The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-01-08
Onion Growing in tho South.

Th" onion is Il vegetable that should
be grown ins the South. not only for
home consumption, but to ship to
Northern markets. From the phenom-
enal success of a few who are max
ing speciality Of this crop, 1t seems
that others could engage in its cult
yation to great advantage, when IT
would finally become quite CONNER
cial crop. Onions are yearly shipped
from the North to Southern States. 10
furnish our people with this succulcnt
vegetable. What we need in the South
is more crops that somebody else
wants: We at least ought to be able
to supply our own market. We have
the soil, the climate and the labor. We
should grow such crops that help in
the aggregate TO increase the products
of our Southern farms.
There are three methods Of growing
onions which we will describe. First
with sets, second by sowing the seed
in the fall and transplanting early in
the spring, and third by sowing the
seed in open ground in the spring rs
soon as the weather will permit.
Onions from sets are grown mostly for
punching. and sold green to supply
our spring market: they are not suit
able for ripe dry onions. as they will
not keep. although We have kept the
Pearl variety through the summer for
home use. Sets can be grown in the
South as well as the North. and are
much preferred: the seed should be
sown on very thin soil too poor to
produce weeds. and sown very thick
in the row, so as to produce very
small bulbs: they ought not 10 be much
larger than pea. Seed sown In
March or April. the sets will be ready
to pull in July. when they can be dried
and laid by to plant in the fall for
your spring crop Of bunch or green
onions. It would be we'll to apply
dressing Of the chemical fertilizers to
the soll devoted 10 growing sets ap-
plying at the rate of 400 pounds per
acre. and this should be applied some
time before sowing the seed: this gives
the fertilizers a chance to become as
simulated with the soil.
Another good method that Is prac'
ticed by some is 10 SOW the seed in
shallow boxes in the hot house, then
transfer them to cold frames later,
then transplant to open ground In the
spring as soon as The weather will per-
NIT. There is some work attached to
this method, and the work should be
well done but no more than planting
the sets and is less costly if you have
10 buy yo;f: sets. BY following this
method you can produce onions that
will grow TO large size. and ripen suit
able TO supply home markets, or ship
10 more distant sections.
.Anothes. method is to SOW the seed
in February or early in March in opel
ground where you expect to mature
the crop. but this method requires
high culture and well prepared soil,
and in fact either method requires this,
but the latter method must not want
for any condition that is required to
force an early growth and grow the
crop to maturity. A clay loan Of
mucky soil is suitable for onions: in
preparing the soil 1t should be plowed
deep and fine, so as to leave no Jumps,
finishing with heavy roller to firm
the soil; as onions form bulbs on the
surface. only the roots penetrate the
soil. This ruIc applies whether you
follow either method.
Onions are planted in rows from
twelve to fourteen inches and about
four inches in the row in garden cul-
ture, whether you plant sets or SOW
the seed and thin to Il stand. On an
extensive scale it might be we'll to
widen the rows to admit of horse cul-
ture. but with the improved imple-
menis for hard work. It's crop with
high fertilizing will pay for close plant
ing and hand culture Some growers
lay off their land slightly ridged. but
We prefer 10 plant on level. but are
careful to firm the soil wei! before
planting.