Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-04-29
ONION CULTURE.

Onions are rapidly becoming one of
the staple vegetable crops of the
northwest. With the increased de-
mand for this vegetable comes the de-
mand for information as how best
to grow it and so in response to the
demand this circular is issued
Soil: The soil should be rich, deep,
moist and loamy, containing lots of
humus and sand but very little of
clay or substance that will readily
bake. The average rich, basalt, COM
mon on north hill sides, the volcanic
ash of the irrigated valleys, and the
rich, well drained lands of western
| Washington are all well adapted to
this crop. The onion is heavy
feeder and responds readily to fer
tilizers in the form of well rotted
stable, sheep or poultry manure.
The richer the manure the lighter the
application, varying from two tons
of poultry manure per acre, to fifteen
to eighteen tons of well rotted stable
manure per acre.
Preparation of the land: The land
must be thoroughly subdued, deeply
plowed and put in onion bed order
before planting or seeding can take
place. Fall blowing is preferable to
spring blowing as it leaves the soil
in much better moisture condition
than spring blowing.
Methods: There are two methods
of raising onions in use in the state
at the present time. The "old" way,
which consists of sowing the seed in
the field where it is to grow, and the
new culture" which differs mainly
in sowing the seed in the green
house or hot bed a month to six
weeks earlier and transplanting the
small onions later to the field. Each
method has its advantages as well
as disadvantages and while the old
method is very good for most varie-
ties the new method is the only safe
plan to follow for the growing of such
| large, long season varieties as the
| Prize Winner or Silver King.
Old Culture; This method con-
sists of sowing the seed in the field
in drills II to IS inches apart just
as soon as the soil is ready to work.
Too early seeding usually means the
| lowering of the vitality, if not kill
ing the seed entirely, while late
sowing places the seed in dry soil and
does not give it a chance to germi-
nate at once. For the smaller, early
maturing varieties it is probably
| best, but not good for late, large
sorts.
New Culture: From four to six
weeks before time to SOW outside,
the seed is sown in flats, shallow
deep, in a greenhouse or in a hot
bed, given good care until the plants
are the thickness of a wheat straw,
or larger, and then transplanted to
the field in rows IL to IS inches
apart and the plants to inches
apart in the row. This method gives
the onion a splendid early start which
allows long season to develop fine
large bulbs.
Transplanting: Care must be ex-
ercised in transplanting to see that
the soil Is thoroughly soaked before
lifting the tender plants. The roots
should be cut back with knife or
shears to about two inches, and the
tops three to four inches at the time
of transplanting. If set in moist soil
they VIII not need watering, but the
soil must be made firm around the
roots. Various methods are employ
ed by different men in the trans
planting. The more common one,
however, is by means of small iron
dibble. The transplanting is not a
difficult task after the land is care
fully marked.
A box II inches square will grow
ABOUT 900 onions and an acre planted
IN rows 8 inches apart and plants
to . inches apart will require from
70 to S5 thousand plants.
w. S. Thornber.
Dept. of Horticulture, State Col
lege.