The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-12
Growing Onion Sets.

Whlle the practice OF growing onions
directly from the seed is becoming more
extended all over the country, still the
time will never come, probably, when the
old-time practice of growing the crop
from sets will be done away with, espe-
cially in the south. With the constantly
increasing acreage devoted to this splen-
did esculent it is quite likely more onion
sets will be raised and planted ten years
from now than there is at this time
Southern truckers and market gardeners,
along with those who only grow simply
for home use, will continue to use sets for
growing the first crop, whish is used or
marketed in green, or unmatured state
Thousands of acres are yearly planted in
the south, putting out the sets anywhere
from September to November both in
elusive. Most any "tyro" in gardening
can grow crop of onions from the sets
where only failure would result if the
seeds were used There is hardly any
thing surer than making 'sets" grow,
whereas, IL is not always sure that one
gets onion seed that are good and of such
variety as will make good crop in our
southern climate. So much by way of
preface
The southern gardener and trucker de-
ponds almost entirely upon the Middle
or Northern states for their onion sets,
though 1t Is quite practical for them to
raise their own sets if they choose to do
1t. The southern trucker, it seems, as a
rule, however, would prefer to have
others grow his sets for him This is all
Very well, when he can buy them 1t 81 so
TO - 80 bushel, but, oftentimes he has to
pay twice this sum for his sets occasionally
three times. There is one advantage in
the trucker growing his own sets. He
can grow Just the variety that better
SUITS our climate, sets of which he cannot
always get with any certainty. The sew
eral varieties of Italian or Spanish onion
are lar preferable for the south. Kinds
Ike the New Queen, Rocca. Early Nocera
and some others, do much better tina
the American varieties
HOW TO RAISE THE SETS.
There are two ways of growing-broad-
cast or in drills. The latter is to be pre-
ferred
For the purpose choose medium land,
not very rich in humus or nitrogen, but
as clean as possible.
81 S2oWings can be made any time from
FEB. ID to April 15
-. Plow the soil and harrow it and run
nght roller over it. Lay off shallow drills
10 TO ~ inches apart. These shallow
uFIils, not deeper than a quarter of an
men, should be one and a half to two
Inches VIDE. Just prior to sowing whiten
these drills with landplaster, using the
freshest seed attainable. Sow the seeds
carefully along the drills at the rate of u
TO 10 to the square inch. Cover lightly
with rake and then run a garden roller
over the drills. If the seed be good there
VIII be a pretty show of onions in the
course of ten days
Cultivate very shallow and just enough
70 keep down all weeds. ANY weeds com
ing up IN the drills must be hand pulled
When the small onions begin to show
signs of maturity, go along and pull them
ana let them lie until well cured, then
take up and spread rather thinly in the
coolest, dryest place practicable Can be
spread out under any clubhouse, if safe
rom poultry, etc. If put in loft, or where
there is much light, spread a slight layer
OF straw over the sets. Do not wait until
the onions die down before pulling But
pull Just as soon as the tops show little
yellow As remarked these sets will be
planted out again in September and Octo-.
Der and as late as Nov. Is.
rms Is brief statement of procedure.
The directions followed there will be no
good reason for failure, if the seeds are
good