The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-08-05
GOOD MONEY IN GROWING MINT
Government Expert CfEers Some
Valuable SuggC stiOns.


market? The bars and hotels of the
North would be glad to contract for
it at good prices, for juleps and mint
sauce"
This somewhat unorthOdox remark
may startle some good prohibitionists,
and as Frank Stanton has declared
that the South is going dry. it may
seem untimely to advocate the organi-
zation Of the mint industry in South
Carolina, but at any rate the remark
was made by very practical young
man, who knows what he is talking
about-knows from the agricultural
and commercial standpoint, not the
Bibulous viewpoint. The speaker
was Mr.. G. L. Stewart, who is now
with the department of agriculture
at Washington in the division Of hor-
ticulture. but who was formerly with
the Southern Railways industrial de-
partment and at one time, several
years ago. was stationed at Colum-
bia for several months. Mr.. Stewart
Is specialist on musk melons, and he
was talking about what could be done
In this State and section with fruit
and things OF that sort when he made
the more or less startling remark
quoted above. He did not start off
with that remark. however. He had
just said that there was money in
raising water cress. which is greatly
In demand as table delicacy, and
which can be produced on the lime
stone streams that are not infrequent
In this State. Then he mentioned
mint as another possibility Of profit
A third thing out Of which our peo-
pie could make money is early apples,
said Mr.. Stewart. There Is a great
demand for early apples, and he
thinks they could be raised without
trouble in this section, especially
along what is known as the Ridge,
famous fruit section, ard even
above Columbia. around Ridgeway
which is on the same sand ridge as
Ridge Spring, between Columbia and
Augusta.
Speaking Of this section, reminded
the talker that the peach industry on
the Ridge is struggling for existence
on account Of the ravages Of the San
Jose scale, although Mr.. Stewart de-
clares that formula for a remedy is
easily obtainable from the department
OF agriculture. He thinks it is GER
tain that the scale was introduced in
this peach section by nursey stock.
The scale is very prolific. and radical
treatment Is necessary to stop its
spread. but 1t can be done.
Mr.. Stewart. as has been stated. Is
q specialist on musk melons. He has
recently given most @" his time and
attention to the marketing of the
crops. bringing the producer and buy
er together. and looking after the
commercial feature of melon produc-
ton as we'll as OF the other fruit and
melon crops. He has an agricultural
education with commercial training
In the railroad business and is, there
iore. fitted we'll for this sort Of work.
Musk melons. says Mr.. Stewart,
can be produced to great advantage
In this section. and the marketing is a
comparatively easy proposition, as the
demand Is great The principal mel
on sections In Colorado and Califor-
MIA have soil similar to this region.
sandy. while the temperature is much
higher and the rainfall so slight as to
require irrigation. 1t Is the Rocky
Ford section of Colorado and the Inn
perial Valley Of Southern California
which are the greatest producers of
musk melons. However. during the
last year Tennessee showed the great
est increase in production, and Do
than, Ala. and Huntsville. also had
large increases. The market suffered
this year from overproduction appa-
rently. but as a matter Of fact i'm
proper packing is responsible for a
large amount Of the loss on melons.
They are shipped in crates, through
which the melon partly protrudes,
causing 1t to speck. The California
growers first wrap their melons one
by one and then pack them in crates,
which do not permit any portion OF
the melon to protrude, and they get
the best prices for their product. 1t
Is estimated that there were 10000
acres in musk melons in this county
this year.
Few persons know the difference
between the musk melon an the
cantaloupe. Mr.. Stewart, when this
question was put to him, stated that