The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-11
Would the Steal-Less Watermelon
Cause an Uprising?

gentleman who has been at work for
so many years in reforming nature
and showing her how to grow things,
is said to be engaged in the manu-
facture of the seedless watermelon.
The spineless cactus was all right, be-
cause the cactus has no use for
spine. The stoneless plum was a pip
pin. and the seedless orange has be-
come so popular that now it squirts
It's juice on the shirt bosoms of near
ly every home. Even the Shasta
daisy, WHICH is big enough to make
buttonhole bouquet for an elephant,
excited no particular protest.
But in this latest adventure Mr..
Burbank is invading dangerous field
The watermelon belongs peculiarly to
the Southern States. 1t is as much
Southern product as colonels or pretty
girls. and reaches its perfection only
in that blessed region south of Mason
and Dixon's line. From The levels Of
Florida to the fields of "Anne Aran-
ell county, in Maryland, it runs and
blooms and grows into its fruitage of
oval green. From the time the tiny
little melon begins to form like a
knob to that glad day when it's heart
resounds with a mellow "plunk" 10
tho thump Of the farmer, its progress
is watched by the whit, proprietor
with conscious pride, while through
the cracks of the fence are seen the
Eyes Of the Afro-American lit with
longing and desire.
IF Mr.. Rrrpank wants to do the
white farmers great service, he will
let the seeds alone and get to. work
on the invention Of steal-less wa.
termeIon If he can devise some
method by which the melon will be
fastened firmly to the vine, so that
1t cannot be separated until the own
er comes along with the combination
and unlocks 1t, he will revolutionize
the melon industry. For under pres
ent conditions the melon is the most
evanescent Of fruits. Many a farmer
finds that 1t Is "here today and gone
tomorrow He knows that the col
ored man upholds his inalienable
right to life. liberty and the pursuit
of watermelons. II Mr.. Burbank will
invent the steal-less melon, the white
planters Of the South will rise up and
call him blessed. They will shower
fortune upon him and at every melon
feast his toast will be drunk in the
best on hand.
But will he have the heart to do it
when he finds that ne will be taking
the watermelon out Of the mouths of
the millions Of that race that has so
recently emerged into the glad and ir-
responsible light OF freedom? Can he
bear the weeping and wailing in a
million cabins from the Susquehanna
to the Rio Grande? When the melon
season approaches now you can hear
them singing every moonlight night:
Chicken am good, ham bone am
sweet,
Possum meat am berry, berry fine;
But glib me. oh, glib me, / really wish
you would,
Dat watermillion growin' on de
vine,
And If 1t isn't "gib" to EN-, they go
out and take 1t.
The invention of the steal-less wa
termelon would be blow 30 the col
ored brother in his most vital spot.
1t would hit him right in the bread
basket He might lose his vote with
out murmur, lose his job with de-
light. lose his liberty with a laugh,
but he will not lose his watermelon
without & struggle. Unless Mr.. Bur-
bank wishes to cause trouble in the
South, unless he is prepared TO bear
the blame OF a great uprising Of the
colored race. he will do well to be-
ware how he monkeys with the mel
on, which is loved in every mouthful
and sacred in every seed.--Baltimore
Sun.