The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-30
u might have been after she went down

capabilities rs any man in this city, A num-
Der OF the large commission merchants
were also very kind in Informing me about
the details of the business.
As soon as the melon season opens the
assistant superintendent OF the Savannah,
Florida and Western removes his head
quarters from Savannah to Naldosta, Ga,
which is in the heart Of the Georgia melon
country. Valdosta is in the center OF
Lowndes county and about mid way between
the eastern and western boundaries OF the
state. Immediately upon the assistant
superintendent's removal to Valdosta the
agents OF the line in New York, Boston,
Philadelphia and Baltimore begin TO send
him daily telegraphic advices as TO the
prices, condition OF market, number of ar
rivals and the state of the weather. All
these items are Of great Importance to the
shippers, and the information is sent en-
| tirely for their benefit. The kilograms ar Q
posted at all the stations along the line, SO
that every melon grower, when he rides
into town in the evening after his drink OF
Georgia lightning this is the writer's insln-
uation, not Mr.. Hashagen's. but it is
| founded on fact, can tell how the market
stands in the large eastern cities. aud
whether it will be better for him to ship
next day to New York, Boston, Philadel-
phia or Baltimore.
Empty cars are ready on all the sidings,
takes them to Savannah in from four to ten
hours. There the melons go Immediately
into the holds Of the Savannah line steam
ers, which bring them to New York in
thirty six hours or less, so that from the
most distant Georgia melon fields the fruit
is in New York markets with n forty-six
hours of its picking. This much tune does
not injure the melon in the least; on the
contrary it Is 30 short that they may be
picked perfectly ripe. Some Georgia melons
reach this city by the Pennsylvania rail-
road, These melons go to Savannah in the
same way as the others, and instead OF going
aboard the boat there they are forwarded
by the Atlantic Coast Line Of which the
Pennsylvania railroad forms the northern
section. This way Is little quicker, and
costs a little more.
The melons that come from Georgia are
always estimated by the carload, even
when they reach New York by steamer,
because they have to travel 10 the cars
before they get 10 Savannah. A freight
car holds Just about l 200 melons of average
size, and nearly 900 carloads have been re-
ceived this season, making 600, 900 Georgia
melons received in New York alone, besides
all that have gone to Boston. Philadelphia
and Baltimore. But all this is only share
OF the Georgia melon business, for there is
rail communication between South Georgia
and all the populous centers of the north
and west, and her melons go there IN
quantities almost beyond belief. With such
outlets there is no danger Of overproduction.
When the melons reqch New York they
90 into the hands of the commission mer-
chants, and any New Yorker who wishes to
soc how the commission merchants handle
them must go down to West street very late
at night or very early In the mOrning.
There long rows OF tents and sheds are
erected for their reception, and the melons
go direct from the boats TO the tents. Even
those that come through by rail must come
to New Y ork proper in boats, 30 West street
is the grand market for them.
The business hours there are from $3.50
O'Clock in the morning until about o'clock,
and in these four and half hours from
twenty to thirty carloads are received aud
disposed Of every day. Wagons come from
all over the city to get them, and West
street and some Of the cross streets are as
much blockaded by she press of wagons all
night as they are at midday. All the mar
ketnen and other dealers buy their water
melons in West street. and the days supply
must be bought before O'Clock In the
morning.
To bring melons from any point in South
Georgia to New York by way of Savannah
and the boats costs from to 10 cents each.
The prices, Of course. vary every day, but
from IS to 1S cents each is said to be a fair
average This Is the Wholesale price; the
retailer must have nearly 100 per cent
profit, 20 a melon that the grower gets z
cents for costs US about 81 cents 10 the city
The Georgia melon business, beginning
early in June, lasts as long as they can be
sent north proftabiy. The FIRST competitors
come from the Carolinas, and then meloas
begin to straggle in from Virginia and
Maryland Last Of al! come the New Jer-
sey and Long Island melons. Melons can
be brought here from Virginia, an water
transportation, fer 3 cents each. When the
Long Islanders and New Jerseymen become
plentiful, the Georgians generally stop ship
ping. But If the northern crop should be
short. the Georgians would continue to
come throughout the season.
This has been an unusually good melon
year both north and south. The New
Jersey melons found their way to market
on the Aug. IL, and the southern business
is now ended for the season. The price, of
course, drops when our northern melons ar
rive, as they have no freight to pay.
Jerseymen can be bought now for Is to 20
cents at retail and to IL cents wholesale,
and at these prices they cannot proftably
be shipped from the south.
One sad fact We must look boldly in the
face. We never in New York sat water
melon in its best estate | have ventured
to write several times that we get better
peaches in New York than can be bought
in Delaware, better grapes than you can
buy in the grape regions Of Central New
York, and as good oranges as can be had in
Florida; but in watermelons we must with
a blush retire before our master the farmer
who raises them. Not always the farmer
either, for he has no facilities generally for
cooling them. In some years of acQuaint-
ance with watermelon countries. mot the
West Indies, where anything the size of a
squash would pass for huge melon, l
think have really eaten watermelon only
once. That was some years ago when l
was sitting with Gen. Van Worst under d
big tree in his backyard near Milford, Del,
with 225,000 peach trees all around US
loaded down to the ground and when the
general called darkv aud told him:
bring us watermelon out Of the ice
house, Gumbo, and bring couple Of bot
ties of extra dry with it"
That melon had riud like an eg2Shell,
an interior like red honey, and it was eaten
with proper sauce. The Long Island and
New Jersey truckmen might bring US the
delicate thin-shelled melons If they choose
but they find it more profitable to raise
hardy ones for a certainty than TO raise
delicate ones on the chance of getting a
fancy price.
Mr.. Hashagen tells me something about
the more delicate aud less profitable melons.
The watermelon crop in Georgia." he
says, furnishes business at a time when
no other commodities are moving, and
gives employment to large number of
people The melons that are snipped to this