The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-28
Growing Onions South.

To the Editor: Years ago it was
thought that onions could not be grown
from the seed in the South in the season,
as they are grown in the north, and it was
the general practice to depend on sets
purchased from the north for growing
the crop. 1t is now known that fully as
good crops of onions may be grown in the
season in the south as in the north, and
that the use f sets is only necessary for
fall planting to grow early grown onions
for punching.
The difficulty formerly encountered in
the growing of onions in the south came
from too close following of the directions
of northern writer's OH gardening and ig
roring the fact that the onion neefs
cool weather for its development. Seed
sown in the south at the time recon-
mended by the northern writer's viii make
sets, but not good onions, since the plants
ere overtaken by the hot weather and
ripen up before fully grown.
VARIETIES OF ONIONS.
In the growing of onions We must also
understand the differences between the
various classes of onions grown. The
Spanish and Italian varieties have been
developed in warm climates and will grow
to larger size in the south than others
developed in colder climates. The only
difficulty with these is that they must
be disposed of early in the summer as
they are all poor keepers. A difference,
too, should be made in the manner Of
growing them. Some years ago a northern
garden writer advocated what he called
the new onion culture. This is simply
the sowing of the seed IN winter under
glass and transplanting early in che
spring in the permanent location. FIX
periments have shown that while this
method is well suited to the Spanish and
Italian varieties, it makes little differ
cnie with the American sorts that are
grown so largely for market. The prlZe-
taker a large yellow Spanish onion, ste
ceeds best by the transplanting method.
Here we SOW the seed in a cold frame
protected by glass sashes IN early Janu-
airy. By carefully hardening off the
plants and gradually exposing them 10
the air, they can be set in the open
ground the latter part of February. The
bed is carefully prepared in the fall ana
well manured with stable manure, to
which is added at the rate of a ton per
acre. a mixture of 900 pounds of acid
phosphate, 700 pounds of dried blood and
400 pounds of muriate of potash This
| is we'll mixed with the soil early in Sep
tember and the first of October the bed
| IS planted to lettuce. 1t is necessary to
apply the fertilizers with SO large a per-
centage of potash in it nearly a month
| before planting, so that the caustic nature
of the potash may not injure the roots
of the lettuce The lettuce is cut and
sold by the first week in January, and
the frame is then used for the onion
seed without any further fertilization.
The land into which the plants are to
be set should be plowed we'll in the fall
and will be all the better if of a sandy
loan character. In February it is re
plowea and put in fine order. If the
crop is grown on a large scale the rows
should be wide enough for horse culture
say two and a half feet. Run out fur
rows and apply in them 1000 pounds per
acre of the same fertilizer mixture ad-
vised for the lettuce Turn two burrows
over the first one, making a ridge. Roll
tins down nearly level and set the plants
three inches apart IN the row, only fairly
covering the roots and bulk, so that the
onion, when formed, will be on the gen
eral surface OF the soil. In this way the
prize-ta ker onion can be grown as large
as the imported ones found in crates in
the stores. OF course the cleanest o.
culture must be adopted and tire earth
pulled away from the bulbs as they en-
large so that the bulb forms on top OF
the ground. An onion entirely in the