1916.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 71a 



about December 1, but are heaviest in March. To produce and 

 market a bushel of onions costs from 36.6 to 40.6 cents. The 

 cost of storage, inchiding shrinkage (6.6 cents), to the local 

 storage man is about 1-4.6 cents per bushel. Rented storage 

 costs 14 cents per 100 pounds if the farmer does his own work, 

 and 25 cents per 100 pounds if the storage man does all the 

 work after the onions are delivered at his warehouse. At least 

 75 per cent, of the total crop is bought by eight dealers. The 

 chances for gain by holding onions in storage are good in view 

 of the fact that a four-year average (1911-15) shows that the 

 March price was 51 per cent, higher than the September and 61 

 per cent, higher than the October price. 



Connecticut valley onions are shipped to all the principal 

 markets of New England. A large number go to Canada and 

 the ]Middle States, especially New York, ]Maryland, and Penn- 

 sylvania as far west as Pittsburg. Still others, because of 

 special transportation rates and superior quality, compete suc- 

 cessfully with the Ohio muck onions in the leading markets of 

 the south. 



