Evening journal., 1892-08-13
THAT LUSCIOUS MELON.
Piles of This Fruit From New
Jersey Now on the Streets.
A VERY PROFITABLE BUSINESS.

n Nbhl MI AAhb1H bo1AN1t'N,
The Arrest Yesterday of Fourteen Jersey
Truckers for violating a City Ordinance
Reminds the People of the Watermelon
and CantaIoupe Raising Industry Popu-
lar and Choice Varieties OF the Re-
nowned Summer Fruit.
The score Of dealers arrested yesterday
for selling melons and garden truck in
this market are not worrying themselves
even little bit The action of Judge
Ball IN releasing the men on their own
recognizance but voices the general senti
mcnt throughout the city that there is
"a niger IN the fence" somewhere. just
whore that niger is, and who he is, is
pretty shrewdly suspected. All the
dealers and many Of their friends firmly
believe that the originator Of this move
resulting in the Wholesale arrest was
none other thana former partner of one
of the dealers in question but whose
name, they claim, it would not now be
policy to divulge. He was actuatcd by
! jealousy, pure and simple.
The dealers, both at the New Jersey
market at Fourth and King streets and
at the market foot of Church street. are
doing, Just now, an immense business, in
melons especially. Few Wilmingtonians
who eat the luscious watermelon or the
delicious cantaloupe stop 10 inquire
whore they come from Almost everyone
in market now Is raised in and around
Salem, Gloucester county N. j.
The Diamond State Cannot Compete.
Delaware is a pretty good state The
climate is such that there is hardly a
season of the year that does not produce
table delcacies and Injuries, but melons
are not the states strong point. In the
extreme southern part OF the peninsula
some are grown, but not in any remarka
BILE quantity and they are, almost with
out exception, shipped north. Indeed
IL Is safe TO say that the average VIII
mington man viii not eat a Delaware
raised melon. whether water or canta-
loupe, once I'm ten years.
The first arrivals are from the far
South, Of course, and as the season ad-
vances shipments come gradually from
more Northern points, but Wilmington
does not enjoy the very acme Of a melon
until supplied by our bucolic friends of
Jersey. The Delaware melon If the
truth must be told, is apt to be coarse
and deficient in flavor, under general
, cultivation, and the melons coming early
in the season from Georgia and Alabama
seem TO loose much OF their freshness
before reaching us The trip from New
Jersey, however, is but short, and he
who eats an Icing melon just arrived
from Salem partakes of that beside which
the fabled ambrosa of the ancient gods
were insipidity itself
Some ofthe Choicest Varieties.
The "lcing" is the favorite Of all
watermelons; highly favored, yet delicate,
with white seeds and a flesh of blushing
pinkness 10 is a very fair keeper too.
Next ia epicurean estimation comes the
Florida Favorito, and following this in
regular order are the "Kolb Gem,
pride Of Georgia" and "Johnson's Dixie
The Gem" is. par excellence. the melon
q of the multitude, and was originated by
Kolb. the well-known grower of Georgia
10 has the peculiar striped skin unknown
until within comparatively short time lis
long and heavy and an excellent keeper
Growers claim that the Northern grown
Gem is superior to that Of the South.
q IT'S "a Profitable Business.
Even the casual observer, as he walks
5 along the street and sees the piles OF
b melons before the many stores. must be
d impressed with the fact that the bust
. ness is Of no mean dimensions. Nor viii
S he be mistaken He may be surprised
y however, TO know that Wilmington, at
s low calculation. Is consuming som,
e 10000 melons, including cantaloupes
! weekly, and a goodly sum of money Il
. continually changing hands throughout
. the season.
. Attorney ward Has n Mint.
The price for watermelons varies from
So a hundred for culls TO S15, SIS an,
even $50 for primes Cantaloups, on nc
count of the recent drouth in New Jer
, soy, are just now 80 poor that they ar
{ hardly worth quoting, but the rains o
the last day or two are bringing then
y forward in great shape and Attorne
, Ward, who has charge of the defense il
the case of the accused Jerseymen
might well be content TO accept as par
n of his fee the tender Of a satisiactor
=. quantity of the luscious product Of tn
NJ vine to be delivered daily throughout tn
u season.
'r Mutual Condolences.