58 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 169. 



total onion acreage in Franklin and Hampshire counties was about 15/ 

 as compared with 4,160 in 1915. 



These maps show the gradual shifting of the onion-producing area from 

 the eastern part of the State to the valley of the Connecticut River. The 

 rapid development of the industry between 1885 and 1895 was a forecast 

 of future commercial onion growing in Massachusetts. 



The growth of the industry in the valley is shown by the diagram below. 



ONION flCREAGE IN THE CONNECTICUT V H L L E. Y 



jAAX 



AORcnoc 



f 1 1 



E 



I'^fOO 



677 



L3_L£L. 



^SOO 



-L3-1-L 



t^ OOQ 



1 q t 2 



^ 7>on 



< «? <.^ 



Soo<r> 



1 ^l^ 



i^?<^-'? 



1 ^I.S 



^1 foo 



Fig. 11. — Onion acreage in the Connecticut Valley. This chart shows the development of 

 the onion acreage in the Connecticut Valley over a period of years. 



1 The report of the Secretary of the Commonwealth for 1855 gives the following data on the 

 onion industry in Massachusetts: — 



For Hampshire and Franklin counties the distribution by towns was as follows: 



Amherst, 



Hadley, 



Middlefield, . 



Pelham, 



South Hadley, 



Ware, 



Ashfield, 



Acres. 



1 

 1 



