The Ordway new era. (Ordway, Colo.) 1902-1927, 1913-02-14
Ordway Is Famous
Through Giants
This Town Is Running Rocky
Ford Close Second---Expert
Writes for Our Readers

The Rocky Ford cantaloupe has
caused Rocky Ford, Colorado to be-
come one Of the most widely known
email towns in the United states, but
Ordway. the county seat of Crowley
county, just twelve miles north of
Rocky Ford, on the Missouri Pacific
railroad, is fast becoming a formid-
able rival.
Strange to relate, the Burrell Gem,
or Ordway Pink Meat cantaloupe, a
rival melon, is giving Ordway its in
PRODUCTION to the country at large.
Ordwsy has the largest alfalfa mill
in the world, and is the center of one
of the largest alfalfa growing sections
of the west. In the early fall the
country for miles around on both
sides of the railroad is literally COW
cred with hay stacks, which look like
houses in the distance. There is also
a large aud growing sugar beet indus
try, which is very profitable to the
growers. The sugar factory is located
at Sugar City, but the beets are grown
throughout the entire district.
The Ordway chamber of commerce,
body of Ordway's leading business
men, is taking lively interest in the
further development of all these in
dustries.
The Burrell Gem is little more
oblong, and outwardly less attractive
than the Rocky Ford cantaloupe, but
when cut diagonally it presents q pic
turs that would make q kings mouth
water. The flesh is thicker than
other varieties; has q beautiful sal
mon color, and fills the entire melon,
except a small triangular seed cavity,
which is sometimes SO small that the
seeds completely fill the entire space.
1t has a delicate, spicy favor which
is distinctly its own, aud quite dider-
ent from that of other varieties.
Many people pronounce it to be the
best cantaloupe they have ever eaten.
It ripeus later and keeps longer than
any and is therefore the last canta-
loupe on the market. Shipments con-
tinue until severe frosts kill the vines
and freeze the melons 10 the fields.
Several states, south and east, have
tried to grow this melon. but with
poor success. The Colorado soil and
climate seem best adapted to it's cul-
tuIe and it has reached its hig hest
perfection as a com mercial PROPOSE
tion in the Ordway district. .
Within a territory eighteen miles
long and about five miles wide there
are five loading points, Ordway, Nu-
ma, Shiloh, Olney Springs and Sugar
City. From these points 489 carloads
of these cantaloupes were shipped dur
log the season of 1912, and except
for the early frost, shipments would
have exceeded 700 carloads. In 1907
64 cars were shipped, 116 in 1908,
212 in 1909, 1856 in 1910 and 1876 in
1911. Shipping usually continues
until about October l to l5.
These cantaloupes have been place d
in most of the carlot markets and
many of the smaller markets from
Denver to Boston, and from Canada to
the gulf. Each car contains about
800 crates. Each crate contains
twelve or fifteen cantaloupes and has
label bearing the name oi the melon
and the shipping point: Each melon
wears a beautifully printed pink wrap
per.
The Missouri Pacific railway com
pany has erected loading sheds at var
ious stations. some of them having
been enlarged several times and are
now inadequate to properly handle
the shipments of 1913.
The A. r. 7. company has provided
ample facilities at Ordway for icing
and re icing all cars before shipping.
From the present indications there
will be about 800 or 1000 acres of
these cantaloupes grown in the Ordway
district the coming season, and under
favorable conditions these should
yield about 600 crloads.
Crutchfield & Voolfolk, OF Pitts
burg Pa, who have been the sales
agents of the Rocky Ford Melon Grow
ers association for six years past, have
been leading factors in building up
this Burreil Gem industry in the Ord
way district to its present degree of
Importance. They have given espeo-
ial attention to introducing this mel
ON into new markets, and E. E. Cad
wallader, their agricultural expert,
has spent considerable time each sea-
son instructing the growers in the best
methods Of spil preparation, irrigation
and cultivation.
There will be fewer Japanese grow
ers than last season, because they