The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-21
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
ONION CULTURE.
How and When to Plant--The Profits o.
the Cron

VIC SlOBs
In the hands Of the skilful Acadlun gar
deners OF Bayou Lnfourchc. assisted by the
soil aud climate, an evolution OF the on ON
has for many years been going on. re-
sulting In a clearly distinct variety. This
variety is now known far and wide as the
Creole onion" II is Of finer aud tlrmcr
texture, and weighs heavier thnn other
varieties. 1t Is a better keeper, and will
therefore fetch better price with the
dealer who knows It than any other kind.
1t is also less affected by damp or wet
weather than any other. During forty
years the writer has been experimenting
with and growing the various varieties as
they were hernldcd Into public fame. The
III PasO onion Is an admirable variety
when grown In a region where there Is no
summer rainfall. but in the climate of
South Texas, where rain IS apt TO come
sometimes when least expected, the I'll
Paso onion Will, when affected by heat,
combined with such sudden rainfall, I'M
mediatcly commence to decay. The same
may be said, 10 less degree, of the Der
muda varieties The seed Of all Northern
or Eastern varieties has atcndeucy Ia South
Texas to produce only sticks auu scullions.
1t becomes therefore matter OF the ut
Tor prout to get the variety that VIII make
good shapely fruit, and after making, Wlll
keep well on the hands of the dealer me
Creole onion. three Inches In diameter
easily weighs half pound. II Is ABOUT the
shape of the red Wethershcld, and the
color Of the priZe-taker and Strashurg pos
sibly u little browner one year We put
some In the stable loft in June, and they
remained there In perfect condition until
November The surplus crop of Bayou
Lafourche and, In fact OF the lower por-
Hf hp a IN nf I rri dam "a
shipped to st. Louis and Chicago, aud there
| distributed. 1t arrives In those markets
! at moment when the dealers are almost
! entirely sold out of other kinds, or other
! kinds have become too soft to sell. 1t Is
! therefore easy to understand that Southern
IeXas offers "a grand field IN which TO grow
this variety With success, and the market
Tor the same would he New York for the
/ coast country, and any city In the Uu.tcd
! States for the rest Of the state, for what
/ Is true OF Chicago and st. Louis is equally
SO Of any of the other large distributing
centers. In fact wherever Texas water
! melons have gone they are leading the way
! tor Texas onions. The best time for
/ sowing the seed Is about the first of Dcto-
| her, ground having previously been well
/ prepared. Ground which has been tu cow
| peas cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes or mel.
| ous Is good for onions and the refuse of
/ the CoWpen spread over before plowlnS
| and narrowing. is an admirable addition
! to It. The seed before being committed to
/ the ground and In fact before purchasing,
/ grains in wet cotton, and see what proper
ton terminates. for onion seed Is easily
odultcratcd with the previous years crop,
/ and difficult to be told apart except 10y
! termination My experience Is that seed
! Of the previous year Is Of no value what
ever. If the seed terminates well. two
pounds VIII SOW an acre It should be
drilled ana rolled. otherwise the seed may
| not germlnntc readily. After drilling ana
/ rolling n thin covering Of the waste and
rotting hay from the hay stacks should
oil aaHlFa f.p . Inn
1 1t * not convenient to drill aud roll
the seed It may be put III by hand, aud
after covering up, should be pattcd down
rampcd down with the feet. The rows
may be laid twenty inches TO two feet
apart. The entire culture Is Of the sim
hoeing and cultivatlug. either by hand or
machine, or both, II Is important to keep
the ground loose and loamy on the ap.
proach OF cold weather It is of value to
roll the youug tops down; doing this re-
duces the quantity of watery juice In the
tops, and causes greater deposit IN the
bulbs 1t also act: as preventive Of
be allowed to grow entirely on the top
of the ground. If II is incloscd by hard
earth II Is more apt 10 run up to sticks
and solutions On OF about the first Of
February, If circumstances permit, top
dressing. after hocHg. OF 2OO pounds of
fine bone meal and 80 pounds of salt may
he hroadCaStcd over each acre II Is
well known that pinch Of salt dropped in
a cabbage when In soft head viii Increase
the size and hardness Of the head ne matu-
rity, therefore little salt possibly aids
tho digestion OF the cabbage plant and like
wise Of the onion plant in soft growth
Possibly also the salt helps TO set free the
ammonia and phosphntcs % the bone meal
and possibly also the salt attracts to II
food from the atmosphere; he this as il
may the use Of It, as ! have Described,
viii Increase the Size and weight Of tho
crop, The value of crop Of onions rests
in trying 10 make every onion weigh half
Il pound by average: II this Is done thorc
/ VIII he gathered FROM on acre 200 hush
cls. worth In New York. Chicago st. Louis.
indianapolis ClUcmWti or other large dis
tribut're points, $3.50 ON the first Of June.
At that date the only other comnetitor Of
the new crop IS the imported Bermuda
which is very insignncant In comparison
with tho demands of 500 0,O0O Of pcoplc.
For the bcneht Of the many thousand
rcndcrs who arc looking this way for some
thing there Is good money in | will state
the cost Of growing nll such crops rs cob
haec, onions, potatoes and tomatoes may
he roughly estimated at / cent per pound
This includes the rent or cost Of the land
n bushcl Of onions weigh hftv-six pound. .
The seasons OF growth Of this valuable
esculent being from late fall to carly
spring no question Of drouth or insects
affecting the plants has as vet ever
arisen. a. Whltnker
Houston, Texas.