The daily gazette., 1882-08-15
MELONS AND POTATOES.
THE Work OF SHIPPING
WATERMELONs.
PEgHseROVB's CHIEF INDUSTRY
BIg season and Prospects Of q Good
Yield of Sweet Potatoes-AIeIons by the
Thousand, and Everybody Eats Them.

Almost the first thing that greets the eva
upon stepping from the deck of the Susi,
A. Mccall at Pennsgrove is a Watermelon
rind, and ali the way from the dock TO III.
railroad station, remains Of the .watery bui
cooling fruit are TO be seen. Everything re
minds one that he Is in Jersey, and every
body. eats watermelon. In the park sur
rounding Ffench's hotel groups of melon
caters are constantly to be seen, and shining
happy eyes gleam from the top of green
white and red creseents on the every side
Boariing house keepers and private families
consume melons withoSst end, being very
cheap and very filling. The portion OF ths
population not directly Interested In melons
stand around and tell yarns about the stur.
geon catches.
At tthe station of the West Jersey railroad
busy scene is found. All day long farmere
are driving up with wagons full Of water.
melons, and there they load them in freight
cars for shipment. The season opened last
wednesday, when one ear load was sent
away. One car was shipped each day the
remainder of the week, but yesterday the
season had fairly opened, and about 5000
melons were handled by two men, who
count as they load.
All the melons raised in the neighborhood
are bought up by two flrms-Justice g. Son
OF Fredericktown, and 4. A. Garrison of
Swedesboro-who are paying from $l2 to
$3.50 per hundred delivered in the cars.
but the price was expected to fall to-day TO
$40. The melons are shipped by the pur-
chasers to commission men in New York,
Boston, Philadelphia and other cities. One
car load yesterday, started direct for Cleve-
land, Ohio.
The wagons hold about 105 melons each
and car contains about 200 The break
age, unless the fruit is very ripe, is small.
The average being one In hundred. A
wagon of melons weighs about u tons, and
the size this year is somewhat below last
season, owing no doubt To dry weather. The
quality, however, makes up for the size, and
the quantity is not to be complained off.
Nearly all the farmers in the vicinity raise
more or less melons, ,and on one patch of 5L
acres one man expects to pick about 12, 900
this season, the profit on which will not fall
short $500, as S100 per acre is frequently
cleared. 554afr rT0,S
Watermelons pay better than grain, al
though requiring more care and attention,
first being planted in hills about 8 feet apart
and then carefully watched and weeded.
Some raisers calculate ON procuring one
prime melon to hill, while others look for
two. Frequently the vines keep ON bearing
all the season and fruit can be picked every
day. This year one picking will about
exhaust the vines.
The season will last about 10 days, and
about 100 900 melons will be received at the
railroad station. Some few are shipped to
Wilmington On tile Mccall, pIL II pays the
farmers better to deal directly with the two
firms mentioned, as they are saved all
bother and trouble. They know that they
will be paid for exactly the number OF
melons placed upon the cars, at which point
their responsibility ceases, and the fear of
breakage, non-sale and poor prices never
enters their minds.
The prices this year are good. OF the
whole number raised very small percentage
are shipped direct by the growers, although
the MeCall brings number to Wilmington
per every trip, and one or two local dealers
cater TO the wants Of the village. The retail
price varies from 30 to 10 cents. SO far
there are no large melons, and the size runs
very regular.
In about 10 days the season, which will
be at its height tomorrow, will be about
ended. Sweet potatoes will next claim at
tention, and opinion as to the prospects for
the yield vary. Some say the drought will
materially diminish the yield; but that as
a great many were planted the quantity
will about make up the allowance. Others
assert that the indications for good supply
are excellent. The potatoes, like the
melons, will be bought by the parties who
will handle them the same way.