56 
BULLETIN 1325, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGEICULTUEE 
SUMMARY 
Onions probably stand fifth among the vegetables in estimated 
value of acreage harvested. According to the 1920 census figures, 
tomatoes followed white and sweet potatoes, with cabbage next. 
Features of development in the industry are : The increasing con- 
centration of production in small areas: the expansion of acre- 
age in certain established sections: the increase of commercial stor- 
age : and the increasing prominence of some of the newer producing 
areas, particularly in Texas and California, the Middle West, and 
the Northwest. 
For commercial purposes, onions are classed as early or southern 
i Bermudas and Creoles), and late, main crop, or northern. For 
the early crop the large, mild foreign types and varieties, mostly 
those known as domestic Bermudas, are grown. These are trans- 
UXITED STATES IMPORTS AXD EXPORTS OF ONIONS. SEASONS 1918-19 TO 
1922-23 (EXPORT YEARS BEGINNING MAY 1. IMPORT YEARS BEGINNING 
JULY 1 i 
1918-19 1919-20 
| Imports 
1920-2 
1922-23 
Fig. 36. — Imports tend to increase, but are much less in seasons of full pro- 
duction here. Exports average about two-thirds of the total imports 
planted from seed beds, most of them are grown under irrigation, 
marketed in spring and early summer, shipped and sold in crates, 
and not put in storage for long periods. 
The late onions are mainly the smaller yellow or red globe-shaped 
kinds; they are grown direct from seed or from sets: are not com- 
monly irrigated : are harvested in late summer and fall, and are 
shipped and marketed as sacked stock. Much of the late crop 
is stored before shipment for distribution. 
The bulk of the early crop, which is nearly one-fifth of the total 
crop, is grown in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and in southern 
California. The main northern crop is grown by intensive culture 
on valley soils or reclaimed muck land. New York. Massachusetts. 
Ohio, and Indiana produce more than half the main crop. Nearly 
three-fourth- of the combined early and late supply of unions is 
grown in the six States mentioned. 
