46 THE NEW ONION CULTURE 



grocers ask five or more cents a pound for the imported 

 Spanish bulb. I can see no reason why we cannot 

 meet the demand for a sweet onion at this time, or 

 at any other, with our domestic bulbs, which are at 

 least as good in every way as, and possibly better in 

 some respects than, the foreign importation. If it is 

 only a foolish notion that got into the handlers or 

 consumers of sweet onions that makes them consider 

 the imported Spanish article superior to our own 

 production, it only remains for us to teach them better 

 things and the truth in the matter. 



The stores in my own vicinity sell very few im- 

 ported Spanish bulbs after I begin to supply home 

 grown Gibraltars and Prizetakers to them and to 

 consumers. Whoever once buys and tries our own, 

 becomes at once a convert to the principle of patron- 

 izing the home trade, not for sentimental or patriotic 

 reasons, but for the sake of the better product and the 

 better bargain, and for the recognized superiority of 

 the home-grown bulbs. People who have proper onion 

 storage facilities will find no difficulty in keeping the 

 Prizetaker sound and perfect until spring, and in find- 

 ing quick sale for it at a good price. A few fine spec- 

 imens for home use may be kept for a long period in 

 perfect condition by being tied and hung up in a 

 frost-proof garret, as shown in Fig 37. 



Years ago I hit upon the plan of crating up the 

 choicest bulbs in the same way as the imported article, 

 thus competing with the foreign product in our city 

 and town markets. This is now proving quite a profit- 

 able method of marketing the bulbs of the crop. 

 The crate shown in Fig 38 is similar to the one in 

 which the imported Spanish onions are put up. End 

 and middle pieces are seven inches wide and nineteen 

 and one-half inches long. The slats which form the 

 sides, as shown, are nineteen and one-half inches long 



