The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-19

casting about for the selection of a sta
pie which will be, at the same time,
perfectly reliable in its production and
certain in it's profits, there is no dan
ger of a mistake if he turns to onions,
says a writer in Field and Home. And
of onions there is no question that the
Bermuda is the best, both in yield and
in price. The Bermuda is not a SUI
perior shipping kind, but it comes into
the home market later than the onions
shipped from the West, and finds the
market bare and prices high. 1t is such
A sweet and crisp vegetable that it
holds the highest rank at all times.
The Bermuda onion is par excellence
suited to fall planting in Florida, and
its yield is second TO none. 1t may
be sown in either Septembr. October
or November with surety of a good
yield if it receives the proper atten-
ton after being put in the right kind
of ground. The most important point
is to get good seed. 1t is we'll known
that old onion seeds are utterly value
less. They simply will not sprout, and
those who use them lose their labor and
preparation, as well as have their hopes
disappointed. 1t is the habit of some
dealers to mix in with the new seed a
small proportion of the old, and it often
goes undetected. To avoid this, buy
only of dealers who are superior to
such sharp practices.
The cultivation of onions is simple.
The ground should be prepared care
fully, plowed not too deep, being pre-
viously heavily fortified with barn
yard manure 1t should be free of
grass, roots and weed seeds, and made
as smooth and even as a garden bed.
The ground may be rolled to advantage
to give a firm moisture surface, and it
is better in the planting and cultivation
to use hand implements. Lay off the
rows straight, eighteen to twenty inches
apart, and drill the seed scatteringly
in the row. The Bermuda is fiat and
wide, and requires more room in the
row than the average variety.
When the plants have come up,
spread or sieve wood ashes over them
thinly once or twice as a measure of
precautiOn against insects. Tarly
paintings should have this done twice.
If the ground is not naturally moist it
should be irrigated or sprinkled to Sc
cure the best results. 1t is surprising
how much good is done by a sprinkling
just before nightfall. which leaves the
surface moist over night. The onion
is essentially a surface feeder, and
should be cultivated accordingly. Keep
entirely free of weeds and grass, using
the hands when necessary. Nothing
pays better than little pains, because
grass or weeds it gets the worst of it.
If there is a good local demand, a
portion of the onions may be gathered
as soon as they are large enough, be-
ginning when they are an inch in
width, and they are always gratefully
received by the housekeepers. When
they are too thick in the rows, they
must be thinned by taking out the
larger ones for market, giving the
smaller ones a chance to grow to per-
lection. There are two varieties of the
Bermuda, red and white. There is no
apparent difference in yield or quality,
but the white is the favorite for the
kitchen in a small degree.
There is no better investment on a
farm than a little onion patch. Cow
penned ground is the best, and no crop
can be grown which will pay more
money for the labor and pains involved.
Onions are as good as cash anywhere
in Florida, and the winter tourists are
noted for their fonduess for them. The
tourists and the onions should arrive
above the same time-the market COM
ing to the onion. And it is by atten-
ton to such pertinent and favoring
facts as this that money is made in
Florida farming.