2 BULLETIN 1283, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 
Table 1. — United States onion shipments (carloads), by months, 1917 to 1923 l 
Year 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
Total 
calen- 
dar 
year 
Total* 
crop 
year 
1917... 
986 
901 
1,488 
355 
1,062 
1.213 
232 
1,023 
949 
999 
1. 724 
719 
2,679 
1,799 
1,189 
1,938 
2, 511 
3.085 
2,960 
2.290 
2,462 
4,242 
2,559 
2,301 
2,541 
1, 156 678 
1,141 1,177 
1,434 
2.740 
4,068 
4,211 
2,963 
4.910 
2,608 
5.129 
4,940 
1,348 
516 
19.152 21,041 
1918 
1,921 3.075 
1.909 3,522 
1. 9181 3, 675 
2. 048 3, 361 
2, 497 1 4, 603 
2,410 1,017 
1. 7021 9S7 
2,9181 1.186 
1. 24SJ 1, 148 
2, 1851 1. 677 
2, 676! 1, 685 
22,027 22,549 
1919 
646 
607 
822 
937 
1,844 
1,030 
1,482 
1,695 
20, 874 20. 549 
1920 
1921 
1, 368! 1, 159 
2,038' 1.769 
1.724 1.011 
2,110 1.484 
25, 950| 28. 223 
23. 318. 20. 767 
1922 
27. 563 29. 783 
1923 
1,569 1,370 
762 1, 502 ! 2, 243 1 3, 865 
26,747, 
1 
i Figures are corrected to Jan. 1, 1924. The more recent ones are subject to minor revisions. 
2 The totals indicated represent the shipments by seasons. For example, the 1917 crop was marketed 
during 1917 and 1918; the 1918 crop during 1918 and 1919, etc. 
LEADING ONION STATES 
TEX. 
CAR- 
LOTS 
4.328 
THOUSANDS 
12 3 4 
APPROXIMATE SHIPPING SEASONS 
BASED ON CARLOT SHIPMENTS FOR 7 YEARS 
CALIF. 4.185 
N.J. 7 15 
IOWA 689 
WASH. 566 
IND. 1,867 
OHIO 2.069 
MASS. 2.908 
N.Y 2,725 
MICH. 456 
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3 4 5 MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. 
^ SHIPPING SEASON OF BULK OF THE BERMUDA ONION CROP 
Fig. 1.— Relative importance and approximate shipping seasons (based on earliest and latest shipping 
dates). Onions are grown in large quantities in many States, but Texas and California together produce 
over one-third of all onions grown in the United States and shipped in carload quantities. Nearly all 
Bermuda onions are grown in the southern portions of these two States. The principal Bermuda onion 
movement (indicated by crosshatching) occurs during April, May, and June. As the season progresses 
new onions of other varieties gradually begin moving from more northern areas. Some of the late onions 
are placed in storage and continue to supply the market through the winter. California ships the yeai 
round 
Between 85 and 90 per cent of the onions shipped during April, 
May, and June are of a mild-flavored type known as Bermudas. 
The conditions surrounding the marketing of Bermudas are very 
different from those under which the main crop is marketed, and for 
this reason this type of onion was selected for a special marketing 
study. 2 
Information in this bulletin regarding prices and market con- 
ditions was secured directly from growers, shippers, buyers, re- 
ceivers, and other dealers, by officials of the United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture, who were located in the producing sections 
and in the principal consuming centers of the country during the 
years covered. Information regarding carlot movement and dis- 
tribution was obtained daily from the transportation officials over 
whose lines the tonnage passed. Data thus obtained from original 
authoritative and diversified sources were assembled daily, verified, 
1 Information regarding the production and harvesting of this crop is found in Bulletin No. 4fi of the 
Texas Department of Agriculture: The Bermuda Onion, by F. W Mally. 
