MANURING ONIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20649, 22 August 1930, Page 18

MANURING ONIONS.

SUITABLE FERTILISERS. A writer in the Fertiliser Journal s;^ys: —"It floes nut pay to Ik: niggardly with fertilisers used for onions. A slight increase in the size of each bulb makes a material difference to the crop and, ns the onion is u vegetable which responds admirably to suitable feeding, it always pays to go to scuuo trouble to sjipply the best fertilisers. • " If the soil has been heavily manured for a previous crop, a dressing of lime will usually be of the greatest benefit to tlio soil when this is being prepared I,and which has not been heavily manured previously should receive a good dressing ol farmyard manure whenever it is procur able. For light soils, cow manure will answei best while for soils of n heavier nature, horse manure will prove most suitable In addition to the cow or horse manure, a dressing of a mixture of hone meal and soot will prove very beneficial; or, in place of this, six pounds of stipe'' phosphate and half that quantify of kainit may bo mixed with a peck of soot and applied to each square rod of land. If tho soil is very light, a dressing during the curly stages of growth of agricul tural salt at tho rate of one ounce per square yard, will usually Ixs found to do a great deal of good. Sulphate of ammonia is a useful fer tiliser for the onion crop while the onion.* ai-o quite young. It should bo used at the rato ol one pound per rod. Another useful fertiliser to use in conjunction with this, and at about double the amount or a little more, is steamed hone (lour. In addition, sulphate of potash may also he used with advantage at tiie rate of one pound per rod.