r -'
't'
- V
The Commoner.
12
.VOLUME 9, NUMBER 19
Onions
s"
J-.
Always Pay Well
at San Benito, Texas
(No. 8)
In former announcements wo have incidentally montloned the splendid onion
crop now being harvested at San Benito. Wo havo published a letter or two
from some of our onion ralsors.
At this time wo wish to go more Into detail concerning the onion industry
in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and tell you how our farmers are doing with
this product.
The Lower Rio Grando Valley Is acknowledged by all to be tho best adapted
in every possible way to tho growing of onions on a large scale of any section
in tho United Statos and this for many reasons.
First Onions rcqulro a soil that Is especially rich and mellow. This wo
havo In tho Delta of tho Rio Grande." Prof. Welborn of tho Stato Agricultural
Collogo of Texas, while addressing tho farmers of San Benito a few weeks
ago was asked this question: "Can you toll us something of tho depth and
richness of tho San Benito soil?" His answer was: "Your soil 1b so deep and
so rich in this Delta country that it is not necessary to discuss its depth or
richness."
Socond Onions for their proper growth must havo water in proper
quantities Just when thoy need it and they must not havo too much. At
San Benito tho water supply from our great Gravity Canal System is ab
solutely under tho control of tho farmer. He can tako water in any quan
tity desired and stop taking it when ho has enough. Onions cannot bo
successfully raised in a rainy country for thoy not only may bo ruined
by too much water while growing "but continued rains at harvest time may
utterly destroy tho ontlro crop. San Benito is in a semi-arid country and
tho dangor of excessive rains at harvest timo Is reduced to a minimum.
Third Onions must bo.Bhlnnod nromntlv when thev are readv for tho
'market. San Benito Is located on tho main lino of the St. Louis, Browns
ville ana Mexico Railway, which gives us a direct outlet for our products
to Houston, San Antonio, Galveston andall points north. This road is pre
pared to handle arid does handle tho truck products ojE tho Lower Rio
Grando Valley in a most satisfactory manner and without tho least'delay.
Fourth At San Bohlto tho TWO BEST VARIETIES of onions in tho
world aro grown. These aro tho BERMUDA and tho CRYSTAL 'WAX.
Onion growors dlttor somewhat as to which of these two varletios Is tho
bettor. Those shown In the plcturo of Mr. Burress' onion field aro BER
MUDA OMIO?W. Soveral of our farmers, however, aro now harvesting
splgnUWcrops of tho CRYSTAL WAX variety and these aro fully equal in
ovory way to tho BERMUDA. Both varieties aro noted for tholr sizo and
'splendid llavor.
Fifth Tho growing of onions requires a great deal of labor. Espe
cially is this true of tho resetting and harvesting. Hero again our farmers
have a great advantage for in and around San Benito thero aro thousands
of Mexicans, good, faithful, hard-working people, who aro always anxious
to work at wages ranging from 50 cents to 75 cents a day, thoy boarding
themselves. Tho work of resottlng and orating tho onions is largoly done
by Mexican women, boys and girls. Slnco these all work much cheaper
than tho men tho cost of planting and harvesting the crop Is very small.
Tho cheapnoss and plontlfulnossof labor is ono of the greatest advantages
to bo found in tho Lower Rio Grando Valley.
Sixth Blt tho croatest advantage found at Sn.n Bnnlfn Vv fhi on Inn
raiser Is this: HIS ONIONS ARE READY FOR MARKET AHEAD OP
ANY OTHER SECTION IN THE UNITED STATES, THUS INSURING THE
HIGHEST PRICE. It would not pay tho farmers of tho Lower Rlo Grande
Valley to raise onions If thoy had to harvest them during July, August
or September ns thoy would then como In competition with all tho northern
onion growors. Theroforb tho socd IS planted at San Benito just at tho
Mr. Lake Grow reports a yield of about 13,750 pounds to
the acre on his farm at San Benito. He is raising the
CRYSTAL WAX ONION.
Warn MmSmmmBS&SSo K&&PralKiraBflBHIHSH
Wlt-iiT-T jD?1irrlHi jTfiSffifMM-wfirij r:" -ittri' n'nf.i-iraifiTnWfl-lTlffWnr fiirrTrTflWMHrMnBmBMiWBW
jrrsrA'ssa vassa .&,"&.'&. arsa.- -'
Mexicans crating Onlonn on Farm of Burress Brothers, San Benito,
Texas. These Mexicans pick and place the onions In crates at 5 cents
per crate.
right time to bring tho harvest when there exists tho greatest scarcity In
tho north.
At San Benito there aro twelve months of growing season. Those who
raise onions or cabbage can, if they choose, also raiso a crop of cotton and
ono oi corn on mo samo ground ana ail within tho same year.
Burress Brothers now havo a splendid crop of cotton almost knee high
growing -between their rows of cabbage which they are still harvesting.
In addition to this thoy havo a fino crop of cucumbers growing in tho cab
bage rows. In this way thoy have threo full crops growing on tho samo
ground at tho same timo. This is such a remarkable statement tq make ,
to you farmers of tho north that wo havo decided to have a photograph
mado of these three crops which wo will publish in a future announcement.
Not only will Burress Brothers harvest these three crops all within tho
year but thoy will havo plenty of time after tho cabbage, cucumbers and
cotton aro out of tho way to raise a crop of lato corn on tho samo ground.
Burress Brothers are harvesting about 15,000 pounds of
BERMUDA ONIONS to the acre.
Onions aro now worth about two cents per pound freo on board tho cars
at San Benito. Slnco tho yield is from ten to twonty thousand pounds
per acre, the profits aro very large.
Wo do not want tho reader to think that tho farmer at San Benito must
depend for his profits on onions and cabbage. Tho variety of products horo
is greater than perhaps in any other section of the United States. If you
havo read our former announcements you havo somo Idea as to tho possibili
ties hero in the raising of alfalfa, sugar cane, cotton, corn, sorghum, fruits,
berries, melons and other products.
Wo will close by tolling you how Mr. Powell Is coming on with his eight
and one-half acres of cabbage. In our last announcement wo showed a
picture of his cabbage field after ho had taken off $2,000 worth of cabbage.
Sinoo that photograph was made Mr. Powell has sold another $500 worth,1
thus making $2,500 as tho total up to date from Ms eight and ono-half
acres of cabbage. Mr. Powell estimates that a little more than half has
been sold. You may think this is an exception but wo assure you that if
you como to San Benito wo will Introduce you to a number of cabbage
growors who are doing equally well. Mu.b
For further Information write for our illustrated booklet. Address:
San Benito Land & Water Co.
P. 0. Box B, San Benito, Texas.
c Alba Heywood, President and General Manager.
reJaTioHa?"" " "" ' BurrC" . Sau Benito, Tc-.,
VVSmFmvvmEmvswmTt
y-sjm
te
lg"?g?;,,M!
"i"" in .l.Ullll
';iiijiii mimo.
u
BBWBH