SOWING ONION SEED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1705, 24 March 1913, Page 10

SOWING ONION SEED.

.WHAT IS THE BEST SEASON f . . Discussing the question of the best time to sow onion seed, Mr. W. H. Taylor lias, tho following noto in the Journal of the Department of Agriculture:— "There is much diversity of opinion as-to ,tho best time to sow onion seca, but I am. bold enough to say it is only anions men of little experience that such diversity exists. Men who,., have bein long at the game,, or who have had tho advantage of a good training, work on definite fixed rules. Giant Kocca and all similar large-growing varieties must bo Bown.iu autumn, or they will not attain large size, nud they are not worth, growing unleiß they do that. Regarding keeping varieties, spring sowing would be always best,but for the fact that in many places mildew is-vary destructive,, and when that disease attacks them they seldom ripen oft properly, or if they do they are. likely to be'small. Experienced men who are working in those circumstances know which, guide tlicir action: First, it does not pay 'to handle a largo number of small onions; secondly, autumn-sown onions almost never keep 60 long as spring-sown. They compromise by sowing at both times. Autumn sowing provides good-sized bulbs for early handling, and spring sowing smaller ones that' keep longer. The reason why those;sown in autumn are not injured by mildew is because the disease does not make its appearance till about February, and they have nearly finished growth, by then. Being earlier than those sown in spring, they ripen early in March instead, of late in the month.' : "An .important fact that must not be forgotten is that all autumn-sown onions must bo transplanted in spring, or a large number will run to seed. Keeping varieties show very little tendency to bolt when they have been transplanted. "Regarding silver-skinned, my exnerienco has. been that they seldom keep . long, though I liave seen' Silver King and Silver Cllove'keep, well, t but they came from a favoured place. "I have had considerable trouble with English', seed,"a' very large proportion -comimr -bull-necked. Australian seed is best for this country."