The daily tribune., 1907-08-30
SUGGESTIONS WHICH BRING
MONEY 70 MELON RAIsERs

SUGGESTIONS WHICH BRING
MONEY 70 MELON RAIsERs
The reputation Of the Rocky Ford
cantaloupe. .was.smade before shef day.
OF large acreases and the shipment Of
green cantaloupes. It was the uni.
form. sweet, spicy favor Of the Rocky
Fords in contrast with. ..the..Aat, taste.
less cantaloure o. .other. sections that
made the hit on the market and won
fame for Rocky Ford, says p. z.
Blinn, field agent Of the Colorado
Experiment station.
The fact that the quality Of the
Rocky Ford cantaloupes..is not 20 uni.
formly good as it was few years ago
demands the attention OF every grow.
er and commission man who wishes
to see the industry continue prosper.
ously.
Several influences have caused the
deterioration of the quality, and some
OF the elements that impair our cant
aloupes are beyond the farmers con-
troll; but the shipment of carelessly
packed crates and green cantaloupes
and those from badly rusted vines are
the chief elements that affect the
quality, and are certainly within the
power of control.
The commission mans experience
in handling oranges, lemons, toma-
toes, bananas, and many other fruits
which will ripen to good quality aft.
er being picked quite green, leads
him to reason that the cantaloupes
were not picked green enough when
he receives a consignment of overripe
cantaloupes, and he Immediately
wires to ''get them more green, in
spite of the fact that he has experienc.
ed melon men to inspect the ship
ments. Every grower knows, and
will admit to himself, that a canta-
loupe picked before it is sweet in
side will Lever be cantaloupe fit to
eat.
1t is dangerous line, if growers
are picking as green as their judg.
ment tells them, to have general
order given to ''pick greener. " The
result is that nearly every crate has
some. green cantaloupes in it, and
some less critical cantaloupe growers
will SO far exceed the limit that q
large per cent of his crates are too
green to ever make edible canta-
loupes. And, OH the whole, the sit
uation is hard to control with hired
help and large acreages. It is strong
argument for the small field we'll
titled and we'll marketed. The safe
line to pick cantaloupes in Colorado
is to have them slip" as it is term
ed, when the cantaloupe easily
separates from the vine. This is
natures first hint that the cantaloupe
is sweet inside. II the stem or can.
taloupe is broken, the quality has not
reached its best and is sure to disap.
point the customer. The looks Of a
cantaloupe and q slight pull on the
stem are the tests that practical
man will use. II the melon Is show.
ing tint of yellow, 1t must come Of
If it appears as IL 1t ought to slip
and yet not yellow the slight pres.
sure on the stem is used. and here Is
where good Judgment is required not
to force the slip. The cantaloupe
picker that has to pick lot Of green
cantaloupcs in order to get some just
right is Of no more value in can.
taloupe field than a tramp with a
knife who plugs six or eight green
watermelons to find u ripe one.
There seems to bc too little judg.
mont used at the beginning Of the
season when growers aud commission
men are striving to ship the first can.
taloupes will ship for nearly weel
before there il a ripe cantaloupe. II