The evening times., 1898-10-12
Big money IN MELONS
How the Ground Fruit is
Grown Out West.
A NEW LUSCIOUS KIND
How Some Western Growers Were
Led to Cultivate a Particularly
Fine Quality of CantalOupe-In
the East 1t Is Said to Command n
Much Higher Price Than Others.

This year has been an unprecedented one
in the cantaloupe market. The entire
country from Staten Island to Pixies
Peak has overfiowed with the luscious
fruit, until In Kasas City, says the Times
of that place, the best of them have been
sold practically for a song. The famous
old Rocky Ford melon through it all
has kept up the price, and all efforts to
secure 1t at a less price have failed
miserably.
Huston Baker. of the commission firm
of III. c. Garth, returned the other day
from a three weeks visit 10 the Rocky
Ford district of Colorado. He Is en-
thused with the melons, and tells great
tales OF the way in which the Rocky
Ford comes to the market. He says:
George ". Swink is the originator of
the Rocky Ford melon. About twenty
years ago Mr.. Swink planted a canta-
loupe seed on his farm near Rocky Ford.
The first years effort was not a sue
cess, but the next year he produced a
melon that was far superior to anything
ever placed in the market before. The
next year his neighbors. profiting by his
experience, planted small crops of the
little melons, and since then the Rocky
Ford has steadily increased in reputa-
ton, until at present 1t Is well known
throughout the United States. The Rocky
Ford is an aristocratic melon. II is serv-
ed in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New
York, as well as the Palace Hotel in
Denver. In the East il commands
wonderful price. and this prevents its
consumption to any great extent except
by the princes and other potentates with
dainty appetites and fastidious stomachs.
The district in which the Rock Ford
melon is grown extends for fifty miles
in the La Junta country. The country
is divided into prosperous farms which
are devoted exclusively 10 raising the
cantaloupe. The farmers have formed
an association, incorporated under the
laws of Colorado. Business is transacted
through the officers of the association,
and in this way a glut in the market is
rendered impossible
Each farmer plants as many melons
his land will allow. Out there rain is
scarce and irrigation is necessary. To
this fact is attributed the delicious flavor
for which the melons are known. They
are maintained at an even temperature
the year round. No Summer showers
wash the dirt from the roots or cover
the vines with soil. The Rocky Ford
day by day fourishes with an evenness
that can almost be noticed. No sudden
growth for few days and as sudden
ceasing on account of cold weather. The
climate of Colorado is an even one. and
melons demand just such conditions.
As the crop begins to ripen prepara-
tions are made to get the melons onto the
market without delay. Agents are select
ed in all the principal cities. and the as
sociation gets ready for business. Crates
are purchased in car lots.
For this years crop forty carloads of
crates were required. They were repre-
sented merely by the rough boards. This
many carloads were equal TO 120,0 600 crates.
II takes that many, according to expert
calculations to hold the fruit. When the
fruit ripens the farmers begin to ship.
The melons are gathered twice a day.
They are Grated forty-ffve juicy ones 10
a box and taken 10 the shipping station.
The day Mr.. Garth was in La Junta a
string of wagons three miles long was in
line waiting to unload. Each producer is
given receipt for his melons. A dupli-
cate Is taken to the association offices,
and here his individual account is credit
| ed. A settlement is made each week with
| the producers. The association directors
also have weekly meeting and take such
action to protect themselves as may be
| necessary.
| A peculiar thing about the manner in
| which the association is managed, and to
show its completeness, is the fact that the
| directors last Winter placed the price for
| Rocky Ford cantaloupes at 81 1-2 cents per
| crate of forty-five melons. All through
| the season they can be purchased for
| nothing more or less, and their ability TO
| secure what they ask has never met with
| disaster. The melons are packed carefully
and are placed in refrigerator cars A
| good lot of Rocky Ford cantaloupes are
| kept sometimes for five or six weeks. Such
| Is the soundness of the melon and the
| Judgment of the grower as to when ii
| should be picked. Melon growing-in the
| Rocky Ford district is a science as well
as profession.
An idea of the immensely of the busi-
ness is gathered when it is figured that
| 10000 crates are necessary. This means
| to the growers, at 81 1-2 cents per crate,
| $95, 400. In number the melons will amount
| to 5,400, 900, and as retailed by the dea Ter
| involves sum equal to s270,000 at 5 cents
| apiece, as they are sold in Kansas City.
| AT $50 crates to car it is equal to about
| thirty trainloads of melons counting
| twelve cars TO a train.
Such is the wonderful record made by a
very small territory of this progressive
| West. What one commonly does for the
| business of the world there are possibili-
ties for other sections, and I'M time the law
| of natural selection will get in its work.