Morris tribune., 1909-06-26
TY IN MELONS.
Successful Experiment With
Seeds Of a RouInanian Variety.
LIKE GRAPEFRUIT IN SIZE.

Agricultural Department Makes Graft
flying Tests With Watermelon Seeds
Sent by Former Minister n. G.
KnowIes-Meat Yellow and Red-De-
Iicious In Flavor
In its efforts to introduce into the
United States the best grain, vegeta-
bles and fruits Of foreign countries the
agricultural department has never been
more interested in it's experiments
along that line than it now is in a
new watermelon.
This particular variety of melon was
found by Horace G. Knowles, late
American minister to Roumania, grow
ing in the foothills of the Carpathian
mountains in Roumania. The melons
have very thin skin, and the meat,
which is less fibrous than our native
melons, in color is both yellow and
red, and the flavor is exceedingly de-
licious Besides its matchless flavor, it
has another distinctive feature in it's
size, which is about that of a grape
fruit
It occurred to Minister Knowles that
watermelon of that size-jqst enough
for one person-would find great favor
in the United States. It seemed to
him that it would be just the thing
to serve in hotels, restaurants, clubs
and on dining cars. They could be
kept on ice, and a whole melon could
be served as one portion.
Seeing the possible demand for such
a melon in the United States, Minister
Knowles obtained large quantity of
the seed and sent them through the
state department to the department OF
agriculture
Under the supervision of David
Fairchild of the bureau of plant intro
duction of the agricultural department.
who has achieved a wide reputation
for the discovery and successful intro,
duction in the United States of many
valuable foreign fruits and vegetables,
the melon seed were distributed last
year to number of experimental sta
tions.
The reports on the result of the ex-
periments were most satisfactory and
proved that the melons can be grown
successfully in nearly every section Of
the United States. A report from
Massachusetts states that the melons
have a most delicious flavor and pre-
sent the fattering difficulty of find
ing any one person who will be salts
fed with only one of the melons" The
department. through Mr. Fairchild, is
planning to grow a large quantity of
the melons this year, and. their merit
being known to the managers of large
hotels in Philadelphia and New York,
the entire crop this year has been
bought for those hostelries, the price
agreed on being three times that of
the prevailing price of the native
melons.
Minister Knowles has suggested to
the agricultural department that the
new melon be named Princess Marie,
In honor of the beautiful crown prin-
cess Of Roumania, whose guest he was
when he found the melons. AS it is
not improbable that this dainty. de-
licious melon may soon become as
popular as the Rocky Ford cantaloupe,
the tribute of our representative in the
selection of that name will be appre
ciated both by the beautiful princess
and the country in which she is so
much admired.
1t is said that the successful cultiva
is assured, and experts say that 1t will
be worth millions of dollars to our !
country. The agricultural department
has already expressed it's appreciation
to Minister Knowles for his thought
fulness and invaluable donation to the |
fruitage of the United States.-Wash- !!
ington Post.