The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-10-10

Il eat onions like other young
women eat candy" declared Elsie
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 a
sandwich of bread and butter and
sliced Bermuda onions before retiring
at night and ii 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
It's undesirable odor and agricultur-
lists have sought in vain to evolve an
"odorless onion" II still continues to
play an important part in the indus
trial life of the nation and there is
no disputing the fact that the rich
and poor alike are strong" for this
article Of diet
The bulk OF the Bermuda onion crop
which supplies the tables OF the ma
lions comes from the southwestern
part Of Texas and includes an area
covering more than 200 miles Here
Is what Is known as the onion belt
! OF the world, and in this district is
raised each year enough onions TO
put the proper aroma into the salads
OF the world. While the onion indus
try is but a few years old in Texas,
II 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
uct commands higher prices than that
from the world-famous isle. The Tex.
as onion is also claimed to be su-
perior in keeping qualities to its com
petitors in other onion countries.
The onion is planted in Texas in
the early part Of November in order
that the northern hotels may include
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 of
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 II is not until Febru-
airy and March that the shipping be-
| gins in earnest. To transport this
vast crop from the center Of produc-
ton to the markets Of the world. is
a gigantic undertaking. and 1t was for
this purpose that the Southern Texas
Truckgrowers' association was formed.
Organized IN San Antonio, the or
ganization was primarily intended as
cooperative association through
which the truck crops Of that section
of the state could be satisfactorily
marketed.
The onion industry reaching such
vast proportions a season later soon
crowded out practically all other crops
and the association now, while still
retaining its 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 ship
ping season, as many as Is 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. II Is claimed that II 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. II is found
that by the former method. a 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
and 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 i. was organized and is
conducted for the purpose OF making
collections OF overcharges made by
the different transportation lines in