Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1914 — Onion Harvest Now Under Full Sway [ARTICLE]

Onion Harvest Now Under Full Sway

Dr. Turfler is well under way in harvesting his 23 acjres of onions on the west side of the road at the Burke bridge north of town. This ground, which had been considered practically worthless all these years, had dried out enough since the digging of the Iroquois river ditch to permit of its being worked, and this is the first crop raised thereon. It is probable that this is the best field of onions raised in Jasper county this year, and they will probably yield about 500 bushels to the acre right through, although some have placed upon the yield a larger estimate than this, it is claimed that one acre yielded a little over 1,000 bushels, but this is considerably guess wmrk as the ground was not measured except by pacing it off. But if Dr. Turfler receives 50 cents a bushel for the crop right through, it will bring him in a nice big bunch of money as one year's returns just the same, and this, too, from ground that ten or fifteen years ago could hardly have been given away. ,

Dr. Turfler also has 5014 acres of onions near Kniman and 2% acres near Gifford, but these are not quite as good as those out by the Burke bridge. ,

B. Forsythe, who has acres on a part of his muck ground northwest of town, estimates that the best of his crop will yield from 400 to 500 bushels per acre, and will probably average from 300 to 400 bushels per acre. Mr. Forsythe put out 16 acres of onions last spring but lost two acres from a heavy wind, which blew the dirt off and seed out of the ground. He will use a sprinkling system next year to prevent this when the muck becomes too dry. His crop was also hurt somewhat from the drouth this season.

There are between 1,000 and 1,100 acres of onions in about Xewland and Gifford, and the early onions are quite good but the iate planted ones will not yield very heavily, in fact some of them are not much of any good. T. M Callahan, who has parties raising onions there for him on shares, says that his early planted ones are good and will probably run from 400 to GOO bushels per acre. He will have about 10,00 u bushels.

At present there is really no market for onions at all, it is said. It is too early to put them in storage and all that are being sold are for present use. Those here having storage facilities will hold their crop until winter or spring, when the is usually much better than early fall, the market being glutted at this time by shipments of growers who have no facilities for storing.