Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-10-08

women eat canuy, ueCldlSu A~A0iS
Janis, the beautiful young actress
when beseeched by other aspirants TO
beauty to reveal the secret of her
marvellous complexion and bright
sparkling eyes. Il invariably eat
sandwich of bread and butter ana
sliced Bermuda onions before retiring
at night and it is to this diet that
attribute my good complexion and ex-
uberance of health
While the onion has long been the
subject of much abuse on account OF
its undesirable odor and agricultur-
lists have sought in vain to evolve an
"odorless onion" it still continues TO
play an important part in the INDUS
trial life of the nation and there Is
no disputing the fact that the rlch
and poor alike are strong" for this
article of diet.
The bulk of the Bermuda onion crop
which supplies the tables OF the ma
tions comes from the southwestern
part of Texas and includes an area
covering more than 200 miles. Here
is what is known as the onion beit
of the world, and in this district Is
raised each year enough onions 10
put the proper aroma into the salads
of the world. While the onion indus
try is but a few years old in Texas
It has become the leading money crop
of the farmers in the southwest Sec
ton of the state.
The Texas crop of onions is always
ON the market from four to six weeks
earlier than the crop from bermuda
islands and as a rule, the Texas PROD
wet commands higher prices than that
from the world-famous isle. The Tex
ns onion is also claimed to be su-
perior in keeping qualities to its com
netitors in other onion countries.
The onion is planted in Texas IN
the early part OF November In order
that the northern hotels may 1ncluue
young onions" on their menus as
early as possible The onions are
grown quite thickly and after the
wedding age, the slender roots are
transplanted. The transplanting or
the crop is the hardest part OF the
onion raising industry.
In December many cars OF young
onions are shipped to the northern
markets. though it is not until Febru-
ary and March that the shipping be-
gins in earnest. To transport this
vast crop from the center Of produc-
tion to the markets Of the world, Is
a gigantic undertaking. and it was for
this purpose that the Southern Texas
Truckgrowers' association was formed.
Organized in San Antonio, the or
ganization was primarily intended as
a cooperative association through
which the truck crops Of that section
of the state could be satisfactorily
marketed.
The onion industry reaching such
vast proportions season later soon
crowded out practically all other crops
and the association now, Whlle sui
retaining it's former name, handles the
onion crop almost exclusively, though
each season many cars OF cabbage,
tomatoes and other truck are handled
through this channel
The Onion Specials" carrying
solid trainloads of Bermuda onions,
are weekly features during the snip
ping season, as many as 10 carloads
of onions being transported at one
time.
The membership Of the association
includes practically every onion grow
er In the state Of any Importance,
and successfully handles the entire
output of the onion crop.
The association is unique In that
the officers, directors and finance COM
mitteemen are forbidden, by the by
laws of the organization to engage in,
or In any way be connected with the
raising of the onions for marketing
purposes. It is claimed that 1t is the
only organization Of this kind with
this particular feature, other similar
associations throughout the country
selecting their officers from among
their principal growers. 1t is found
that by the former method, just and
unbiased service Is assured to all, and
that under this arrangement no officer
or director is more interested In mar
keting the crop OF one member than
another.
The principal offices Of the associa'
ton are located in San Antonio, the
nearest large city to the onion section
and branch offices are maintained In
other large cities Of the state, and in
the principal markets of the North
aud East The principal branch of.
fees are located at Fort Worth. st.
Louis, Kansas City and New York.
The claim department of the asso.
citation is of great assistance to its
members. II was organized and is
conducted for the purpose Of making
collections of overcharges made by
the different transportation lines In