The Washington herald., 1908-05-03

A middle-aged couple were in Wash
ington a few weeks ago whose home was
in Laredo, Tex. They had been as far as
Boston. arriving there by the Canadian
route, and were leisurely going toward
home, visiting some OF the large cities by
the way, among them the National Capt.
tai
These young old folks were Mr.. and
Mrs. George c. WoOdman. Their appear
ance seemed to indicate that they were
by no means poor and in the course Of
q conversation with them the fact leaked
out that they were enjoying their wed
ding trip" They said the trip had been
postponed for nineteen years. and that
they left at home several sons and daugh-
ters to look after the ranch while they
had a good time in the East.
1t was explained that they had never
had the necessary money to spend upon
a wedding trip until this year, and the
nineten-year bridegroom let it be known
that the money for the trip had been
realized from a large and valuable crop
OF onions which ne had harvested last
year and sold at better profit than any
thing ever before raised near Laredo.
Getting Rich Out of Onions.
In fact, Mr. Woodman IS one of the
many men who are getting rich growing
Bermuda onions. He cleared 5000 on
eighteen acres of onions last year.
We will now take that bridal trip
which I was too poor to give you when
We were first married" Mr. Woodman
told his wae when he had sold his onion
crop and had the money in bank.
Mrs. Woodman is a member of the Mar
ried Ladies CLUB of Laredo, and when
her friends heard of the bridal trip they
prepared 10 give her and Mr.. Woodman
d send-off An of the members OF the
club were at the station with bags of rice
and sacks Of onions, and when the couple
boarded the train they were showered
with rice and pelted with onions
Their seats in the sleeping car were
banked with rice and their baggage was
decorated with ribbons and Cupid de-
signs. The couple We're made to feel that
they had lost nothing in the way of
demonstrations OF affection on the part
Of their friends by waiting nineteen years
TO so on their wedding journey
MIIIIOnaireS in Embryo.
It win not be long apparently before
Texas has her onion millionaries. There
IS nothing speculative in onion growing;
at least that has been the case up TO this
time. Good prices are assured and there
has never been a failure-of the crop since
the industry was started in the Rio
Grande Valley eight or ten years ago.
Mr.. Wopdman is authority for the fol-
lowing facts regarding the industry of
raising onions in the region near his
home in Texas:
In the territory Immediately adjacent
10 Laredo there were 1500 acres planted /
in onions this season. The crop is now
being harvested. It viii bring a net re-
turn of nearly one million dollars
The yield 70 the acre runs as high as
ZOO pounds OF onions. or a little more
than one carload. Some farmers have |
netted as much as 500 an acre. a return /
Of Sl00 or $500 an acre is common.
An onion farmer in Texas has an ideal
calling. All the labor of seeding, trans
planting. cultivating. and harvesting the |
crop is performed by MeXicans. The work /
does not begin until the latter part Of
September when the weather is begin !
ming to get cooler. The onions grow dur /
ing the winter and by the early part Of /
April they are ready 10 begin harvesting /
Require Much Water.
Onions require a large amount Of water /
and they can be grown here only by /
means Of irrigation. During the first sixty
days they must be watered every day /
and after that one watering week must /
be given them. The harvest is finished /
by The time the heat Of summer begins.
The Laredo onion farmers enjoy life /
during the three or four months that /
their land is idle. Many of them visit the /
summer resorts Of the North and East,
where they escape the toTrid heat Of a /
Texas summer
Laredo is one Of the few towns in the
United States which felt no effect of the
recent financial disturbance The banks |
are overfowing with money derived from
the onion crop, the merchants are pros
porous, and the laborers are in better
shape financially than ever before In the
history of the town.
Growers Form Association.
One element In the success Of the onion
farmers is the fact that they have formed
an association which. among other things.
markets the crop TO advantage The
overcrowding Of a market Is not permit
ted. BY following this method top prices
are obtained. Last season shipments were
made 10 ninety cities In the United /
States and Canada. This year many new
cities will be added to the list
This organization for mutal benefit has
saved money to the onion growers in an
other way. The sales agent, Roy Camp
bell and some of the members Of the as
ISOLATION reached the conclusion that they
were paying TOO much for seed. It was
decided TO send Mr.. Campbell to the Ca
nary Islands, where Bermuda onions are
grown extensively. to investigate the mat
ter.
Mr.. Campbell made the trip last sum
mer, He purchased direct from the grow
ers In the Canary Islands 1900 pounds of
seed, sufficient 10 plant 1900 acres. He
paid S1.l0 pound for the white Bermuda
seed and S1-40 a pound for the crystal
wax The growers here had been paying
$50 and $3.50 pound for the same seeds
purchased OF seed houses in this country.
While Laredo is by far the largest on
ton-growing district in Texas, consider
able attention IS being given the industry
in the vicinity Of Brownsville. Hidalgo.
Cotulla, and Carrie Springs.
Has Delicious Flavor.
The favor Of the Laredo onion is unlike
that Of an onion grown in the Bermuda
Islands or anywhere else II has a deli
cious taste and the flavor is so mild that
onions are eaten freely by the people here
like an apple or peach. Il is said by the
local health authorities that onion grow
ing and onion eating have greatly re-
duced the death rate in Laredo.
In addition to the enormous money reve-
nue. in actual cash which the crop brings
TO the people of Laredo each year, the in
dustry has caused a marvellous Increase
IN land values Any of the valley land I'm
the vicinity of Laredo could have been