The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-11-04
PRODUCING ONIONS IN STATE.
Cultural Methods and Other Timely
!niOrmatiOE-Statc Should Raise
More Onions

this Sttac every year from Southern
and Northern points when, accord
ing TO c. c. Newman. professor OF
horticulture at Clemson College, they
can be grown to perfection in South
Carolina. The high price of onions
in recent years has stimulated a
strong interest in the growing of
this crop. one of the most important
truck crops, and it would be well at
this time for all South Carolina
farmers who are in position to do
humble but useful cousin of the lily.
Professor Newman has prepared
in simple form information which
farmers need to have for onion
culture. This is printed in circular
form by the extension division Of
Clemson College and may be had
upon application. Some of the advice
it contains is printed below.
Onions thrive best on a very fer
tile sandy loan soil. On clayed soil
they will grow fairly we'll but they
are much more difficult to cultivate
and the yield is never so great. In
selecting land for onions, take care
not to select a field previously grown
in grain, as the grain will volunteer
and cause considerable trouble, COM
4 In, ,hn hn \, ,nt
The fall onion seed Gorminate.
PlDw soil for onions to a depth
Of s to 10 inches, subsoil if possible,
and harrow repeatedly until per-
feet seed-bed has been formed. The
onion, which is n gross feeder, re-
quires very fertile land and heavy
/ applications of fertilizer and manure.
if the best results are to be obtained.
After the land has been thoroughly
ploWed, apply Well-dccOmpOsed
manure ut the rate of 20 to 40 tons
per acre. Thoroughly incorporate
manure with the soil by repeated
use of disc harrow. Next apply and
incorporate commercial fertilizer
with the first few inches Of soil with
Il spile-tooth harrow or Acme 'har-
row. These implements leave the
land in very good condition for re-
ceiving onion seeds or sets. A 10
5-5 fertilizer is advised for onions,
to be applied at the rate Of 1900 to
1000 pounds to the acre.
The cheapest way to grow onions
on large scale is from seed. In
the South onion seeds may be plant
cd either during October or in
spring. Best results are usually OBJ
tanned from fall sowings. The seed
lings. however, must become we'll cs-
tablished before very cold weather. If
the tops are injured by cold it will not
seriously injure the bulbs, as growth
Will begin anew as soon as weather is
, favorable. Onion rows are laid off ! =
to i inches apart and seed planted
IN the drill with an ordinary Sc cd
planter. Use from to 5 pounds of
seed per acre, according to width of
rows. In spring, when onions are
/ large enough to handle, thin out to 3
to 4 inches in the row and use thin
nings to fiji any vacancies that may
have occurred in row
As soon rs onions are 3 to inches
high, cultivate with an ordinary
wheel hoe. 1t is very necessary to
continue this cultivation, especially
after every rain, until the onions be-
Gin TO bulb. Infestations of grass or
weeds will be very expensive to Grad
icatc. Therefore it is necessary to
destroy these enemies as soon as they
appear.
Onions are grown extensively in
/ the South from sets or small onions.
which may be planted any time in
October ana November. The rows
are laid off as for the onion seeds
and the sets placed > or inches
/ apart in the row and not more than
one inch deep. 1t is much more
expensive to grow onions from sct,
than from seeds. Yet when onions;
! are SroWn on small scale and by one
| Who is without experience, growing
them from sets Will probably prove
more satisfactory.
The best varieties Of onions 10
crow in the South for commercial
pm! poses ar" White Pearl and Prize
TaEcr. For further information
Iahout onion culture write to Glenn
son College.
| HOUSE AND SENATE MEET.