The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-03-23
SEVEN HUNDRED ACRES
PLEDGED TO CANTALOUPeS
Farmers Are Still Enthusiastic-Will
Produce a Revenue of About
$4,000, 1t Is Said

The Yakima county lorlcuituiai
union and the farmers of the valley are
still enthusiastic over the Rocky Ford
canteloupe industry. extended mention
of which was made in these columns
last week The union held meeting
last Saturday afternoon, which was we'll
attended notwithstanding the bad
weather. and about l25 acres was
pledged. None of the Mckee farmers
were present and when they take up the
subject the amount of acreage will no
doubt be largely increased. The union
made arrangements to send for seed to
Coggins, Lyons & Co., the firm repre-
scented by ID. W. Landreth and which is
to purchase the melons. Farmers who
wish to sign contracts to grow and dis
pose Of canteloupcs should address j. NJ.
Brown, secretary of the union. or attend
the meeting next Saturday afternoon in
the hall over the postoflice.
Mr.. landreth did not leave here until
last Friday He visited Wapato and
Toppcnish. where he found the farmers
enthusiastic on the proposition. At
Wapato he had $50 acres pledged, Alex
McCredy taking hold of the matter, who
will look after this large acreage and see
to supplying the farmers with seed.
II. NJ. Gilbert was interested at Topper
ish, where $50 acres more was pledged,
which that gentleman will have charge
of With the 800 acres at these two
places and the l25 pledged near the
city, the canteloupe industry in this
valley this year promises to be big
thing Mr.. Landreth is satisfied that
at least 700 acres of melons will be
grown and that in two years this valley
will produce more than Rocky Ford,
and other points in the valley are be-
coming interested. The more Mr.. Ian
dreth saw of the country the better
pleased he was with the outlook. 1T
is the garden spot of the world for can
telOupes," said he to The Herald, land
your people don't begin to realize how
superior the advantages are or what a
big source of revenue the melons will
yield. You know they will be two or
three weeks earlier here than in Colo
RADIO, which will give your people an ai-
vantage, and the quality OF the melons,
If they get good seed and raise them
properly, will also be better. There will
be fully 700 acres planted to eanteloupes
in your valley this year, and if they pro-
duee 200 crates to the acre, which is n
conservative estimate, and the growers
net 81 per crate for them, you see that
will bring $4,000 into your valley in
two months time. 1t is a big thing and
can be made bigger, as there is mar
ket for all the melons that can be
grown"
Some OF the farmers think that at
least 300 crates can be raised to the
acre AT its meeting Saturday after
noon the horticultural union passed a
resolution that no fruit of any kind
should be shipped from the valley in
future without having Yakima plainly
stamped or printed on the box. The
union is determined to enforce this rule
to advertise the valley. As one of them
said to The Herald: This is one of the
greatest fruit producing valleys in the
entire west and the farmers should take
enough pride in it to label every box
shipped Other sections do it that don't
raise near as much fruit as We do or as
good quality, and what we want to do is
to pull for this valley and let outside
people know what it is"