The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-18
MELON CROP VERY SHORT.
ESTIMATED TO BE 500 CARS LESS
THAN THAT OF LAST YEAR.

Surh nm Estimate Regarded Con-
servative and Decrease May BE
Greater shipments Over Plant
System Alone HIVE Fallen on
1000 Cars Up TO the Present-June
Rains Responsible for Shortage.
Growers Have Practically stopped
Shippina - Low Prices Prevail,
Quality of Melons Is Poor and Con-
dition of Crop Generally Unsatis-
factory.
The shipment OF watermelons from the
interior counties of the state TO Northern
markets has about ended. Either the
best part Of the crop has been exhausted
or else the growers have found 1t IN
profitable to ship their melons to be sold
at the present market prices.
The crop is short this year by perhaps
$500 cars. This time lass year the Plant
System, which handles the bulk of the
Georgia crop. had transported 1900 cars Of
melons. while Master of Transportation
FIaylow Informed a Morning News repor-
ter yesterday that up to dale but 1000
cars had been handled. With the decrease
in shipments over the other lines which
also carry watermelons, it is altogether
probable that the aggregate of decrease
will be not less than 1900 cars, and that
Il may be more.
0ir. Haylow accounts for the decrease
by recalling the damage done the crop
by the excessive rains that obtained dur
ing the month of June. just al the time
the melons were ma turing, by which a
large percentage of the yield was rendered
unfit for shipment. The damage done by
the rains can scarcely be estimated accu-
rately, as vast quantities of the melons
that obtained their maturity and appar-
entity were all right mad all their sweet
ness taken away by the heavy fall of wa
ter, and would not bring the amount Of
freight charges when placed on the mar
ket
While at the first the prices obtained by
the growers We're in the main satisfactory
the market rapidly slumped and on yester-
day melons were quoted in New York ct
from 81 to IS per hundred. AT this price
there is but little inducement for the
growers to continue shipments, especially
as the melons now remaining in the field
are not particularly fine and would come
nearer bringing the lesser price than the
greater The market reports say that
in good demand at a price too small 10
make shipping them profitable.
Melons have become one of the import
ant crops of the state and the compare
tive failure of this year Will be felt
throughout the section in which they are
grown. Those that are shipped over the
Plant System come principally from the
counties in the neghborhood of Tifton
Albany and Townsville, where thou
ands of acres are planted IN this luscious
and delightful fruit. Most of those which
leave the state are shipped to New York,
where the Georgia melon has attained and
holds a well-deserved popularity among
epicures.
The Ocean Steamship Company liners
that left Savannah up TO about two weeks
ago all carried several carloads Of watermel-
ons to New York. About July it is gen.
orally estimated that the bulk OF the ship
ping has been done and this year the gem
eral rule was not troubled by an exception.
Indeed, there have been fewer melons
shipped since that date than is usually
the case.
Mr.. Haylow does not believe that there
will be any large amount of shipments
after this time. as the number of cars
handled decreases daily 1t is said the
growers are permitting the melons TO rot
in the fields rather than 20 ship them with
The practical certainty of having their
venture result in a loss instead of profit
The local market continues well stock
ed, though the quality of the offerings OF
the fruit stores In this line is not partic-
ularly good An occasional melon that
approxtmates in quality what is regarded
as a fair type is found. but most of them
are without the sweetness and firmness
that make of the Georgia product so
dainty and refreshing a morsel, when IL
comes, cold from the refrigerator, in the
middle of a hot summers day. Rain ac-
counts for II all.
The crop OF cantaloupes, which has also
assumed considerable importance in Geor-
eta during the last few years, has also
suffered largely as a result of the rains.
and is neither so large nor the quality of
the melons so good as had been expected
10y the growers In damage TO the peach
and melon crops, the rains of June have
cost the state hundreds of thousands of
dollars.