36 
BULLETIN 1283j U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
terminal markets. Growers and shippers realized that the high 
prices could not last, and used every expedient to put their onions on 
the market, grading no more than absolutely necessary and shipping 
more than 60 cars by express. The heavy movement that resulted 
combined with the poor quality of the stock already on the 
markets caused an unbroken decline of $3.50 a crate within a few 
days. Heavy rains occurring at this time held up shipments tempo- 
rarily. Speculators, anticipating another season like 1919, began 
buying and caused a rally of about 75 cents per crate. The higher 
prices were only temporary, however; Bermudas soon sold lower 
than before. 
Because of the opening high prices growers preferred to ship on 
consignment rather than sell to dealers in the early part of the season, 
though a few cars were sold for cash. Probably 75 per cent of the 
onions grown in the upper counties section was under contract to 
dealers who financed the growers. Track sales were frequent in 
this section, because of good demand. 
PRICES IN 1923 
In 1922 the grower wno was able to sell on the earliest market 
secured $3 per crate, as compared with $1.25 for the grower whose 
onions were harvested two or three weeks later. With this object 
1923 WEEKLY BERMUDA ONION PRICES 
Cent's 
MAR. APR. MAY JUNE MAR. APR. MAY JUNE MAR. APR. MAY JUNE MAR. APR. MAY JUNE 
Fig. 11.— Opening prices were moderate but continued with relatively narrow fluctuation through the 
season. The Bermuda crop was very short, and had it not been for the exceptionally poor quality of 
the Texas stock prices might have shown a tendency to advance. Market prices on the different markets 
fluctuated in an irregular way on account of the varying quality of receipts. The recovery at shipping 
points in May resulted principally from improved grading. The season was very unsatisfactory for the 
Texas grower, for, though average prices were received per crate, the yield per acre was so low as to lower 
his total income to a very unsatisfactory amount 
lesson in mind, Texas growers made an unusual effort to put their 
crop in condition for the earliest 1923 market. Plantings were made 
from two weeks to a month earlier than usual and transplanting to the 
fields was nearly completed early in December instead of at Christmas, 
the usual date. Favorable growing weather during December and 
January indicated that maturity would be proportionately early, 
but cold weather in February and freezing temperatures in March 
delayed maturity. 
