The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-17
Onion Culture.
(REPLY TO R. 7. NJ

Onions are as easily grown in the south
as they are in the north or New England,
but they cannot be kept as readily in our
climate, At the north the onions grow
nearly up to cold weather, and it is much
easier 20 preserve them during the winter
man with us, for the onion natures while
the weather is still hot. Very few persons
are SO situated as to enable them to keep
them perfectly. Those that are grown from
the seed sown in February or March are the
ones that will keep the best.
We have grown them from sowiDgs in
April but the onions were small, but they
slways kept well. This late sowing runs a
risk OF failure that soon teaches the gardener
TO abandon it unless forced to plant as a re-
suit OF the failure OF earlier paintings.
Did you read remarks on onion growing
in issue of April 81 Refer to it for other
suggestions.
A great quantity of onions lin the eggre-
gate are grown in the south by home and
market gardeners, by planting out sets"
either in October or November, or Feb
ruary or March. These are grown with a
view TO being used or sold in green state
or soon after maturity, ripening generally
as early as June, anyhow by the middle of
July We have never had any variety to
continue its growth up to the middle of
August. The weather of August aud Sep
TENDER is to hot to permit Of the onions be-
ing kept safely in bulk, and even where
they are spread out thiuly in dark, airy
lofts many Of them will decay.
The onion is just as easy crop to grow
from the seed as any other if fresh seeds of a
good variety are used. A great deal of
poor seed is soldland one must be careful in
purchasing, else seed too old to terminate
will be palmed off upon him. Always
Stipulate for the last years growth Of seed.
Only a small percentage of seeds two years
old is apt to grow.
There are nearly 100 named sorts cata-
logued by American seedsmen. The most
popular varieties among the American sorts
are the Globe Danvers, the Wethersfeld
and the Yellow Strasbury. These do very
well in the south, but the experience Of
most southern gardeners Is that the Italian
or Spanish varieties give better satisfaction.
OF these, the Giant Rocca is a superb kind.
growing to very large size. The Red Tor
White Tripoli IS a good kind. The New
Queen and the Early Pearl are rapid grow
ing kinds and have pleasant flavor. but
do not grow to a large size, but large
enough for all practical purposes
The soil should be thoroughly plowed and
well narrowed, just previous to sowing seed.
II the soil is not rich, it should be well fer
tilted. Finely ground bone bone dust is
splendid fertilizer for onions, or for any
thing else. A thousand pounds of it with
the same quantity of rotted but not leached)
ashes, lightly narrowed in before sowing
seed, is good application for medium soil.
After the onions have started to growing
any good fertilizer top-dressed along the
rows and hoed in from time to time, will
be advantageous. One hundred and fifty
to 2OO pounds Of nitrate of soda, applied
after the crop is started, is very profit
aOle application usually. Have the
rows two feet apart. Five to six pounds OF
good seed will insure a stand. Sow in very
shallow drills and run a roller along the
rows. Three or 80 pounds of fresh seed,
carefully sown, lightly covered and then
rolled, VIII give stand. If the soil is rich
ana cultivated it ia not necessary to thin to
any distance. We have as many as a dozen
good sized onions to mature In the space of
. Ioot. DO not let the seeds fall in lunches
OaI SOW thinly and evenly, and little thin
nlng VIII be necessary. The use of sets is
not TO be commended, except to grow onions
ior early use, to be used green mostly.
IL depends upon the size of the sets and
distance given in the row. how many it will
require per acre, anywhere from bushel
70 Three bushels, according to size, etc. The
ueSt are those about the size OF a chinca-
pm. They should be set very shallow, Just
under the surface. Let the cultivation be
very shallow after growth is we'll started
II Is not difficult to make several hundred
bushels OF onions per acre. Very fine
oulous can be grown by raising plants early
=; Spt .. setting out In well prepared soil early