Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-02-23
BIG PROFIT ONLY
IN EARLY MELONS
Ssartins Plants In Cans Placed
in Coldframes. - Has
tens Growth.

The following article was published
in the Courier last March and at the
request of several farmers is repuo'
lished:
The Rogue River Valley track gar
denors are finding their home market
ma we'll as the Portland market
seriously cut into by the California
growers, who, having the advantage
of an earlier Spring get their vege-
tables melons, ETC., into the markets
~ Grants Pass and other oregon
towns before the local growers have
marketable products. The fancy prices
are TINS past by the time the Rogue
River gardeners are ready to begin
marketing and their profits are there
bv greatly reduced and sometimes
when the Spring here is late, there
are no profits at all to them.
The truck gardeners OF New Jersey
fonnd themselves few years ago CUT
ant of the New York markets by the
earlier products from the Carolinas ana
FIorida. The likelihood of losing the
most profitable part of their business
,ansed them to devise means to success
fully meet the Southern competition.
This tbey did by starting beans, corn,
uelons, etc. in old cans ana theh
when the weather was warm and the
nIants larger, they were planted III
tbe garden. Their method was to get
ala tomato and other cans from the
vsstaurants, melt them apart IN
brush or other fire, tie string around
ths can side TO hold it together.
Then fill these cans with very rich
earth and plant In them such seeds as
wanted to produce early products.
Set these cans in ooldfram", that ID
Iocated on tho south side of some
buiIdinp to protect 1t from north
winds aud place over the frame TIL IN
white cotton cover. This cover IL
fastened TO the rear of the ooldframe
aud has on its front edge wooden
roller on which It can be rolled NJ
when the coldframe is to be un'
ooysred This cover will keep off the
frosts and cold rains yet let in sum
cent light for tho growth OF the
plnnts On warm days this cover II
rolled hack and In the last period thai
the plants are in the ooldframe 1t II
left off entirely TO harden the planti
10 outdoor life Tepid water IL use,
for watering. When the weather
has become settled aud the grounC
warm, the plants are placed in th'
field. where they are to grow, by thi
time the plants being strong, vigorou
and hardy and from six to eigh
inches high The method OF planting
Is TO first make holes of the size Il
readily hold the can and its plant l
a large number of plants, they cal
be hauled out on n sled, but few
can he carried on board. As tn
cans have no bottom, take brick
layerss trowel or n shingle to sill
under each can when lifting out o
the coldframe and when transferrinl
To the ground. Set the can with 1t
plant In the hole, press the earth wei
about the can, then cut the strinl
about the can and carefully pull 1t n
and Law IL up for another year, |
the lob is done properly, the roots o
the plapt in the soil of the cans hav
not been disturbed at all and the plan
proceeds with its growth as thougl
no transplanting had been done
By starting plants in cans in
eoldframo, garden stun, corn, melons
etc. eau ,be matured from four to ST
weeks earlier than by waiting unit
the weather is sufficiently warm I
make il safe to plant seeds in th
garden. And the further advantag
IN had that the seeds are not liable {
be ro,ted by cold rain, or the plant
killed by late frost, or by th
ravsges Of worms or insects. ThI
method enables the gardener to get hi
products into the market before tl
general rush aud while prices are "
high. THIS crop being off the Ian
so early, enables the gardener to gro
a second crop of lao stun, thus =,
curing an increased productiveness
his land. Tho consequent profits
be had from the high prices ar
double crops far more than reimhur
the gardener for the extra expense
the coldtrame and cans.
when conditions are favorabl
there is not moro profitable or,
grown in Rogue River Valley th,
melons, and method Of grown
that will do away with the extra e
pense aud with the uncertainties
the yield and enable the crop to
placed IN the market early IN q
season, when prices are high, shou
commend itself to the growers of tb
Valley. IL is with this object
view that the Courier gives the d
tails of method that, If undertak,
by the farmers of Rogue River Y,
lev. will make 60 them the grown
of melons very profitable crop M
be- the means of giving an inorea
aud stability 20 AN industry th
can be made one Of the leading souro