MARKETING OF BEEMUDA ONIONS 3 
telegraphed to shipping points, and issued as a daily report to growers, 
dealers, and others interested, in order to facilitate the efficient 
distribution of the crop. 
In addition to the daily market news service, the department 
supervised the distribution of empty cars to growers in 1918 in 
order that the most efficient use might be made of the short supply; 
stimulated organization among growers; cooperated with Texas 
in the establishment of an inspection service at shipping points; 
maintained an inspection service in consuming centers; conducted 
investigations into the best methods of loading; and developed and 
recommended standard Bermuda onion grades. 
COMMERCIAL PRODUCING AREAS 
Bermuda onion production reaches commercial importance in 
only three places in the United States — southern Texas, the Coach- 
ella Valley of California, and to a small extent, Louisiana. Southern 
TEXAS 
SCALE -M ILES 
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•Tor, 
fTexarkana 
ongvtew 
B/pWe/fs 
£ag/ePass§. 
Carr/zo Springs^ 
Asfjerfori 
PRODUCING AREAS 
Laredo 
Sanfordytte^. 
M/ss/onJ* 
Fig. 2.— Texas Bermuda onion-growing areas. The southern Texas Bermuda growing area, which pro- 
duces annually 80 per cent of the domestic Bermuda onions shipped, is divided by railroad and irrigation 
conditions into three distinct districts— the upper counties, the Laredo section, and the lower Rio Grande 
Valley. The cities shown outside of the producing areas are the principal Texas diversion points 
Texas has grown annually 80 per cent or more of the Bermuda 
onions of the United States. 
The first commercial shipment of Texas Bermuda onions seems 
to have been made from Cotulla, Tex., in 1900. Results were so 
satisfactory that the acreage was rapidly increased, and 3,000 to 
5,000 cars are now shipped from southern Texas. 
The Texas area varies somewhat from year to year, but the prin- 
cipal shipping sections are as follows: 
1. The Laredo section, a narrow strip along the American side 
of the Rio Grande in Webb County, close to Laredo. This section 
ships nearly a third of the Texas Bermudas. 
