The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-06-23
THE GEORGIA cANTALoUPE CROP
DESTROYED


York. and who makes his headquar-
ters in Ocala during the cantaloupe
and watermelon season, is now on
visit to Georgia.
Mr.. Carlton sends us the following
clipping from the Albany Herald OF
June 18th, which will be read with III
terest by the cantaloupe growers of
this county:
The cantaloupe crop in this section
has been almost totally ruined by the
excessive heat of the past week.
Especially after the unusually high
temperature of yesterday and. today
with the thermometer registering
above 100, have the bright prospects
for fine crop gone glimmering.
The loss to growers in Dougherty
and adjoining counties will run high
into the thousands OF dollars.
The first report the Herald received
of the calamity that had befallen the
cantaloupe growers came from Sheriff
= c. Edwards, one of the largest and
most successful growers in this part
of the state Mr. EDWARDS said that
his crop was total loss from the
heat. and he would not give tin
ker's dam" for the whole crop after
the blistering of the vines and the
fruit received Yesterday.
No Hope for the Crop
Newsom & Sons, also among the
largest and most prominent growers
of this section, contributed a gloomy
statement to add to the reports of loss
received Mr.. r. L. Newsom was
called up over the telephone at his
home in the country. He had just
come in from the fields, and said there
was no hope for the crop. He said
the hot weather of the past week had
caused the vines to shrivel and the
young fruit to take on a "slick" ap-
pearance, which bespoke disaster to
the crop, The exceptionally hot
weather of yesterday and today, he
said, had completed the work of de-
struction
Just about ruined is the way Mr..
Newsom described the condition of
the crop in his fields.
A few showers in the past week
have visited the fields in spots, but
these have done more harm than
good, blistering the vines and fruit A
general rain would have cooled the
ground and atmosphere and would
have saved at least a portion of the
crop, but the showers have done no
good.
Loss Will Be Heavy
The loss to the growers of this Sec
ton can hardly be estimated Many
thousands of dollars have been in
vested in seed, fertilizer and labor,
and shipments had just begun in ear
nest when the hot weather put a
blight on the bright prospects that
had prevailed
Until about week ago all condi-
tons had been ideal, and it looked as
though an unprecedented season was
assured. Now there is little hope held
out. There may be some shipments
made from now on, but the curtail-
ment will be very great.
A Precarious Industry
The growing of cantaloupes is
known to be one of the most preca-
rious of all agricultural industries,
and the grower always takes many
chances when he plants this crop.
The cantaloupe vine is a very frail
and fragile plant 1t is very easily at
fected by heat and cold drought, ex-
cessive moisture, wind, hail and 9TH
er influences. The grower, if his crop
successfully comes through the sea-
son without succumbing to one or
more of these, may drop a wad of
money, even then, if the market goes
wrong. But he takes the chance, and
II the crop comes through all right,
and the price is right, makes enough
money in one season to pay for a bad
season or so. If it were not so, there
would be mighty few men to enter
such a precarious business.
Though reports have not been re-
ceived from all the growers, it is be-
lieved that few have escaped the
blighting effects of the hot wave.
There may be a more hopeful tale to
tell tomorrow, but this is extremely
doubtful
The coronation of King George in
London promises to be more gor.