The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-24
WITH THE FARMERS
BY Prof w. F, MASSEY


| has long been an opinion in the South
I that wo cannot grow onions in our
I climate directly from the seed tile
! same season This is an error, for
/ / have grown nearly all the varieties
/ listed from seed the same season. but
as sets arc important for fall plant
| ing, will take up first
Growing Onion Sets.
! Many sets on the market are pro-
/ found that Western grown sets do not
! answer for Eastern planting, and il is
/ important to use Eastcrn-grown sets.
/ TO produce these, | SOW seed of the
Norfolk Queen or Pearl In April. The
/ seed are sown very thickly in rows,
using fully sixty pounds of seed an
/ acre, and the sowing is done in soil OF
fair fertility. but without any ferti-
I liHation, as we want sets about the
! size Of marble These arc lifted when
the tops turn yellow and are cured
with the tops on, and these are not re-
moved til we want to plant the scts.
For growing the carly green onion
crop, | plant the sets in September.
in rows fifteen Inches apart. and when
+ the weather gets cold throw small
furrow 10 each side as n winter pro-
lection and to DO pulled away early
i i'm spring. ~ same time I plant sets
OF tile yellow Potato onion, which
makes no seed, but increases by Off
sets at the root. These offsets can be
pulled in spring and used for green
onions. while the main bulb can be
lot 10 ripcn. AMI being - very early
onion they generally soil we'll before
tho Northern seed grown crop Is on
! the market.
Growing Onions Directly From Seed.
For tho general crop Of ripe onions
for Keeping II is always best to grow
them directly from tho seed The
I trans planting method IS well suited to
! the Spanish and Italian onions. but
these onions must be used o. sold carly.
as they are not good Keepers The
New England varieties are tho ones to
grow from seed, and they do not re-
spond TO the transplautinE method as
7 the Spanish and Italian varieties. but
are the best keepers. TO grow onions
/ the came season from seed tho sowing
must bo done as early In spring as the
soil can be worked In good condition,
/ in February or March The best va
/ ricties to use are the Southport Vel
low or White Globe, and tho yellow
Globe Dauv.rs. Tho soil should have
/ a very heavy application ~ the for
tilizer named above, and the seed drill
/ cd with Il garden drill ia rows iiftcon
inches apart Even when grown on
- large scale it does not pay 10 plant
onions wide enough for horse Guilt
i walton. The cultivation must TO iono
( with hand wheel cuitjvators, and a
great deal Of hand work In tho rows,
- necessary TO keep them clean OF
grass and weeds Thc plants arc
thinncd to three inches apart in tho
rows, and the cultivation must be OF
tho cleancst. When the tops begin TO
ian, tho onions are pulled and let lie
ia the sun during Il day. and then.
with the tops still on. should be spread
out In "A hot place. under cover. to cure.
hos ,a.s~ "A 0
should be stored In cool. dark place.
such as an outbuilding. Some free2
Ing in the winter does no harm ana
leaving the dry tops on makes them
lie more loosely and keep better. ana
never remove the tops till wanted
Tor use or sale. Now. think tina;
have gone over the onion subject
completely, and those who are in
tercsted can preserve this sheet for
reference. In regard to the fertilizer.
/ would add mat Will. have generally
used the formula stated, have found
that on a sandy soil a mixture analyz-
ing per cent ammonia, per cent
phosphoric acid and 10 per cen, potash
has given excellent result.
Comparative Results From Fertilizers
one of tho German stations has made
some comparisons between bone anJ
acid phosphate and Thomas phosphat.
as carriers OF phosphorus ana taking
the action Of phosphoric acid in acid
phosphate ms 100. the bone meal was
10 10 % and the Thomas phosphate 90.
This was on soil needing limo. which
the Thomas phosphate carries, aud the
conclusion was that. With such a low
efficiency, bone meal is a very eXpcn-
sive fertilizer. The results arc Very
similar 10 those had in this country.
as II has been shown that acid phos-
phate gives more quick results than
either Thomas phosphate or tho hone
meal. But a : the constant use OF acid
phosphate tends TO rob tho soil Of
limo carbonate, and thus render II acid
the Thomas phosphate supplies limo
and keeps the soil sweet