MARKETING ONIONS 5 
to 8,512 acres in California. On the other hand, about 80 per cent of 
the shipped crop conies from six States. 
California led in commercial acreage in the census year with 8,512 
acres, or one-eighth of the total. New York followed with 7,500 
acres, Texas had 6,253, Ohio 5.713, Illinois 4,499, and Massachusetts 
4,411. More than half the onion acreage was in the East North Cen- 
tral, Middle Atlantic, and Xew England States, but the acreage grown 
per farm is larger in the West than in the East. Average value of 
the crop per acre was highest in New England ($495), and lowest 
in the East Smith Central States ($202), compared with the average 
for the United States of $332. 
Fig. 2. — Commercial production of onions is mainly in shipping regions of nearly equal 
importance in the West, South, Middle West, and Northeast 
The United States Department of Agriculture reports onion ship- 
ments from 39 States during the five years 1918 to 1922, but the 
quantity shipped from many of these is small in proportion to the 
estimated production of the State. Probably nearly one-third of 
the commercial onion crop is sold locally in less than carload lots. 
The principal onion shipping sections are shown in Figure 2. 
Counties outlined averaged annual shipments of 50 cars or more for 
the three years 1920 to 1922. The circles indicate average ship- 
ments from individual States. 
HOW PRODUCED 
The well-known commercial onion districts are mostly of rich, 
level, clean valley soils or drained muck land, often with a medium 
loam, deep and easily worked. Fresh seed of the best stock is im- 
portant. A liberal use of fertilizer, thorough tillage, and clean 
culture are among the general features in production of the northern 
crop. Machine planters and wheel hoes are used, but some hand 
weeding is necessary. 
