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READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



SPANISH ONIONS IN MANCHESTER 



By Grafton L. Wilson 



Place of production . . 

 Place of consumption . 

 Price received by shipper 

 Price paid by consumer 

 Difference between prices. 

 Number of steps between the pro- 

 ducer and consumer 



Freight 



Tax for handling and canal dues 



Brokers' margins 



Price paid by wholesaler . 

 Wholesalers' margin (average) . 

 Price paid by grocer .... 

 Grocers' margin is. 3d. to 3s. 7 d 

 (average) 



Valencia 



Manchester 



3s. 4d. to 4s. 3d. per cwt. 



1 d. per pound 



4 s. 6d. to 5 s. 3 d. per cwt. 



Necessary, 3 



Usual, 3 or 4 



Possible, 5 or, in the case 

 of onions sold by the 

 very small grocer buy- 

 ing from the huckster, 6 



yd. to o,d. per cwt. 



6^d. to yd. per cwt. 



1. 1 2d. to 3.30 d. per cwt. 



4s. 8d. to 5 s. 6d. per cwt. 



8d. per cwt. 



5 s. 6d. to 7 s. per cwt. 



2 s. iod. per cwt. 



The trade in Valencia onions follows similar lines to that in 

 potatoes, with the addition of a step known as the commercial 

 saleroom between the shipper and wholesaler. 



The retail price most generally found was 1 penny per pound 

 with sometimes 2 pounds being given for 1] d. For the best 

 grade (No. 5) the price was in some stores 2 pounds for 2} d. 

 The latter price was charged in the stores of the Manchester 

 Cooperative Society, but the Pendleton Society received the usual 

 price of 1 d. per pound. 



The prices at wholesale in the market ranged from 5 s. 6d. to 

 7 s. the hundredweight, with an average of 6 s. 



The onions come in boxes of light wood holding 1 hundred- 

 weight which are divided into three compartments. The onions 

 are carefully graded, and the grades are numbered 4, 5, or 6, 



