La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1916-05-20
SLAM CANTALoUPE INDUSTRY.
Pure Food Experts Decide that
Rocky Ford" Label Can BE
Used on Any MuskmelOn.

uustTy III iOlOTauO mas Deeu uealt u
blow that will be felt to great eS-
tent in the whole of the Arkansas
Valley and one that will be bitterly
resented by every grower.
For years the growers In this
state were handicapped by the fact
that growers all over the country
were allowed to use the name Rocky
Ford on their labels no matter
where the fruit was grown and In
this way deceiving the people OF
the east into believing that the fruit
so labeled was grown in the best
cantaloupe country in the United
States. After a lot OF effort on the
part of the growers In this Valley
ruling was made by the government
in 1910 n part of which ruling APP
plying to the Rocky Ford canta-
loupe reads as follows:
Among the geographical names
which have been under consideration
are Rocky Ford as applied to can
taloupes and Indian River" as ap-
piled to oranges.
The Rocky Ford melon is not
new variety of melon, but Is one OF
the older varieties of melons which
in the environment of Rocky Ford,
Colo. has attained particular eX-
cellence.
The same remark applies to the
Indian River oranges OF Florida
They are not a new variety. but var
ious varieties which in the environ
ment OF the Indian River have at
tanned unusual excellence.
The board holds that the terms
Rocky Ford" and Indian River"
have not become sufficiently gener-
ic to indicate styles. types. or brands
of melons and oranges. respectiy ely.
but that these geographical names
are only properly applied to the pro-
duct OF the restricted area for the
melons which are grown In or near
Rocky Ford. and for the product
grown In or near the Indian River.
Inasmuch as the term Rocky Ford"
has thus become associated with a
melon OF peculiar excellence of a
certain geographical locality, the
board holds that II is unlawful to
sell In interstate commerce melons
not grown in the Rocky Ford dis
trict as Rocky Ford Seed" melons.
The terms are nearly alike, the In
tent Is to deceive. and the Law pro-
yides that label should not be false
or deceptive In any particular.
Ever since that law was passed the
commission men who handle about
all Of the product of the country.
have been working hard to get II
repealed for the reason that they
well knew that the name Rocky
Ford will sell melons OF Inferior
quality no matter where grown and
1, would seem that they have been
successful for the reason that the
order has been reversed by the fol-
lowing which was passed last week:
"Muskmelons Of the Rocky Ford
type. grown In localities other than
Rocky Ford. Cole. may be labeled
Rocky Ford" provided the name Of
the state or territory where the
melons are produced Is stated on
the printed label"
The bureau held that this decision
was reached for the reason that the
term Rocky Ford as applied to
muskmelons fcantaioupesl has
come to mean n particular type Of
muskmelons grown In various local
tiles OF the United stares.
Under this ruling the growers In
California can cover their entire la
bel with the word ROCKY Ford"
leaving n sixteenth OF room AT the
bottom for the statement of the fact
'H"' WV NaF ~ 'H"f-
fornia or Arizona. which cannot he
read except with mngnifying
glass and the effect will be as under
the old law that people In the east
who do not know tina, the real Rocky
Ford fruit cannot possibly be on the
market before the Goth Of August.
will be fooled into believing that
they are buying cnntaloupeS OF the
real variety.
The matter will be taken up Mt
once with the bureau but coming at
this time when the California fruit
is Just coming ON the market. the
ruling cannot be changed In time 10
affect the using OF the Rocky Ford
name this season by any Of the earli-
er districts and the commission men
have scored one but II IA believed
/ that the matter can be 30 forcibly
4. a a. i..,s elssS