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

ground will not attain the size of one
sitting on the surface.
AS l have said, this crop needs t
be disposed of early, as this variety will
not keep well. But coming into market
at a time when ripe onions are scarce,
they usually bring a fancy price. In
fact, the imported Spanish grown ones re-
tail at the stores for five cents each, and
fully as large ones can be grown here n
suitable soil and with culture.
For an onion crop to cure and keep.
we must adopt a different method.
would premise that the onion is different
from many other crops in the fact thai
it likes to be kept on the same land year
after year, and no matter how we'll the
soil is prepared or how highly fortified,
the first crop grown on 1t will not be as
large as subsequent crops on the same
land if the fertilization is kept up annu-
ally, and a crop of cow-peas Is grown on
the land after the onions are off and
Turned nuder in the late fall. By fol
lowing this plan, and with liberal use of
fertilizers, the onion crop will increase
ill amount year after year.
THE IMPORTANT POINTS.
The important points to be observed
are early sowing and the use of the
right varieties. Onions like light sandy
soil, and such a soil in the south can be
worked at any time in winter. In the
first place see to the seed. Get seed from
a reliable dealer and be sure that 1t is
fresh, for onion seed lose their vitality
very rapidly after they are a year Old.
Prepare the land as advised for the trans
planted onions and make the rows In the
same way and use the same amount CT
fertilizer. The seed can be sown on
the fattened ridges with garden seed
drill. The best of all onions for this
crop we have found, by careful expert
ment with a number Of varieties, Is the
Southport White Globe. A round onion
always measures better and yields heav-
Ter than a fiat one. This variety of on
ions is as round as a baseball and of III
attractive color. az
FERTILIZING.
Sow the seed as early as practible IN
February, so that the crop will have
as long a period of cool weather in which
to make its growth as possible, for when
the great heat of the late June comes
here, they win ripen and stop growing,
hence they must be made before that
same pulling away of the earth as the
bulbs form, as advised for the trans
planted crop, must be used. 1t will be far
better if the. large amount of fertilizer
used be applied several weeks before
planting l have advised dried blood as
source Of ammonia, because if cotton
seed meal be used the amount must be
increased to get the large percentage
of ammonia needed and the cottonseed
meal has a dangerous fashion OF causing
mould growth that destroys seeds and
plants in contact with 1t. l once los(
nearly my entire crop Of frame lettuce
from using cottonseed meal heavily. IT
made a fungus that caused the plants TO
rot off at the surface. Dried blood Is
better and has higher percentage OF
ammonia. During the growth OF the crop.
an application of nitrate OF soda along
side the rows viii help greatly, for the
manurial needs of the onion crop are
mainly for nitrogen and potash.
Now a word as to curing and keenirG
onions. Pull them when the ttops turn vel
low and let them lie a day or so IN tAe
sun, but not in any rain, put into the
warmest place at hand. Upon the ROOT
Of barn is good place to cure therh.
Keep the tops on and never remove
them till you are going to sell or use
them, as they keep better with the tops
or. When perfectly dry remove them TO
cool place and spread them out.
little freezing in winter will do less harm
than a warm place to keep them after
| curing. 1 have kept them on barn
| floor all winter For a yellow onion,
use the New Opal, which is one OF the
best keepers For a red onion, the
Wethersfield red is as good as any.
w. F. MASSEY.