The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-06-13
PROPER TREATMENT
HANDLING MELONS
Simple Method For shs Control Of
Stern End Ret is Recommended.
a. oEoRoE =. MANNINol

WASHINGTON. - e.. June I2.-The
extremely heavy loss sustained last
year ~ the Georgia and Florida wa
: termeion growers from stem-end rust
81 transit 70 the northern markets Is
easily proventahie BY proper treatment.
a. the time ~ loading. Il Is asserted
~ specialists % the I. s. Agriculture
Department. ~ FAR the greater part
/ Of the wastage Of last year was due
f. stem lend rot. though the disease
Is subject to control BY a simple meth
ed of stem disinfectlon AZ loading
time.
Properly applied. the treatment con-
sists 81 two stops--rocutting the stem
% the melon az time of loading IN
the car. 80 that a firm green surface
may Pc obtained. and application 81 a
home made or commercial dislufectnnt
paste 70 the freshly cut stems This
should contain 8 per cent blucstone as
fungiclde. such a paste Is now
available On the market. The treat
meut IL not effective when melons are
loaded with dead stems as the fungi
eide IS ~ service only when it forms
a barrier between the freshly cut sur
face o. a healthy green stem and IN
lection from without As tho melons
are packed in the car. have the stem
ends turned outward while a second
man or boy with n sharp Knife cuts
or portion 81 the stem and viii "a
small brush applies a dab % paste
/ 70 The fresh surface. One man can
accomplish this treatment without
interfering with the speed ~ loading
and can keep up with two packers. A
quart Of paste. costing only a small
! amount. viii be needed for eacn car.
This treatment, first recommended
/ in the four southeastern states In 1919.
was fairly well applied 81 Georgia and
| Florida that season. At that time the
United States Department ~ Agricul-
turo was able 70 maintain agents IN
The field for the purpose 81 demon
strating the correct method ~ disin~
fecting the stems. and the results OF
the work accomplished were very sat-
I lsfactory. Last year. however, owing
70 lack - appropriations II was not
possible 10 keep men IN the field for
purpose Of instruction and research.
with the result that progress ia prs
venting losses from this disease was
greatly retarded. This year the state
colleges 81 agriculture az Athens. Ga.
and Gainesville. Fia. are prepared 10
give advice and assistance Is the
melon growers II the application Of
the stem treatment. "A a contrast 20
the many reports received last year
# cars containing wastage amounting
Ia many instances 20 az much as 80
and occasionally 100 per cent % the
load, the Department OF Agriculture
has on file a series % reports OBJ
tanned IN 1873 on cars shipped from
stem end rot territory and treated
under supervision OF an agent IN the
field with average losses % lees than
per cent.
Careless Treatment Not Effective.
During an investigation made last
August. ~ conditions At Georgia ship
ping points with regard to stem-end
treatment. II was found that. owing
70 the general railroad order requiring
prepayment - freight on untreatadI
cars. practically all growers were max
ing a perfunctory application Of the
treatment In order that the statement
Treated for stem-End Rot" might
appear on the bin q iadina Not a.
single ear. however, was found during
three days shipping points inspection
IN which treatment was performed Ia
such q way Hs to prove effective
against stem-end rot. This study
brought to light many contributing
factors which lead 20 the futnitv OF
the work These factora are the re-
sult ~ lack ~ attention n the in
structions sent out by the department
81 Agriculture. and also printed on
the containers 81 which the CONNER
clal fuuRicIde 6 distributed
For example. not single car waaI
found IN which stems we're being re
cut before treatment Instances we're
Aoted where. ln direct opposition 10
directions printed on the box. com
mereiai paste was being mixed with
cold water instead ~ boiling water
NJ effort hefng made 70 measure the
water 80 20 secure the proper per
eemta0e ~ biucstone. one ease vvaal
found where home made starch
paste thar contained na fuurielae
whatever was being applied and Pa
another instance q farmer vas p1aa-
ferinR hls melons with e concentrated
hiuestone paste that served 20 severe
Il burn the rind Il was not unusual
- IND THAT many melons ESCAPED
treatment entlreIv. Occasional ears
wepe also found that contained melons
loaded with dead stems n general
the application ~ the treatment was
characterized Nv csrelevsness runner
Gus cars having been found with the
entire end ~ the melon smearea with
paste. Needless - say such melons
make a moor impression at the market.
Additional Pracauticns.
Field sanitation Is an important
practice. All rottlne melons should be
collected AZ least once 4 week ard re-
moved from the nelds after watch
the carts used Tor hauling should be
washed with a : per cent solution 81
htuestone. Melons should Re carefully +
handled 80 avoia any possible bruises
or cutting especially the slashing ~
fruits that efteu occurs when cutting
them from the vines. The cutters
must never touch or cut into a de- +