Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-11-30
Pleased All Rocky Ford
Woods. the Cantaionpe Handler Gives
Some Data.
Growers Realized Handsome Prices
and viii Probably Retain the
same Arrangement for 1901
Associations soon to Meet.

/ sSs
Associations soon to Meet.
Now that tho Rocky Ford melon seas
on II over and tho time Ia near ut hand
when contracts will bc made for mex.
seasons crop. tho actual facts concerning
tho profits in tho crop this last season
nrc of som. interest. II Ii understood
tho meeting OF tho associations to get
contracts Ia to bc held before Christmas.
Last scnroa was one Of tho best the
\ Rocky Ford valley ever knew. Tho
| growers had good crops and the weather
conditions wcr. fine and only at one hme
wns there much OF giut in the markets.
On account OF this, Rocky Ford growers
are. very well sntisiied.
There is no doubt that ono Of the mos,
successful handlers OF tho cautnloupc
crop was II. Woods. 127 South Water
street, Chicago.
| Mr.. Woods passed through Rocky
Ford u Few weeks ngo on his way to
Denver to close ont the interest OF his
business there, ana when asked to give
tho Enterprise some fncts in regard to
the crop; what Il nctied: number of cars
handled by him and other facts which he
might have; furnished the following:
"TotBl humber OF cars handled lI0;
10 of these by express. Isl by freight.
Futty-iiyc OF these ears were sold in Chi.
caeo. the balance diverted to whatever
markets appeared to be the best at the
time cars arrived in Chicago.
There being wide range of prices in
all Eastern markets at all times, /. took
good Judgment aud careful management
for the cars to reach the best markets.
IL found great advantages in being To-
Gated in Chicago, which gave time ani
an opportunity OF waiting until the cars
arrived III Chicago before determining on
What market to place them. 1t also gave
me nn opportunity OF examining each cGr
personally which enabled me to place the
ripest stock at the nearest points.
The freight car that brought the
highest price, was No 6l7, shipped on
Sept. 10th, which netted the growers
s2.25 per crate. The next best freight
car was NO. ZIG. shipped Sept. D. which
nctted the growers SAB per crate.
The express car that brought the
highest price was C.IT, which sold for
81 ,365; the next express car which
brought tho next best price was C-3i,
which so d for 81 ,36l gross.
| "Of the 40 cars the gross sales were
SlOS,OoO; net remittance to growers, $751;
SIG. Number OF crates handled 65,0S0.
Net average per crate, after paving for
all lumber furnished in stripping and
loading cars. also inspecting and expense
of loading, freight, carriage and commits
sion, So cents per crate. net.
Largest number of cars l received in
one day was eleven; largest number l
received in one week was sixty.six. Sens
on commenced August 13, ended Octo-
Der /.
Extreme hot and dry weather during
the last week in August caused canta-
| loupes to ripen fast, making heavy re-
ceipts, as the weather was very hot, much
OF this stock arrived on the market soft,
which caused some low prices. Stock
picked in September arrived in good con-
dition and brought big prices, which
made the average for the season good"
| One OF the most successful shipping
points outside of Rocky Ford, was New.
dale. The association there is known as
the Newdale Melon Growers association
and never in the history of the valley has
such good returns been made, rs those
furnished by Mr.. Woods. As an instance
of what was done by grower at New
dale the crop of w. A. Crum, member
of the association, is cited. Mr.. Crum
had sixteen acres OF cantaloupes. From
this he picked 1903 crates. These netted
MIN over anu ABOVE every cost 81 cents n
crate, which made his net remittance
si,O2O,46. This makes an average of
S25l net per acre.
Another instance OF very profitable
growing is that of G.. II. Rucker, a mem.
ber of the kouns-Party at Rocky Ford.
Mr. Rucker had some late vines that
were very fine and from these he picked
lob crates which nettod him 81 1862.
This is net of $1.d0 Il crate. No such
returns were ever made in Rocky Ford
before. The manner in which Mr..
Woods handles the business makes it
sure he will get the contract again. He
already has the assurance that the asso-
Citations were more than pleased and lie
could get other associations il he desires.
Mr.. Woods thinks it will be policy to
have the old associations, who will in
crease their acreage, and in that way he
| VIII get what melons he can hnndla