The Washington herald., 1909-11-14
SOCIALISM IN TEXAS
Practiced on a Large Scale
in Raising Onions.
FARMERS FORM ASSOCIATION
Agent Buys Seed in Canary Islands.
Crop Pooled, Sorted, and sold,
Each Grower Receiving Pro Rata
Returns - Society Governs Output
by Allotment of Acreage.

San Antonio. Tex, Nov. 18-What may
be called socialism in production is now
being given thorough trial by the farm
ers forming the Southwest Texas Truck
Growers Association. Some time ago Il
was announced that the members Of the
association would pool their crops, main
ly onions. for the purpose OF getting bet
ter prices and eliminating waste.
1t had been found that the onions need
ed better grading and more careful pack
Ing, and experience had clearly demon
strated that uniformity IN this could
only be achieved by delivering the crop
as II comes from the field and then have
II sorted under efficient inspectors. In
this arrangement the individual VIII not
be considered. The onions are 20 be in
discriminatory mixed and then sorted and
packed. All members viii receive the
same price for their onions. but are duty
bound to make every endeavor TO raise
the best they can.
Much Work Necessary.
To make this possible a great deal OF
preliminary work had TO be done. In the
first place. the same kind Of seed had 10
be provided for every farmer. This was
done by the sales agent OF the associa-
ton, Roy Campbell going to the Canary
Islands and making q contract for the
delivery Of uniform seeds in large guam
titles. The association now imports about
eight tons Of seed yearly, and by elimi-
mating the middle man in this manner
/ has succeeded in buying the seed Of the
white onion at 800 a pound. whereas
formerly the members paid 81 and over.
other grades are bought with q proper
/ Tomato reduction, and a great deal OF
money has thus been saved the onion
| growers.
Production IS also regulated by the as
| ISOLATION. The sales agent. after having
taken careful survey OF the market
allots so many acres TO each member,
/ taking into consideration last years out
/ put. For instance. If a man raised thirty
cars Of onions last year. he may raise
/ tEirty-six the coming season II the mar
ket justiles this. and the man who last
/ year raised twenty cars viii raise twenty
\ four. Should a reduction OF the crop be-
| come necessary the same method is en-
/ ployed negatively. Last season the asso-
1 citation raised over 5000 cars OF onions
! with an average Of ten cars TO each
member.
OverprOductfOn Is WustefuI.
The theory of this is that overproduc-
ton Is wasteful and gives people who dc
not add one particle Of value to a crop q
/ chance 10 make money at the expense OF
| the grower. Careful study of marke;
| conditions has convinced the agent OF the
! association that the consumer practically
I pays the same price year after year
whether the onion crop is plentiful OF
/ not. For this the association sees nc
! good reason. In its estimation the broke,
and Spectator is a nuisance Of the worst
description and no point Of vantage Is
/ offered him.
| The association grows onions princi.
pally, but viii I'm the future widen it,
field 10 all other vegetables. Its lands
are mostly irrigated and are among the
best in Texas. 1t disposes Of its product.
| through a sales agent, with headquarters
in San Antonio, and has subagents II
practically every town in the United
( States, Canada, the American and Brit
ish insular possessions, and even in Eu.
rope.