48 
BULLETIN 1325, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
ine of the spring of 1917, main-crop onions in city markets opened 
at $2.50 to $3.50 per 100 pounds, but with a fairly large crop in 
sight declined steadily from October to the end of the season, reach- 
ing 75 cents to $1 in April. 
The course of prices during the season of 1918-19 was the reverse 
of the preceding season and tended upward from an opening range 
of 25 to 75 cents per 100 pounds to high points of $4.50 to $7.50 in 
the late spring, when the stoppage of imports increased the spring 
shortage. 
War conditions and light general supply in 1919-20 tended to 
raise the level of prices throughout the season, which opened at $3 
to $4, fluctuated between $3 and $5 during the main part of the 
season, and rose at the end to over $6. 
The trend of prices was steadily downward during 1920-21, owing 
to heavy production and in line with the postwar declines, which 
AVERAGE PRICE'S OF EASTERN YELLOW ONIONS IN LEADING CONSUMING 
CENTERS — NEW YORK, BOSTON, PHILADELPHIA, AND BALTIMORE 
SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. 
Fig. 30. — Except in short crop years price variations are moderate 
affected most farm products. The early range was from $1.50 to 
$3. Not much stock sold above $2. The price soon declined to $1, 
and fell even lower at times during the spring of 1921. 
The usual rebound from the preceding season occurred in 1921-22. 
Shipments were almost as light as those of two seasons before and 
prices exceeded war-time heights, reaching $9 to $12 in April, hav- 
ing risen from fall prices around $3 per 100 pounds. Unusually 
heavy imports in the fall of 1921 were due in part to the shortage of 
large domestic onions. Figure 30 indicates the trend of eastern 
yellow stock in city markets for the seasons 1921-22 to 1923-24. 
In 1922-23 there was the extraordinary combination of prices ad- 
vancing from low points to fairly high levels, despite a rather large 
production and liberal shipments, a situation partly explained by the 
reduced imports. The price rose from $1.50 to $2 in the early fall to 
$3 in January and closed the season around $4. 
