6 



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 

 be necessary to raise and protect the crop until the time of 

 sale, and the grower agrees to pay to the owner such sums as 

 this shall be reasonably worth. These contracts are nearly 

 always fulfilled. Once in a while a crop does not look well 

 when it comes up on account of poor seed, or for some other 

 reason, and the grower will throw up his contract, and in so 

 doing forfeits what work he has already done. Cases have 

 occurred where, after the grower had given up his contract, 

 the owner has hired the same party to care for the crop at so 

 much per acre, and has made more money than he would had 

 the grower held to his agreement. 



Growing the Crop. 

 After the owner has planned how many acres of onions he 

 will let out next year he will get busy in the fall, plow his 

 land, and if possible apply lime if his soil needs liming. The 



