The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-17
Onion Growing.

i Tor early spring use Is becoming quite common. In order to succeed in fall planting the grower should be fully ac- auainted with the variety planted or that he wishes to plant.
 There are several types of the onion family, and these are divided into quite a number of varieties. Some of these are perfectly hardy and will pass through our winters even In our northern states with perfect safety Other varieties are more tender and will need some protec- ton against our winter. even in this sec tion. The old shallot onion almost every one Is familiar with, as 1t is found in nearly all gardens and is grown more for greens, to be pulled up and roots and tops both used either cooked or green. This variety Is perfectly hardy. Another variety of the shallot is what we call Egyptian Perennial Tree onion. This is a somewhat longer and better onion than the old small multiplying onion. They may be grown either by taking up the roots. dividing and resetting them, or better still will it be, to plant the top button which this onion produces on the top. This class of onions are easily grown and a few of them should have a space in every family garden. Beds may be prepared by making them rich, in some out of the way corner. When a bed Is once established it will last for years. though it would be advisable to renew or plant new beds every few years.
 Of late. this class of onions have proven to be very profitable when grown for market and the past spring as much as S200 per acre was realized on growing this onion for the Birmingham market.
 One of the great advantages of growing this onion for market Is that they can 1 be sold early and the land cleaned for other early crops. We have in this shal- lot family of onions both white and red there being very little difference ex- cept that the white may be some larger Land for these should be made rich, the same as for other onions, which I will explain later on, and the sets planted from the middle of August to the middle of September. Where they are to be grown on a large scale for market, the cheaper plan will be to plant in rows thirty Inches apart and cultivate with horse hoe. Where only small plots are to be planted and where the soil is smooth and fine, and where the grower is skilled in the use of a good wheel hoe, they may be planted in rows eighteen inches and cultivated by hand. Where grown for market, it will be best to plant every fall pull up and sell the entire crop so as to get double use of the land. But small family garden plots may be left for several years. The success of those who grew this onion for market last season is such as to cause a great deal of inquiry for them. and many more will be planted this fall These sets should be planted deeper in the fall than sets in the spring. and the soil should have perfect drainage.
 Another class of onions called Potato Nest-egg, or multiplyers, Is also a valu- able onion, but these are not quite so hardy as the shallots. These are grown by planting a small onion set around which great cluster of small bulbs are formed. This onion generally is mild and makes a fine table sort We have in this, too both white and red, though the red is becoming quite scarce and hard to secure. These, too, may be planted in the fall, though during our severest winters may need some cov- ering as protection.
 Another very valuable variety of on- ion Is that commonly called Top But ton onion. These do not make seed, but instead small sets or what is commonly called buttons. are formed in clusters on the tops of the stems. This valuable variety has been neglected until 1t is almost impossible now to secure A SUD- ply. These small buttons may be planted in this section either in the fall or spring and unlike the shalots, they produce large fine bulbs, fully as large as those l grown from seed. and these keep re- markedly well. This variety, too may require some protection during our more severe winters. The bulb of this onion l Is planted in early spring for producing sets; these sets are generally ripe by the middle of July. owing of course to sec- tion and when planted They may be gathered ready for planting either the following fall or spring. This variety reverses itself, the large bulb making the 1 set and the set producing the next sea- son the large onion.
 The large. fancy onions we see on our markets are Bermuda onions impas ged | into the United States from the Bermu- das where they are grown from seed obtained annually from Southern Flu rope. This Is a superior, mild favored variety and most always commands good prices. So far. l have seen no efforts in this country to grow this variety that has proven satisfactory. However I see no reason why this onion should not be grown in some of our southern states Perhaps the trouble has been in secur- ing the right kind of seed. We have. however. several varieties of onions sim liar to the Bermuda which can be grown In many sections with success and profit.
 Seed Onions.
 These are biennial and are grown by
  pared land at the rate of sixty pounds per acre. These produce what we call bottom sets. These are allowed to grow until they average about the size of small marbles, when they are harvested and dried for replanting to finish their growth into large onions. In many of the northern states the seed are sown thin at the rate of three to four pounds per acre. and the large onion produced | from the seed the first year But, so 1 far in the south. it has been found more profitable to plant the small sets rather than the seed, for 1t requires very fine rich soil to produce in one season large onions from the seed. Our gardeners generally prefer the bottom sets for growing their crop of onions and it is now hard to find a truck farmer in any section of our country who does not plant crop of bottom sets each spring and many are now beginning the practice of planting a part of their crop in the fall
 Some of our truck farmers here. also. SOW seed in the fall and have seen several experiments of growing onions from seed, sown here. that have proven entirely successful. But. to succeed in growing onions from seed every condition must be exactly right or failure will be the result. I would not recommend ex- tensive experiments in growing from seed. especially in the spring. But, if seed are sown in the fall they would get start of the weeds and mature early in the spring. I think. however, that onions could be very proftably grown here from the small seed by the system of transplanting.
 The New Onion Culture.
 No recent method of truck farming