The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-09
PROFIT IN RAISING ONIONS.
Northeastern Ohio Goes Back to q
Crop It Had Partially Deserted

Geneva, o., March 9-Last summer
the farmers of northeastern Ohio reeely-
ed a tip that there was q. probability
that the onion crop in America would
fan short fully 100000 bushels This
was sufficient to remind them Of the
fact that Lake and Ashtabula counties
have in the past produced onions when
dealers claimed We're the best keepers
and the best favored product offered
for sale: also that much of the iand
which was formerly used for growing
this vegetable was either lying Idle or
devoted to the growth of other garden
produce or grain. It was not too late
for planting in this climate when tbs
information came, consequently the lane
was made ready with rush ana as
soon as the green shoots We're Icuna
piercing through the soft loan. father.
mother and the children went TO the
onion patch to weed out the long rows
and to do all in their power to make fne
harvest a profitable one. All hands con-
tfibuted to the labor, 50 to all goes the
reward for the fine crop and the result
ing reward, for the price has already
gone about as high as can be hoped Tor
by the most ambitious and the daily re-
ports show that the market IS still on
the increase.
There is money in raising onions and
ClispOSin2 of them at 80 cents a buStlet
The farmer counts that he has made a
good thing when so cents can be obtain
ed; but these prices We're offered Tor
Ohio onions when they were first har-
vested Sc pounds to the buShel, ard
since fall the price has constantly been
on the increase. Now commission mer-
chants are paying $1.25 per bushel, and
are anxious to buy at that price one
Madison dealer has bought 20 coo BUSH
els at this price and feels assured that
in short time 81 80 Will be offered. He
has already disposed of over 800 0U9
bushels this season at good margin,
and, in addition has paid the farmers
about as high a price as the most hope
full could wish for. Owners of small
farms who took the tip and profired
thereby have neat 800 each as a re-
ward of their summer labor; and several
growers have received as high as "a 600
for the labor OF themselves ard family.
Up to 20 years ago onions were moi
raised in northeastern Ohio and it was
not suggested that the soil was peculiar
" adapted to their cultiva ton, until
Charles and William Edmunds of Perry
conceived the idea of planting. a quaint
" of seed, harvesting q. crop asulspr5SiTss
to them and pleasing to the dealers VINO
purchased them. Their neighb0rs in tire
township followed their example the fol-
lowing season with like results Then II
spread to surrounding townships All
who attempted the culture were success
ful in a measure, and for the past tea
years most Of the money which has cexne
into. the possession Of The farmers in this
vicinity has been in payment fer. oni0ns-
Those WHO go by wheel or automobile
from Cleveland to the Pan-Amerieau
ard. thus avail tllIneslves Of che Of the
finest fsoutes in the country, over the
old stage road, the longest read in the
world will observe a large number Of
big farms with fine residences and other
buildings IN proportion, all PURCHASED
mainly with money obtained from this
product. The work connected with
growing onions is comparatively 1ig1E,
and the expense is almost nothing The
seed for an acre costs less than So, while
the product viii generally run as high
r-47c 81 tor
/ 800 bushels. They thrive only in pc
cuIiar soil, which is rich and holds mois-
ture. Most Of the local product IS ship
ped to Pittsburg, a distributing point.