Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-15
RUINED BYRAINS.
THE MELON MOVEMENT DRAW.
ING To A CLOSE.


Shipments Rapidly Falling OR-The
Crop not Half What was Expected
Heavy Losses Prevented by Good
Priees-The Aggregate shipment.
Assistant Superintendent Haines, Of the
savannah. Florida and Western Railway.
returned yesterday morning from VAL
dosta. where he has been superintend-
ing the movement Of the melon crop Of
South Georgia since the opening Of the
season. He was called upon by a reporter
Of the MORNING NEWS, and in reply to
an inquiry II the melon season was now
over, said;
sThere are a number Of shipments yet
to be made, consisting Of few car loads
every day or two, but the bulk Of the crop
has gone forward
s'What viii the remaining shipments
aggregatei'
about fifty car loads"
SHOW many have been shipped over the
Savannah, Florida and Western up TO
datey'
Il cannot give the exact number, and
prefer that you wait until the statement
for the entire season shall have been COM
pleted before undertaking to make a re-
port. The shipments up to this time, how
ever. aggregate, in round numbers, about
I.1J0 car loads. This is about one-half
Of what the growers expected the yield
would be. Early in the season when went
10 NaldOsta, the early crop was in most
promising condition but the June rains
flooded MANY Of the fields, causing the
fruit 10 drop from the vine. The growers
IN going over the field saw what were APP
parently good melons cut on in this way.
The cool weather and the rains completely
ruined the late crop, the fruit being ex-
ceedingly small, unripe and unmarked
able"
"What reports have been received from
the crops shipped during the season
ssThe returns have been very satisfac-
tory TO the growers. The price has kept
well up and there was very little loss.
In fact nearly all the melons were deliY-
cred in the markets in fine condition.
Chow has the fruit averaged as to
sizeg'
.sThere were a few carloads of large
and handsome melons which commanded
fancy prices, but the majority were Of
medium size, say twenty-pOund melons.
The growers have reduced the
cultivation Of the fruit to a science, and
if the season had been favorable they
would have had a bonanza. They have
succeeded in raising a crop between the
Augusta and the Pearson melon which
has shown good returns. One grower has
shipped what he calls the hOlD NEON,
species which is very round with a
thin skin. very red heart and with black
seeds. These melons are very deceptive
in appearance, weighing more than a
person would estimate who is not familiar
with them. l presume there will in
few years be as many varieties OF the
fruit as there are different varieties Of
oranges. Every grower has his favOrite."
"Have the first cars met the eXpecta-
tiOns Of shippersEr
'.Yes. / have heard no complaints rela-
tive TO the cars, and up 10 this time have
heard OF no improvements suggested in
that connection. The truth of the matter
is. melon will bear shipment long
distance in a car when properly loaded"
''YOu estimate that about !, $50 car loads
have been handled by the company during
the season. OF this number how many
have come to Savannah
about One-half. The other portion
was shipped west via Jesup or Albany"