The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1914-02-27
why THE BURRELl'S GEN IS
THE BEST CANTAL0UPE

"a oAO OCuClit VI Iuc grower WHO
would like to know the reason for
adopting the Burrel's Gem canta-
loupe for commercial planting this
year, | will explain why this par
ticular melon is becoming more
popular year by year with the con-
Stunning public.
The local markets, such as Seattle,
Portland, Spokane and Tacoma are
not the best markets for such crops
as cantaloupes because some of these
sections are supplied with locally
grown melons, and others. such as
Seattle, are closely allied with the
California source of supply.
Thus we generally have to ship
farther away to find a profitable
market and must have a better
shipper than the old Rocky Ford
to supply our trade. The Rocky
Ford will not stand the handling
that the Burrel's Gem will, for the
former will sour inside when the
seeds have become Jared loose, as
happens very easily.
1t was a fact last year that many
times the growers we're getting more
for their cantaloupes here at Kenne-
wick than the Rocky Ford were
selling for to the retailers in Seattle
or Spokane. This was due to the
fact that those markets were filled
with California or Yakima stuff that
had to 60 quickly, whereas the
Burrell's Gem can stand for several
days and still be safe. In fact,
they are better when they reach the
other end than they are when they
leave, as the Gem has to ripen off
the vines to be at their best. This
gives us hard, solid melon which
arrives at the consuming end in fine
shape.
Dealers will handle the Gem on a
closer margin of profit than they
can the Rocky Ford on account of
the lesser degree of loss or risk.
Again the pink-meated melon is
newer and the public likes some
thing new once in a while. When
they have once tried them and find
them better than anything they have
tried before, we have made pleased
and satisfied customers for our pro-
duct and boosters for our brand.
The extreme size Of the Gem in
many cases has made the matter of
getting a good looking pack a prob
lem for the grower but this can be
overcome by using a crate contain
ing nine large cantaloupes one layer
deep. This size of crate has proven
very popular with the hotel trade
and also for large family trade.
Once we get the retailers trying
the Gem, and they find that they
can send them out to the trade SO
times out of 100 and have them
meet with the approval of the GUS
toner, then the retailers will insist
on this melon and no other kind.
AS it looks now a large acreage of
the Gem will be planted in the val
ley this year-enough so that a great
many cars can be loaded out and a
broad distribution can be given
them. If the growers put out as
good a grade as they did last year,
we have every reason to believe that
the Kennewick valley will have one
more crop to boost about-a crop
that bids fair to become as popular
and as noted as our strawberries.
Let's become noted for producing
the best canta loupes in the North
west. It can be done here to per-
lection and large acreage of what
is now idle land (between tree rows,
etc. can be made very profitable.
There are several growers who Melted
$500 per acre from their cantaloupe
crop last year.
The idea of using a label and a
wrapper on the best grades will be
carried out by the Exchange this
year. 1t was not an accident that
growers got a good price for their