The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-02-17
The Onion Problem.

"i)o You know why this state doesn't
raise onions enough to supply its own
market a journal reporter asked a man
who is doing a large business in produce
II don't know why it does not, but
do know it doesn't. The last crop of Maine
onions is already cleared out | don't
know of barrel Of onions in this vicinity
in the ralser's hands. We now have to
rely for our supply on Massachusetts and
Canada"
''Do You know Of any successful onion
raiSers in this vicinity?" "No; there are
Very few. Lots Of 'em have tried it, but
have made failure OF it. They don't
seem to know how to manage"
"The greatest onion-ra that comes
into this market is Mr. Bourdau of AInot.
He knows his business and has big luck.
Tie succeeds in raising large crops of big,
fair onions, on a small spot of ground,
every year. This year he raised 300
bushels. was out to see him one dav
tins summer, and was surprised to see
what a small patch lie had Mr. Bourdau
sold a part OF his crop early in the season.
when they We're pretty low. They were
selling then at about S;} and S;}.75 a
barrel, lie has been getting = Il barrel
for those be has sold recently He sold
the last barrel he Lad to Day, Nealev &
Co.,, few days ago. They bought l5 or
20 barrels Of him this season. They were
alI silvelSkins or the 'Danvers onion. as
they call EN-. At s. barrel or even
$40, there's big profit in raising on
ions"
why cannot other farmers have as
good success as Mr.. Bourdau Z"
II don't know. They can't seem to
learn how to raise them. They get small
onions and few Of them on large field
and they can't make it pay Mr. Bourdau
seems To know Just how to do it. He has
a big crop every year"
'Cnclc Millett up at Minot has become
quite famous for his onions and in years
past, has had some big yields. This year,
however, his crop did not come up to Mr..
Bourdaus. There are few farmers in
Winthrop who raise few onions; and
know Of two or three in Wayne In the
whole State there are very few who make
much Of business Of it. There was
about half q crop in Maine this year and
they were small. They say there was a
short crop in Massachusetts. have sell
dom seen onions so high as they are at
present In ordinary seasons, onions are
worth about S3.75 Il barrel, against -
and $3.50 to-day"
GLOW low have you bought onions ?"
Il have bought them as low at 81 80 a
barrel. They have frequently gone down
to $3.50.
"Will it pay Maine farmers to raise
onions at - 30 a barrel ?"
mo, sir; they can't afford to raise
them for less than sl.25 a bushel. At
anything above that, there's profit. It's
rather a risky business. It's not every
season Maine farmers could make raising
onions pay, unless they had unusually
good luck. 1t would keep good deal of
money IN the State, if we didn't have to
import onions. They are Just as staple
an article as potatoes
'How many barrels per week do Lew
ston and Auburn consume" 2"
81 should say about thirty, the year
around. Red onions from Canada have
lately been brought into the market.
They are large, heavy and stronger than
- the silverskins. They weigh 100 to 10
pounds, net, to the barrel and are worth
about 25 cents less a barrel than the
silverskins"
Ourreporter asked seedman about the
price of onion seed. Said he: "Onion
seed is scarce and very high. | saw a
barrel of seed in wholesale store the
other day. 1t had been sold, and guess
Tor how much ? Just six hundred dollars
Yellow Danvers seed is worth $3.50 a
pound at wholesale, to-day. Last spring
II retailed at that price This spring it
VII probably be worth S. at retail"
Lewiston journal.