Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-08-10
ABOUT wATERMELoMs.


ers, considered the best in the country, and
that there are more melons raised in Anne
Arundel county alone than in any other one
county in the United States. The soil Of
| Anne Arundel county is said to be particular
! ly adapted to melon culture, as it is light,
| warm and sandy. The melon grower gets his
ground in the best possible order early in the
spring, frequently plowing it twice and hav-
ing it highly manured and pulverized before
the melons are planted. About the first Of
May the ground is laid off in hills, ten feet
apart, and in each hill is placed a quantity of
stable manure. The seed is thea planted and
1.-the vines are then tended much in the man.
Iner of corn. only the work does not last AZ
| long, as the vines soon cover the ground SO
completely that it is impossible to cultivate
| them. The melons arrive at maturity in
| about ten or twelve weeks and are then ship
ped to the city by pungies. The first melons
| that arrive in this market come from Savan-
nah, the next from South Carolina, then
North Carolina and Virginia and then Anne
| Arundel county melons. Melons are neither
good nor plentiful unit, the Maryland crop
| comes upon the market. Savannah melons
generally commence appearing in our markets
about the first of July, and those from the
Carolinas and Virginia from one to two weeks
later. The Maryland melons commence ar
irving about the 25th of July, and are abund-
ant until the 1st Of September. The crop of
Jersey melons are not ready for market until
after the crop of Anne Arundel county melons
are gone, and then the Jersey melons go to
supply the late New York, Boston and Phila,
delphia markets. The Georgia, Carolina and
Virginia melons that go to the North from the
i early markets here, bring from $40 to $50 per
hundred. These prices gradually fall until
the Anne Arundel county melons commence
coming on at prices ranging from $50 to S25
per hundred, but after a few days the prices
fall from So to $40 per hundred. Before the
war, when labor was cheaper than 1T Is at
present, melons could be raised with profit
for SIS and 50 per hundred. At the present
bo ,aioa1 uyifh r,roff for
less than $40 per hundred. Melons are the
main crop of Anne Arundel county, and the
only crop that brings cash readily. This year
there are over $500 acres planted in Anne
Il Arundel county, and as the season haS been
dry and in other ways unusually favorable,
the crop promises to be the largest ever raised
in that county.
1t is estimated that an are OF ground will pro.
duce 1000 good marketable melons, end II this IL
the ease, Anne Arundsl county will alone producs
2,500.000 melons. Melon vines require very little
rain during their growth, and after the melon has
| formed on the vine the dews furnish moisture
enough to keep the vines growing. When there
are frequent md heavy ra'us during the melon
| season the vines become diseased, anu rot before
the fruit is developed. The pl ucipal and most
| iayorte varletic, of melons among the produce
dealers, are known as the Gypsies, Georgians
Taylor, Grays and Mountain Sweets. The ayp
sizes are tho iavorite melon. as they can be shipped
in close cars several hundred miles, and Weeh
alter being picked they will still retain hrm and
bright appearance. baitlmore uOeb not coneutnt
one. twentieth part OF the melons raised in Aunt
Arundel county, as the bulk OF the crop Is shipped
| to the Nolthern and Eastern cities. The farmer
ships his melons 70 this city BY puugies, and 1t s
NO Unusual sight to see seventy and eighty YES
sels living ut Pratt street whAif loaded to the va
| ter's edge with melons. There are several other
whsvves where fully as mrny mora vsssels stoI
to discharge their ,csrgoes. The melons are gen
, ers,ly consigned 10 some produce merchant y
this city, who send them to other cities aud sci
Z them, returning the proceeds to the ovner, ate
ldeductiuR his commission. One Of the leadiul
produce hrms Of this city has already engaged 4
handle over 100000 melons for farmers ON Me
gothy river, Anne Arundel oouaty. Thee melon
90 to Boston, Philadelphia. New York, Cinc'u
nstti, Pittsbure and u number OF other cities
Durlng ths melon season II 10 customary to ss'
the entire deck room Of tho Boston sleameis GOV
=. cred with melons to the depth Of four fact
the weather continues dry the prospects arc tina
= there will be more melons shipped this yesr thu
ever before. The great profits derived from mel
on culture ave induced many 70 mers along th
Eastern Shore to plant large tracts this year, an
with the present hattering prospects from Aun
Arundel county, and the equally Aatterng one
lfrom Eastern Shore, melons are likely TO be
drug ON the market. .-BakiDaore American.
y. KEEP WEEDS DowN.-C. G. Fuller, of Mass
II ", +ha 1or,m1akOfpn TeIs0rdDh Saws it ia DOC