The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-21
THE MELON GROWERS.
The Disadvantages to Which They Have
Been subjected by the Railroads.

Been Subjected by the Railroads.
ALBANY, Ga, August 14.-[Special. THE
melon growers are not happy. The season has
virtually closed, and many of them, in fact the
great majority find themselves out of pocket.
They have had months of hard work, too, and
disappointments enough to dishearten men in
almost any other occupation.
Melon growing in south Georgia is compare
lively new industry, and in the language of
one of the planters, they have not caught on
to it yet" 1t is hoped that by united actien
they may place this still crudo industry upon
a paying basis.
The old song states very truthfully that "the
iarmer s life is not happy one" 1t certainly
Is not If he is u raiser of Georgia melons.
The melons OF this section by the last
few years cultivation have great
~ improved, and~ have nearly attained
perfection as q luscious and grateful summer
fruit. The celebrated Jones melon, the Kolb
Gem and other improved varieties, are a diff
fereut fruit from the melon of ten years ago.
Not only have they improved in sweetness
and flavor, but have evolved into an immense
SIZE. just think of wagon loads of water
melons being brought into market weighing
from 90 to 20 pounds each. If person had
predicted such a development of the melon
few years ago, he would have been laughed to
scorn and placed upon the list with Munchau-
sen and Mulhatton.
The consumption of melons throughout the
country keeps pace with their production. The
increasing acreage of the last few seasons finds
a corresponding growth in the demand for
them from all portions of tho country, Chill
dren cry for them, and the grown folks, too,
from Maine to Colorado and from Minnesota
to the gulf.
If the melons have been brought up to such
state of perfection and the demand so great
Tor them, why should the growth of them be
Such an unsuccessful and unremunerative in
dustry?
A talk with the melon growers could alone
solve this enigma and chat with them clio
tied the following facts:
The growth and sale of the Georgia water
melon is hedgad about with many difficulties
From the time the seed is planted the drouth
commences. Many insects and vermin prey
upon Them chief among the pests are the field
mice which dearly love the seed of the melon
ana frequently their ravages are so great that
the whole crop has TO be planted over. Often
the seasons are not propitious a chilling frost
may ruin the young plants. Replanting and
backward seasons render the crop O late one,
and then before many can be shipped away
the markets become glutted by melons raised
at nearer points and sold at very low prices
The melons in 10 other portion of the country
equal in quality the south Georgia melons, but
still they are melons; they are cheap, and
they sell.
Said Mr. J. r. Forester the largest melon
grower perhaps in the state; "The
great difficulty with the melon
industry here Is the difficulty
in obtaining transportation facilities. A seri-
Gus trouble is a singular rule among the rail-
roads that cars belonging to certain railroad
can only be sent along that road. Thus, if you
desire to ship a load Of melons to the Louisville
and Nashville road and the Central railroad
only supplies you with Cincinnati Southern
cars, you cannot send your car load when YOU
want to, but are compelled to send on that
road, and vice versa. The trouble is the roads
have not a sufliciency of fruit cars. The Sa-
vannah, Florida and Western railway have
none at all. and the Central railroad but 70
cars, while they shipped many thousands
There are great delays occasionally causing
much loss. Here is an instance in point" and
Mr.. Forester produced railroad freight bill
II shipped this car" he remarked, "to Deca-
tur, Illinois. 1t should, with due diligence,
have reached its destination in five days. 1t
was ten days on the way, and the result was
half the melons were decayed / paid the
railroads 1925 freight on the car, and now the
consignee writes me to send him S6.95 addi-
tional, which / shall do, as he writes he is that
much out on them"
sit costs $40 per car to raise melons," OBJ
served grower who heard the above remark,
"and it would not pay to sell them at any such
price"
A grower here had find load Of melons,
which he was offered $50 for at the depot. a
soliciting agent advised him not TO sell for that
amount, as he could realize much more for 1t
in Atlanta. The confident farmer turned it
over to him and received 31l net for the sale
The complaints OF the molon growers from the
above examples can be summed up as follows:
The railroads charge IN excessive freight tariff
their supply Of fruit cars is insufficient they
have delayed freights to the great loss Of the
shippers. The commission men are generally
reliable,