Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1904-01-25
THE KYRENE nELoN.caowERs
The Work of Breaking Ground Will
Be Begun Today.


The Organization of the Kyrene and
Salt River Valley Melon ana Canta-
ioupe Growers association was COM
pleted on Saturday at a meeting held
at the residence of w. II. Weller of
Mesa. 1t embraces all the melon grow
ing interests of that part of the valI.--
The organization was begun some time
ago al meeting held at Kyrene.
The present officers are President.
Charles Y. Eaton; vice president, Geo.
j. Earl; Secretary, A. c.. Hansen:
Treasurer, A. ]. Hansen.
The selection having been concluded
the board went into executive session
regarding the signing of contracts be-
tween the members and A. j. Hansen
who will furnish a section CT land near
Kyrene for the growing of canta-
loupes. Contracts for about 500 acres
have already been signed and the
breaking Of the ground will be begun
this morning. 1t is expected that the
planting will be begun about March
10Th and will be completed about April
10TH
f. r. Nichols. of E r. Nichols &
CO., of Chicago. who will handle the
crop of the association, is expected
here about February 1st Contracts
with the firm for handling the crop
have been executed so that there is
nothing more to be done but TO ar
range details.
The melons will begin to ripen about
June goth and the first crop will last,
that is for car load shipments, fer
about thirty days; with plenty of water
such as Mr.. Hansen says he can fur
nish the crop ought to last sixty days.
That would run to August 20th when
the melons of Rocky Ford Colo, are
put en- the market. The Rocky Ford
melons will have control of the mar
ket for thirty days and in the mean
time the Salt River Valley associa tion
will take a lay off. The vines will
be cut off at the root and by the time
the Rocky Ford melons are out Of the
way the new crop will have set in.
The members are figuring that that
will last for thirty days, though there
! is no reason why it should not last
until the frost comes which in that
part of the valley does not happen
| usually until about the middle of No
vember.
Several of the members of the asso-
citation had been engaged in the melon
| business at Rocky Ford and they
have brought with them about SOC
! pounds of seed which they selected last
fall from their own crops 50 that they
know precisely what kind of melons
| their are going TO raise. II will take
a pound of seed to the acre.
Mr.. Hansen has just made a con-
| tract with an Ohio firm for q cold
storage plant which will have a daily
capacity of five tons and will refrix-
terate 5000 cubic feet.
The commission house has already
| forwarded a lot of handsome labels tc
be used for the -rates The name Salt
River Valley stands out prominently
! On the label so that this enterprise will
result in the extensive advertising OF
the valley. The firm is already en-
| gagged in that on it's own account II
will also have a man at the Louisiana
! Purchase Exposition who will have
nothing else to do but to tell the people
! about the excellence of the Salt River
! Valley cantaloupes. The train loads
of melons, for they will be shipped in
| from seven TO fifteen car train loads
1 will have Haunting banners bearing
| the name of the associa ton.
That melon section at Kyrene will
be a hive of industry within a very
short time. During the picking sea-
sons GAO men Will be employed in pick
ing alone; that part of the work will
require a man to an acre. Then there
are the men who do the Grating. the
sorting and who perform the other
numerous duties I'm preparation &c,
shipment.