MARKETING ONIONS 
39 
Cleveland. — Practically all the producing sections supply Cleve- 
land with onions, but in the fall and early winter the bulk of the 
stock comes from the section around McGuffey, Ohio. If stock 
from this section is good and is sufficient in quantity, onions from 
other States find competition keen and demand slow. Early in the 
spring, when supplies of Ohio-Indiana stock have been cleaned up, 
buyers must look to other sections for their supplies. Connecticut Val- 
ley onions ha've a good reputation on this market and are usually sold 
at top prices. During late spring and early summer some California 
Australian Browns appear. 
Few onions are sold directly from cars. The wholesale receiver 
loads the onions upon trucks which, with a salesman aboard, make 
the rounds of the jobbers and chain-store operators. If the car can 
not be disposed of in this way, the remainder is taken to the re- 
ceiver's store, there to be displayed for sale. 
AVERAGE CAR LOTS OF ONIONS UNLOADED MONTHLY AT CHICAGO BY 
PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF SUPPLY, 1918-1922 
CARS 
200 
100 - 
J B . 
P 
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u 
- r 
33? 
S^ 
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rrfr 
J^JJJ 
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r m r 
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT OCT. NOV. DEC. 
Yv^\ Ca/ifornia g§§§H Indiana \ M Hew York ffl%& //finois gg§jj Imports 
ffl&h Washington ^^ Lou/s/ana R%8%| Kentucky jgjggj Texas \'//?/\ Cther 
Fig. 26. — Texas and California each contribute about one-fourth of Chicago's car- 
lot supply. The Texas stock comes mostly daring April, May, and June, and 
receipts from California continue throughout the season 
Cincinnati. — Three-fourths of the car-lot supply of onions for 
Cincinnati is furnished by three States, Texas averaging 24 per cent, 
Ohio and Indiana together over 50 per cent (fig. 23). In addition, 
Ohio furnishes from 5 to 15 per cent of the total supply as home- 
growns during a period of about six weeks in midsummer. Re- 
ceipts from Texas appear to be steadily increasing. Imports are 
of minor importance; 30 to 40 cars are handled in a normal year. 
jNo Cincinnati dealers specialize exclusively on any one vegetable. 
A system of " team tracks ' ? permits the holding of perishable sup- 
plies in the cars in which they arrive until sale and delivery. Few 
sales are made in carload lots, wholesalers take lots of 10 packages 
or more, and jobbers frequently buy directly from the cars on the 
unit-package basis. Eetailers may obtain supplies either from job- 
bers or wholesalers, and may have purchases delivered on payment 
of a nominal fee for drayage (usually 5 cents per package). The 
consuming area for this market includes small towns and cities 
within a radius of 40 miles. Demand is principally for yellow 
stock, as in most other cities, with a distinct prejudice against red 
onions. 
