The times., 1898-10-09
Big money IN MELONS
How the Ground Fruit is
Grown Out West.
A NEW LUSCIOUS KIND
How Some Western Growers Were
Led TO Cultivate Particularly
Fine QuaIity OF CantaIoupe-In
the Enst Ii Is Said to Command a
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 over1owed with the luscious
fruit, until in Kasas City, says the Times
of that place the best of them have been
sold practically for song. The famous
old Rocky Ford melon through Ii all
has kept up the price, and all efforts TO
secure IL 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 TO 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 MIR. Swink planted a canta-
loupe seed on his farm near Rocky Ford.
The first years effort was not sue
cess, but the next year he produced a
melon that was far superior TO anything
ever placed in the market before The
experience. planted small crops of the
little melons. and since then the Rocky
Ford has steadily Increased in reputa-
ton. until at present it is well known
throughout the United States. The Rocky
Ford is an aristocratic melon. 1t is serv-
ed in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New
York, as well as the Palace Hotel in
Fy, avlarr md a
wonderful price and this prevents its
consumption TO any great extent except
by the princes and other potentates with
dainty appeiites 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 to 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 as
his land viii 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 fieurishes with an evenness
that can almost be noticed No sudden
growth for a 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 riDen prepara-
tiOns are made to get the melons onto the
market without delay. Agents are select
ed in ali 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 We're required. They were repre-
scented merely by the rough boards. This
many carloads We're equal TO 1000 crates
II takes that many. according to expert
calculations 10 hold the fruit When the
fruit ripens the farmers begin TO ship
The melons are gathered twice a day
They are Grated forty-five juicy ones to
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 10 unload. Each producer is
given a receipt for his melons. y 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 IL 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 il
should be picked. Melon growing in the
Rocky Ford district is a science as well
as profession
An idea of the immensity of the bust
ness is gathered when It is figured that
i20,0 600 crates are necessary. This means
So. 400 In number the melons viii amount
10 500 900. and as retailed by the dealer
involves a sum equal to $270,00 at 5 cents
apiece as they are sold in Kansas City.
At $50 crates to a car 1t is equal TO about
thirty trainloads of melons, counting
twelve cars 10 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 in time the law
Of natural selection will get in its work.