The “Texas sweet onion” came from Bermuda in 1898 and never left. Texas also produces many other varieties of onions, but perhaps none as famous as this one.
http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/publications/onions/onionhis.html
THE ONION THAT CAME TO TEXAS BUT NEVER LEFT THE SAME
ONIONS are Texas’ leading vegetable crop. Onion sales bring the state between $70 and $100 million per year and the onion industry has an overall impact of about $350 million per year on the Texas economy. Most of the sweet yellow onions, which people all over the world enjoy because you can “eat them like an apple”, can trace their origin to the Lone Star state.
TEXAS SWEET ONIONS CAME FROM THE BERMUDA ISLANDS IN 1898
The sweet onions from Texas started when the Bermuda onion was introduced into South Texas in 1898 when a packet of onion seed was planted near Cotulla. The onions were shipped in 1899 to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they were so enthusiastically received that a larger acreage was planted.
By 1904, approximately 500 acres of Bermuda onions were planted in South Texas. In spring, 1907, 1,011 carloads of onions were shipped from South and Southwest Texas; in 1908, production had more than doubled, and in 1909, 12 counties shipped 2,920 carloads. Shipments reached 6,735 carloads in 1917; this figure was not exceeded until 1928 and 1929 when the total movements were 7,055 and 7,232 carloads, respectively. The largest movement in 50 years for a single season was 10,164 carloads in 1946.
The Canary Islands, principally Teneriffe Island, produced most of the onion seed planted in Texas until about 1946. The two types of Bermuda onions generally grown in Texas were the Yellow Bermuda and White Bermuda and Crystal Wax.
2 May 1919, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal-Gazette, pg. 20 ad:
Texas Sweet Onions, lb., 12c
10 April 1963, Chicago Tribune, pg. B4:
One of the more boring aspects of a governor’s work must be signing all of the proclamations that help to promote a state’s agricultural surpluses. John Conally, governor of Texas, officially has proclaimed this to be “South Texas Sweet and Mild Onion week.”
South Texas sweet and mild onions are now in midwestern markets. Their publicity agents declare them to have a truly different taste and report that this flavor in onions cannot be achieved elsewhere than in “the magic valley of south Texas.”
(Trademark)
Word Mark E & S, INC. TEXAS ONIONS SPRING SWEET FRESH FROM THE FIELDS
Goods and Services (ABANDONED) IC 031. US 001 046. G & S: ONIONS. FIRST USE: 19980301. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19980301
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Design Search Code
Serial Number 75451188
Filing Date March 16, 1998
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Owner (APPLICANT) ELMORE & STAHL, INC. CORPORATION TEXAS P. O. BOX 730 PHARR TEXAS 78577
Attorney of Record MICHAEL J DALEY
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Abandonment Date January 31, 1999