends upon the nature
and the character of the sets used whether
1t will be a crop of perfect onions or CROP
of scallions.
If properly cultivated crop grown from
the seed is the one that makes the finest
onions and the best keepers.
***
On rich, sandy soil, using good, fresh seeG
OF the Italian sorts named. it is just as easy
to make good crop of onions from the
seed as are made in New England. Ii tht
onion could be as easilypreserved as it is made
In our section the south could supply the
rest of the country with it as cheaply as il
can be grown any~ here, but there is thu
trouble-it matut es SO early and so fal
ahead of cold weather it renders their pre-
servation in any considerable quantity
impossible. We have grown al
sorts Of onions and with various ways o.
planting, and have succeeded with the crol
In every way except preServings through
the hot summer or autumn weather. Th
crop cannot be kept growing up to GOO
weather, as is the case IN the north
Whether planted in February, or April, Oh
May, the crop will come to maturity, b.
1t what it may, along in July, If not earlier
and decay inevitably follows the attempt t.
store them in bulk. In small way tn
onions can be kept by braiding the top
together, and hanging them in dark bu
airy place. Quite a fair supply may thu
De preserved for home use, but the plaI
would not answer the purpose of commerce
~
While the use of sets affords aEvary con
venient way for growing an early crop TO
use in the green state, it is a very expensive
plan and not to be resorted to when a croI
to be preserved is sought after.
Twelve or fifteen years ago we adopte
the plan that is now being commended as
great novelty by number of horticultu 9
writers, of simply raising plants from a
early sowing of the seeds and trausplantinI
these plants in place of sets just as early il
the season as possible. This is very excel