WHAT ONIONS COST. 



241 



duction, and we have about $60 left, 

 tons we have 1300, and 5*130 net. 

 Take an acre of onions : — 



If we have twenty-five 



Interest on land, 



First ploughing, 



Harrowing, cultivating and brushing 



Manure, and spreading, . 



Re-ploughing and cultivating, . 



Three liundred lbs. phosphate to rake in, . 



Raking, five men one day, 



Seed, cost will vary, average, . 



Planting, .... 



Weeding, four boys two days, at four dififerent times 



Sliding and wheel-hoeing, 



Pulling large weeds, 



Pulling crop, two men a day, . 



Raking crop to cure it, . . , 



Carting to barn. 



Topping, .... 



Wear and tear of tools, &c., . 



Total, .... 



130 00 

 6 00 

 5 00 



100 00 



8.00 



9 00 



10 00 



15 

 1 



32 

 8 

 4 

 4 

 4 



00 



50 



00 



00 



00 



00 



00 



10 00 



12 00 



2 00 



$269 50 



Then there is to be added the cost of marketing, which will 

 depend upon how far you have to go. It will cost to produce 

 an acre of onions all the way from $250 to $300. Two hun- 

 dred and fifty dollars is the lowest point I can put it at, giving 

 the crop such treatment as it ought to have. If the yield is 

 400 bushels, at $1.25 a bushel, that is $500. Deduct expenses, 

 say $300, and we have $200 left. From that is to be deducted 

 the cost of marketing. Tlie profit will be all the way from $150 

 to $300, where we have what we call a fair crop. 



We hear of great crops sometimes. Thirty-two tons of carrots ! 

 Why don't that man repeat himself? Nine hundred bushels of 

 onions! Wliy don't he do it. again ? He cannot. These ex- 

 treme crops are beyond our reach. Suppose a man does all he 

 can, is he not dependent upon the weather ? It may be too hot 

 or too dry or too cold or too wet a season. These are uncer- 

 tain elements, over which ho has no control. 

 31 



