Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-05-19
CANTAL0UPES TO
BEGIN SHIPPING
EXPECTED THAT FIRST CRATES
FROM VALLEY FOR THIS SEASON
WILL LEAVE TOWN OF MALLEN
WITHIN TWO OR THREE DAYS.
ACREAGE Is HEAVY
MORE THAN 300 ACRES IN M'ALLEN
DISTRICT WILL FURNISH POPU-
LAR MELON FOR NORTHERN
MARKETS SOON.

49, fN 49, -
this year became heavily interested in
the growing of cantaloupes. expects "a
ship its first crate of cantaloupcS for
the season within the next two or three
days. Following hat the crop will he
ging coming along heavier and within a
week the growers will be sending this
luscious melon toward the northern mar
kets by the refrigerator ear load. The
district has more than three hundred
acres in cantaloupes.
Unless the rains continue heavy dur.
ing The next we or three weeks. the Ne
Allen district will make a good showing
in the amount and variety of cantaloupcs
shipped. and will give healthy compcti.
ton 10 the California product said
LANES l.. Slattcry of Chicago represent
ing u fruit distributing concern Of that
city, who was in Brownsville today. Mr..
Slattcry's concern has contracted 10 han
die all the c~antaloupcS grown by the
Mc.Allcn Growers association this year.
and the company sent expert men down
here during the early part of the spring
To assist the growers in raising the pro
duet.
The company not only sent expert
growers IF cantalonpcS down 10 assist
the McAllcn people. but when the pro
duet began 10 he ready for the markets
expert packers were sent from California
To demonstrate proper methods Of as
sorting, packing and handling the ran
taloupcs. They are wrapped with pink
tissue paper. the same a. the California
product, and every effort is being made
by the growers 10 get their product on
the markets in the best possible shape.
Mr.. Slaltcry stated that the canta.
lonpcs Of the Rio Grandc Valley can be
put on the Chicago and eastern markets
al ole hundred dollars Il clT cheaper
Than can the California cantaloupcs. and
the principal feature of this section is
that fact also that il can be gotten on the
market earlier in the season. This is
declared by the expert cantaloupc men 10
demonstrate the fact that this sections
.cantaloupes can be made as famous rs
the California variety. and that j. one
of the ideas his concern had in contract
ing to handle the cantaloupe crop Of this
section.
On his way down 10 Brownsville. Mr..
Slattcry ralled on superintendent Taft
of the Wells Fargo express ri Houston.
informing him of a difference of - cents
a crate Cn cantaloupcS going from Chi.
cago 10 New York from the Valley. and
those going from Chicago 10 New York
from Cal fornia. lie asked that this diff
ference ia favor of the California pro
duet be removed. and Mr.. Taft Informed
him that il would be taken up ut oncc
Asked \ 10 whether the Mc.Allrn grow
crS were having any trouble with the
ahpi>. MF. S%laitcry said that a tobacco
mixture 'lat had been used az a spray
here the aphis had appeared this year
had bccrs found 10 he very effective. and
that there have been no plant losses on
account 81 the bug. The aphis heretofore
have be>n a great hindrancc To the rails.
ing of cau,aloupcS in quantities in this
section. diet Mr. Slattrry states il a. his
belief t1al it does not need bc So. since
the mixture will effectively DESTROY the
pest wbcr il appears II must bc
watched tr very closely. however. he
saws.
The cosspany will handle all the can
taloupe> crown M McAllcn. Pharr. Mis-
sion ami san Juan. and when this crop
j. comp'cf ed. which il is expected will Ice
about ITne IL. 4 very good crop in the
!.aymoi lille section will come in.
Mr. : ttery altogether il very Opt.
mi>tic 'rsicerning the future Of camta.
toupe en'ring in this section. He said
that III a%year's crop i an educational
one for sc farmers Of the Mc.lllcn
Grower Ssociation. and that next ycar
they w"Til be- in position Ia DO much
better. re crop was retarded somewhat
owing .le bad season in February and
March. ile early crop is figured ON for
the Waite n the crop that will put the
Valley a. the map" as a cantaloup,
raiSine3 slntry.