The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-06-02
REGULATIONS FOR
THE SHIPPING SOON
OF WATERMELONS

Shippers of watermelons will be III
| terested, says the State Marketing bu-
reau, in a ruling just issued by the
limited States Food Administration to
| this effect:
"All carload shipments of water
melons shall be made in car lots OF
not less than quantity prescribed as
follows:
.Watermelons. average weight &
pounds, five tiers high.
ssWatermelons, average weight NOR
than 25 pounds, four tiers high.
The United States Bureau OF Markets
has Just issued Market Document NO.
9. on the subject Of care In handiins
cantaloupes. Last year the total
American production was approximate
~ 100000 crates of 40 melons each,
More than 10 per cent of these melons
reached the consumer so green that
they were practically unfit for food.
Green melons have a most depressing
effect on both demand and price.
Investigation shows that when can
.aloupes. which have been picked too
green, reach market their flesh lacks
proper color. texture and flavor. In
stead of ripening normally they shrivel
and the meat remains tough, lacking
entirely the rich cantaloupe flavor
While IL is necessary that they b.
picked before they are fully ripe IN
order to insure the necessary keeping
quality in transit, they can be picked
at a stage of maturity that will in
sure good flavor as well as keeping
quality.
To insure the best eating quality
when they reach consumers, canta-
loupes should be picked just after they
will slip cleanly from the stem; that
is, at the full-slip stage of maturity.
II properly handled and promptly
loaded, they will carry in satisfactory
condition even to the fur eastern mar
kets. Allowance must be made, how
ever. for a certain amount of rough
handling and for some delay in transit.
As a general rule, therefore. canta
loupes should be picked before they
reach the full-slip stage. Such melons
will possess not only: desirable eating
quality but also the necessary carry
ing quality.
Great care should be used in picking
handling and packing. In packing they
should be placed carefully in crates
and not dropped or tossed into place.
When forced In, when the tops bulge
too much, the oantaloupes become
squeezed and bruised, and spoiIage
soon ensues. The crates should be-
stacked in cars on their sides, as the
side bulge is usually much less than
on the top.
Wrapped cantaloupes cool more
slowly than those not wrapped because
the paper retards the free circulation
OF cold air and acts TO some extent
as an insulator, preventing the free
transmission of heat from the melons
Most OF the loss from wrapping oc-
ours because Of decay and mold which
develop after cantaloupes are unloaded
from refrigerator cars at consuming
centers. When, on summer days, crates
OF cold cantaloupes are removed from
refrfgerating cars, moisture condenses
on the surface Of the melons. This
moisture soon evaporates from canta
loupes not wrapped, but from the,
wrapped ones, the evaporation is him
dered by the paper, which tends to re-
tain the condensed moisture from the
air. This retained moisture acts as a
medium favorable to the growth Of
organisms which cause the Develop
ment Of decay and mold.
Aside from causing losses through
decay and mold, the practice of wrap
ping is undesirable because it enables
| INSCRIPTIONS persons to cover an
pack defective cantaloupes which, II
not wrapped, would be thrown out.
| tiers Of consumption, 1t is more diff
| anime wrapped crates than crates no
| wrapped