25S BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



and freedom from stones; the system of storage houses that 

 has become a necessity to the handling of the crop; nearness 

 to the large market centers; and first-class shipping facilities. 



Without any great fanfare of trumpets, a system of co- 

 operation has grown up here in the onion business, very prac- 

 tical and very successful, which enables the man who owns the 

 land to do a profitable business only limited by the number of 

 acres that he has suitable for onion raising. This is what 

 makes it possible for an honest, industrious man without a cent 

 of capital to go into business for himself and to get a start 

 toward a home. This has happened here in the valley time 

 and time again. 



A farmer may have forty acres of onions being grown by a 

 dozen or more different men, each absolutely independent of 

 the other. By one plan the farmer will furnish the land and 

 the fertilizer, sometimes the team work and one-half the seed; 

 the grower will do all the hand labor, harvesting, etc., and each 

 have one-half of the proceeds. By another plan a farmer may 

 contract with the grower to do the work for a stated sum per 

 acre, and the grower contracts to take care of from two to 

 five acres, according to the size of his family, for in the onion 

 business "every one works, father not excepted." Each plan is 

 in common practice, and there are arguments in favor of both. 



With the "share system" the grower is as much interested 

 in the success of the crop as the owner, and will work as hard 

 to keep the land clean from weeds and do everything in his 

 power to get the crop early, in order to receive the highest 

 price at market time and incidentally to make a reputation 

 for himself as a good grower. A successful grower is in good 

 demand and can get his pick of the onion fields. With the 

 other plan, the grower is sure of his price per acre, as the 

 owner takes all the risk, and of course all the profits if such 

 there be. In either case a contract is drawn up signed by both 

 parties which specifies just what each party agrees to do. This 

 contract gives the owner permission to enter upon the premises 

 at such time or times as he may see fit to inspect the crop of 

 onions, and, if at any time the grower shall fail to perform all 

 the labor necessary to raise the crop, gives the owner the 

 privilege of doing or furnishing such work and labor as shall 



