Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-01-26
The csntalosps From . Luxury to .
Necessity. =.


ing interesting paper:
In the year 1870. il was an unusual
thing to see \ muskmelon on the mar
kets for sale. but along in the so's
they began planting in the Maryland
Peninsula a variety known as the An
ma Rundcis and also some Jenny
Linds. These were placed on the mar
ket for sale about the 10th OF July.
but shipments amounted to very little
until about the ,oth then continuing
until the middle OF August: these
gradually increased in quantity each
year until the COS.
The total receipts on the largest
market. New York for instance.
would not amount to possibly three
cars a day at the heighth OF the sea-
son and the prices for these ranged
from $a.So to 5000 per basket. II
was only a few OF the fruit and veg
cable handlers who bought and sold
muskmclons and these were principal
ly the ones who supplied the hotels
and restaurants. II was seldom that
the average groceryman sold or pur.
chased cantaioupes. and on account OF
the limited supply and the high prices
ruling. they were 4 great luxury.
During the years beginning with the
early oo's, there was . gradual in-
crease in quantity from other sections
of the country consisting Of many dif-
ferene varieties. The season grad
uaiiy began earlier until is was great
novelty to have csntsloupes for the
Fourth Of July trade.
After the year 1907. when Rocky
Fords were placed on the different
markets and 4 standard crate iaxiaxa1
established containing IS cantaioupes
OF = uniform size. the Rocky Ford
seed became in great demand fof
planting in the southern states. :,
In the year 1893 the first cars ot
southern cantaloupes grown from the
Rocky Ford seed were shipped from
Hitchcock. Texas, but in the year
following, 1900, the quantity inercas-
ed considerable and the first carloads
from Florida arrived in New York on
Junc and; these were followed by
shipments from Georgia. Carolina and
other points farther north keeping
steady supply on the market until the
last Of tiYc Rocky Fords.
The real effect of the use OF Rocky
Ford seed and the standard crate
used by all growers. made the can
taIoupc a standard article OF trade so
that quotations could be made and Of
dcrs received. not only from the city
trade. but from all cities and towns
tributary to the large receiving points.
causing n demand at small points
as well rs large cities. This demand
has increased so enormously since
the year 1907 to the past season OF
zoos. that | thought possibly few
figures. which have been estimated
carefully. might interest you.
The amount consumed throughout
the United States in the year 1907
was not over 400 carloads gradually
increasing each year until the past
season of 1905 there was 6o,o car,
loads used throughout the United
States. There was handled in three
of the largest markets in the year
1905. 1860 cars. us cars and Goo cars
respectively. The season for canta,
loupcs being changed from period
of less than two months to season
of nearly six months OF carload bust
ness.
The shipments from Florida during
the past three seasons have opened up
about May I2th, car lots having been
received on markets as early as May
77nd. At the height of the season,
New York alone has received as high
as IS cars in day.
Prior to the arrivals OF the Rocky
Fords and the planting Of their seed,
the markets had no uniform style OF
package, shipments coming to market
in baskets, barrels, strawberry crates
and often times have been shipped in
dry goods boxes. There was no uni
fornlity for a quotation, but with the
establishment of the standard crate
of uniform size and equal number in
each crate, it has made the eanta-
loupe a standard article of fruit that
can be quoted intelligcntly. the buyer
knowing what he is to receive as to
size and number, from the fact that
Rocky Ford seed produces the same
size and shape in all states and is the
,only shape of cantaloupcs that the
buyers want and will buy. This has
made it possible for both individual
and companies to plant a very large
acreage. To give you some idea as
to the seed industry, there was saved
in the Rocky Ford district this past
season 10000 to 100000 pounds Tor
distribution in the different growing
sections of the country.
Before the advent of the Rocky
Fords, a ten acre patch was consid-
cred 81 large venture for any one grow
cr, and it is now well known that in
some states one grower will attempt
as high as $50 acres. Prior to the
Rocky Fords, there were no musk
melons worth speaking of raised
south of the Maryland Peninsula in
the east snd Indiana and Missouri in
the west, but with the Rocky Ford
seed in the state of Florida there has
been placed about 1900 acres; Geor..
gia about 1000 aeres;., North and
South Carolina about $500 acres. 1t
IS too numerous to mention the acres
planted in the many different states
but just mentioned few of the larg-
est. in the SOUTH, ;Have carefully es-
tiriiated that there was planted in the
year 1905 in all parts of the United