The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-03
Onion Growing in the south.

If onions were as readily kept in the
south as they are made, a very large part Of
the supply for the whole country would
come from this section. The trouble, how
ever, is the onion natures here In the mid
summer, and 50 long before cool weather
sets in it is impossible to keep the crop after
It is made. We can supply the world with
new onions in the spring and summer, but
we can do very little in the way of furnish
ing onions 10 the winter time, the period in
which they are IN demand by commerce.
Comparatively little effort has been made
by southern gardeners toward making
large yields per acre, and so we do not hear
of any thousand bushels being made to the
acre in the south, as we frequently read OF
being made at the north. We can raise
just as large crops in Georgia as can be
grown anywhere, but until horticultural
art has discovered, through the means of
crossing and selection, an onion that will
grow on through the summer and ripen in
October there can be no incentive for in
creasing our acreage in what may be called
our late crop-planted in the spring months.
Our first crop bulbs down" in May in
Middle Georgia; earlier in South Georgia
and Florida. This early crop is made
Their from ''sets' planted out in the fall or
early winter and again in February.
Up to within comparatively recent
period tue onLAr6 crop OF OplODS grown IN
the south was from sets. OF late years
however, our more advanced truckers and
market gardeners have learned and are
learning that the best crop of onions can be
grown from the "blaok seed" first raising
the plants, by sowing the seeds in cold
frames or open seed-beds and then trans
planting as sUon as ths hard FIRE ezes are
over, or supposed to be, which period In
Middle Georgia is about the last of January
For southern culture the foreign varieties
have invariably met with approval by all
who have once given them fair trial.
These varieties, known variously as
Italian, Spanish or Mexican, whenever
grown from fairly bred seeds rarely fail to
give satisfaction, and once tried take the
place Of such kinds as Danvers, Wethers-
field and like kinds Of American origin.
or the Italian varieties there is one In
particular that when once planted by a
southern grower is ever afterward regarded
as almost indispensable to a satisfactory
cultivation OF the onion crop. This is the
New Queen, fiat white onion that does not
grow to very large size, compared to
other Italian kinds. Good seeds of this
kind sown in January or early February
In the latitude Of Middle Georgia produces
fine merchantable bulbs sooner or later in
May. Another variety. the Early Nocera,
is also excellent The Barle.ta is another
white variety said to be two weeks earlier
than the Queen.
The seeds of these onions can be sown
right where the crop is to grow, or the seeds
can be sown in cold frames or in a warm
border where the young plants can, with
only a little extra trouble, be protected
from the few periodical freezes that occur
in December and January. This sowing Of
seeds to make plants should be MADE early
in December in the cold frames and the
plants by the last of January should attain
size varying from that OF a match or
straw up to that of pencil.
Set out properly on nicely prepared beds
In January there is no good reason for
per cent. of the plants failing to live This
plan of growing onions possesses some
advantages that should recommend it to q
more extensive adoption than II has met
with thus far. 1t Is by far the surest,
cheapest plan for growing onions in the
south, at any rate Nearly twenty years
ago we began practicing this method, and
have had occasion TO recommend its observ-
ance many times since then. Its apparent
tediousness ID more than made up for by
advantages that will be recognized
after trial or two. Those who have had
any extended experience in the cultivation
or onions are aware that some seasons a
crop growing from the sets is entirely ruined
by the plants shooting to seed before there
was the least appearance of building. This
occurs more or less every year. but every
three or four years at leaSt the loss is almost
absolute. Some varieties are more predis-
posed to shoot to seed than others, but the
condition Of the weather in March and
April has more to do with it than anything
else. Llxuriant growth arrested by pro-
tracted drought in April favors the throw
ing up OF seed stalks prematurely.
AS stated the suTest w8y-the most eco
nomical way in every respect Is growing
the crop from the seeds. Get the variety
test adapted to the climate Be sure and
get good fresh seed OF that variety and go
ahead. Fortunate is he who can procure
seed 80 per cent. of which will prove fertile.
No experienced onion grower is likely to
make the mistake of sowing onion seed that
he has not tested in advance. Sowing IN
tested seeds involves O risk that should not
be taken. s. A. G.