THE CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.
Agriculture—Raising Onions, Page [49]; Royalist 3d, 4500, [49]; Illinois Tile-Makers' Convention, [50-51]; Better Management Needed, [51]; Seed Corn from South, [51]; Field and Furrow Items, [51].
Live Stock—Items, Page [52]; Herd Books and Records, [52]; Competing for Sweepstake Prizes, [52]; Raising Young Mules, [52].
The Dairy—Wisconsin Dairymen, Page [53].
Veterinary—Impaction of the Paunch, Page [53];
Horticulture—Lessons of 1883, Page [54]; Illinois Hort. Society, [54]; Diogenes in His Tub, [54-55]; Possibilities of Cherry Growing, [55]; Prunings, [55].
Floriculture—Gleanings by an Old Florist, Page [55].
Editorial—Items, Page [56]; The Cost of Cold Winds, [56]; Good Work at Washington, [56-57]; Wisconsin Meetings, [57]; Answers to Correspondents, [57]; Wayside Notes, [57]; Letter from Champaign, [57].
Poultry Notes—Chicken Chat, Page [58]; Chicken Houses, [58]; Items, [58].
Forestry—Items, Page [59].
Scientific—Official Weather Wisdom, Page [59]; A Remarkable Electrical Discovery, [59]; Items, [59].
Household—Christian Charity (Poetry), Page [60]; Items, [60]; The Night Cap, [60]; How to Treat a Boy, [60]; Pamphlets, Etc., Received, [60]; Compiled Correspondence, [60].
Young Folks—Jule Fisher's Rescue, Page [61].
Literature—Between the Two Lights, Poem, Page [62]; The Two Overcoats, [62].
Humorous—Bait of the Average Fisherman, Page [63]; Whose Cold Feet, [63]; Changed Relations, [63]; It Makes a Difference, [63]; Items, [63]. Question Answered, [53].
News of the Week—Page [64].
Markets—Page [64].
Raising Onions.
There are two causes of failure to make this crop uncertain. One is because the soil is not kept clear of weeds, and the other is that it is not properly enriched. To raise a good crop of onions requires a light, loamy soil, worked into as fine a condition as possible, to render cultivation easy.
The greater part of the preparation should be done in the fall, and especially the application of the manure. Well rotted manure is the best, and that which is free from grass, oats, or weed seeds, should always be selected. Of course, if the manure is properly rotted the vitality of the larger portion of the seed in it will be killed, but unless this is done it will render the cultivation much more difficult. Stiff, clayey, or hard, poor land can be made a great deal better for the onion crop by a heavy application of ashes or well rotted bagasse. I prefer to apply ashes as a top dressing in the spring, working it in the surface, as I find by experience that they are not only valuable as a fertilizer when used in this way, but are also of great benefit in keeping down the weeds.
A plot of ground that is seeded with crab-grass should not be selected, as the pulling up of the grass injures the growth of the onions. Onions feed near the surface; in fact, the larger portion of the bulb grows on top of the soil, and as a natural consequence the plant food should be well worked in the surface. Of course it is too late now to talk about fall preparation. If we want a crop of onions from seed this spring, whatever preparation there is must be done between now and seeding. I should plow or spade up the soil as soon as possible, if there is a thaw out either the last of this or any part of next month.
If you can save up and rot a supply of poultry manure and leaves, you can have the very best manure for a good onion crop.
Another important point in raising a good crop of onions is to have good seed and sow it early. The first favorable time in the spring must be taken advantage of, if you would have the best success with your crop. As good seed is necessary in any crop, so it is with onions. Test your seed before risking your entire crop, as by the time you plant once and fail, and procure seed and plant again, it will be too late to make a good crop. I always take advantage of the first chance in March to sow my onion seed. We usually have a few warm days sometime about the middle of the month when this work can be done. Of course I do not say that this is the case every year. The first favorable opportunity should be taken advantage of, is what I want to impress upon those who expect to make a crop; let this time come when it will, any time early in the spring. If the ground has been plowed or spaded well during the winter, a good harrowing or raking should be given. If you have the poultry manure, now is the best time to apply it, working it on top of the soil with a rake. If you have not the poultry manure and have ashes, give a good strong dressing of ashes, raking evenly over the surface. Mark off in drills twelve inches apart, and not more than one inch deep; lay off the drills as narrow and as straight as possible, and then drill the seed evenly. Try to keep them in a straight row, as it will aid much in the cultivation. Cover lightly, but press the soil firmly upon the seed. They will withstand considerable cold, damp weather before rotting.
Last year I sowed my onion seed on the 23d of March; the next ten days were cold, rainy, dark, dismal days, with two or three freezes. Yet my onions came up all right and made a good crop.
As soon as the shoots make their appearance above the ground a good raking with a fine steel rake can be given. This will give them a good start and destroy the young weeds that will begin to make their appearance at the same time. After the onions start to grow, cultivation is the making of the crop, and the cleaner they are kept and the oftener the surface is stirred the better will be the crop.
As to varieties, the old Red Wethersfield and the Danvers Yellow are my favorites. The Yellow Strasburg is a good yellow variety, and there are quite a number of others that are good. In cultivating I keep the surface level, as they do better if kept in this way than if they are hilled up. Thin out so that the plants do not crowd each other—they should stand two or three inches apart—if you want large onions at maturity.
N. J. Shepherd.
Miller Co., Mo.
Royalist 3d, 4500.
Royalist 3rd 4500
Elmwood Stock Farm
PROPERTY OF COL. C. F. MILLS, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.
The bull Royalist 3d, 4500, here portrayed, stands at the head of the superb Jersey herd owned by Col. Charles F. Mills, Springfield, Illinois. He was bred by Mr. Samuel Stratton; dropped December 13, 1878; got by imp. Royalist 2906; dam imp. Nelly 6456. Royalist 2906 received the first prize over all Jersey in 1877; first prize and silver cup at St. Saviour's Show in 1877; first prize at the great St. Louis Fair as a three-year-old, and grand sweepstakes at St. Louis Fair in 1879 as the best Jersey bull of any age. Her sire, Duke (76), won first prize over the Island, Herd Book Parochial prize, and first Herd Book prize at Royal Jersey Show in 1875. Merry Boy (61), I. H. B., grandsire of Royalist 2906, won first prize at St. Mary's Show in 1874. Stockwell II (24), I. H. B., great-great-grandsire of Royalist 2906, won third prize over the Island and second Herd Book prize at the Royal Jersey Show, 1871; the bronze medal at the Channel Island Exhibition in 1871, and third prize at the Royal Jersey Show in 1872.
Nelly, the dam of Royalist 3d, 4500, has produced 21 pounds of butter in seven days since importation, and Mr. Stratton is authority for the statement that she received the special prize at the Farmers' Club, Island of Jersey, for the best butter cow, having made 16 pounds Jersey weight of 18 ounces to the pound, or 18 avoirdupois pounds, in seven days. Her sire, Lemon (170), is the grandsire of Mr. C. Easthope's celebrated Nancy Lee 7618 (test 95 lbs. 3½ oz. unsalted butter in 31 days), and Daisy of St. Peters 18175 (test 20 lbs. 5½ oz. unsalted butter in seven days).
Taking all things into consideration, we doubt if there is a better Jersey bull in the world than Royalist 3d. Certainly he has no superior in this country. Mr. Mills' Jersey herd is a model in all respects, and the popular chief clerk in the State Agricultural rooms may well be proud of it.
The Northwestern Importers' and Breeders' Association, Minneapolis, Minn., have bought $20,000 worth of Fresian stock of the Unadilla Company, West Edmeston, N. Y.
