The record-union., 1896-02-27
FARM And ORCHARD.
Onions a Profitable Crop to Grow In the
East.
Keep Up the Infusion of Young Blood
in the Stock-The Successful Feeder
is the Liberal Feeder-Potatoes Not
Good Feed for Stock-Farm Notes.


Good Feed for Stock-Farm Notes.
The fact that the growing of onions
requires very rich soil, thorough cul-
tivation and a heavy expense for seed
when the sets are used, deters many
from making them a special crop, but
within the past three years a new sys-
tenn has been tried which promises to
revolutionize onion growing. The onion
crop is one that demands attention very
early in the spring. The sets are some
times put out on the ground almost be-
fore the winter is over, but as they can
stand certain degree of cold it is sell
dom that early planting results in loss.
In Connecticut the large red Wethers-
field is grown, being produced from
seed, but in Pennsylvania the seed is
used to produce "sets," which are
planted the following year to produce
onions, method which really requires
| two years for the sowing of the seed.
Yellow Danvers variety are mostly pre-
/ ferred. Some growers in this section
use seed for growing a crop in one year,
but market gardeners and those who
grow small patches prefer the sets,
which are surer in producing a crop and
can be more easily cultivated, as much
of the work required must be done by
/ hand.
/ There is really nothing novel in de-
parting from the old system, as it has
been discovered Cbut should have been
| rracticed years ago., that the seed can
| be started early in the hotbed and
/ transplanted in the field as soon as the
season opens-that is, the sets are
grown the same season that they are
! transplanted. OF course, this means
that now is the time to get the hotbed
ready and the seeds sown, so as to have
the sets of suitable size when they are
desired. Thus, by the use of the hot
| bed a great saving of time is made
/ a whole year-which should largely
cheaper the cost and encourage farmers
| O grow more onions, as they bring good
prices during the entire year compared
with some crops.
| On suitable soil, that has been spe-
cially prepared, as many as 600 bushels
| per acre have been grown, and they can
| always be relied upon to produce bet
| ter than potatoes, the expense, how
ever being greater, but the prices OBJ
/ tanned are much higher. When the
crop is short they may sell as high as
| 81 per bushel, and they will keep we'll
during the winter if proper storage ia
| cilities are provided.
| The labor of cultivation being very
expensive, it is important to take ad-
| vantage of labor-saving implements,
the hand weeders, cultivators and har-
vesters now being improved to high
degree of efficiency. The great draw
| back to onion growing is weeds. The
| labor of keeping them down would be
greatly reduced if the ground intended
| for onions is kept clean during the whole
| year, by net allowing grass or weeds
| to secure a stand or produce seed.
| Ground that has produced a crop will
| continue to give good results provided
plenty of manure and fertilizer can be
given, the manure to be fine and well
worked into the soil. Should the onion
maggot put in an appearance it will be
| an advantage to take a new location
| for the next crop. While onions require
much more labor than field crops, yet
| they give better profits for the labor
and they are suitable for those who
have small areas for two or three acres
| of onions may be regarded as quite a
large patch. Considering the low prices
of many articles grown on farms, onions
should prove very remunerative.-
Philadelphia Record.
FARM NOTES.
| During bad weather is a good time to
make rollers, drags, ETC., to have ready
for use when needed.
| Determine now and lay the plans to do
more systematic and intelligent work
than you have ever done before.
Horse breeders need not be alarmed
| by the incoming of electric carriages.
They are not a success and are a very
| expensive luxury. The running of them
will cost much, nor can they be success
| fully used upon roads which are hilly,
muddy, frozen or rough.
| 1t is an old maxim that half the battle
| is putting stock, either young or old,
| into winter quarters in thrifty condition.
| They are then half wintered so far as
the consumption of food goes toward
| bringing such stock through to spring
| in good and profitable shape.
| On low, wet land there is little use at
| tempting sheep, as disease will almost
surely appear and make the venture
improbable. On large ranges of cheap
lands, whether of the prairies of the
West or the hills of the East and South,
| l0ST6 Is uO SlOCh WuICA Will 80 1u1ly
utilize the land.
Keep up the infusion of young blood,
for this will steadily enhance the value
of the flock. Sheep growers will find it
good rule to sell at least ten per cent.
of the oldest sheep every year, and re-
tain the same proportion of the eve
lambs; and be careful lest there be too
much inbreeding.
Without any fear of contradiction,
true economy in feeding lies in the
shortening Of the fattening operations;
in other words, early maturity is the
passport to success. The successful
feeder is the liberal feeder, who feeds for
immediate results. Feed is wasted when
stock is but holding it's own.
1t is always wise to keep some form
of mulch about the roots of bearing
trees rather than let sod form about
them, to choke and rob them Even
cut the weeds about the neighboring
fields and place around their basis. or
give them a share Of the manurs from
the stable.
Scrubbing and whitewashing the
dirty walls of the stable will rob it of
much of that tang and odor so readily
absorbed by the milk Anything which
contributes to the sweetness of the at
rnosphere of the stables adds to the
health and milk productiveness of the
confined animals.
OF all the flowers none will return
greater satisfaction for trouble and ex-
nense than the gladiolus, and yet they