706 



Prod. W. Afr. p. 154; Dunstan, N. Nig. Gaz. 28th Feb. 1910, 

 p. 20). " Red " and " White " onions are grown in the Canary 

 Islands, and the same in Bermuda (Kew Bull. Oct. 1887, p. 3). 

 The " Red Bermuda " is regarded as synonymous with " Giant 

 Red ItaUan TripoH " and " Mammoth Red Tripoh," and " White 

 Bermuda " as synonymous with " Canary Island "' white (Tracy, 

 U.S. Dept. Agric. Bur. PL Ind. Bull. No. 21, 1903, pp. 257, 260). 

 The red and wliite varieties of the Canary Islands are stated not 

 to be permanent, but pass into one another under altered 

 conditions of the soil, etc. The white variety is chiefly grown 

 in the Island of Palma and on the south side of Teneriffe ; those 

 grown in Teneriffe gradually lose their character, becoming 

 reddish in colour, and after three years' cultivation are indis- 

 tinguishable from the red variety; but those grown in the island 

 of Palma maintain their character unchanged, and the seed for 

 export is obtained from this island, largely exported to the 

 Bermudas (Kew Bull. Oct. 1887, p. 3). About 40,000 lb. of 

 onion seed were shipped from the Canaries to the United States 

 in 1915 (Card. Chron. May 6th, 1916, p. 247) and 63,014 lb. in 

 1920 (comm.erce Rep. seq.). The type of onion usually grown in 

 the West Indies is either the red or white Bermuda, stated 

 to have proved well suited to local conditions, and efforts to 

 grow other varieties have not been very successful (Jackson, 

 Pamph. No. 78, 1915, Imp. Dept. Agric. W. Indies, p. 8). 

 The " Bermuda Onion from Teneriffe " is recommended for 

 cultivation on a commercial scale in Cuba, where nearly all 

 classes of American Onions are stated to have been tried with 

 no success (Austin & Halstead, seq. p. 30). Of the many vari- 

 eties under cultivation — there are 399 varieties enumerated by 

 Tracy, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (I.e. pp. 246-263)— it would seem 

 that the Canary Islands variety is the best for hot countries, and in 

 all probability that grown in Nigeria is the same. It would, 

 however, be advisable to raise stock from Canary Island seed. The 

 Nupe people of Lemu (Bida) do not preserve the seed from their own 

 plants, but purchase it yearly from Hausa traders, who bring it 

 from the North (Dudgeon, N. Nig. Gaz. 31st July 1909, p. 158). 

 Seed ripened in sub-tropical or temperate countries is of a more 

 vigorous character than that grown in the Tropics. The " Whfte 



Onion 



with 



they could arrive in February or March before the suppUes from 

 Egypt come in from the end of March to the end of May 

 (Dunstan, N. Nig. Gaz. 28th Feb. 1910, p. 29). Red onions from 

 Kano have been reported on by London salesmen, with Uttle 

 or no favour — " red colour a disadvantage," " white onions 

 preferred," " too soft to be transported such a long distance, and 

 that their value in the London market — on the average 45. 

 per cwt. — at whatever season they arrived would not be sufficient 

 to encourage shipments " (I.e.). Onions weighing J-f lb. are sold 

 at Kano at |ri. each (50 cowries), smaller ones to the north of 

 Ilorin at Id. each, to the south of Ilorin at Ibadan, at Sd. each. 



