Milford chronicle., 1921-08-12
THE SHORE GROWS
FAR BETTER MELONS
FEDERAL EXPERT ASSERTS THAT The
DELMARVIA PENINSULA SURPRISES
CALIFORNIA In FRUIT.
SOIL & CLIMATE CONDITIONS
ARE MUCH BETTER HERE AND MELONS
OF FINER QUALITY--HE SUGGESTS
BETTER HANDLING METHODS.

Growers of melons, fruit and vege-
tables in Delaware and Maryland have
got to learn that they can not pack
every melon, or each piece of fruit
into packages and ship them to the
city markets with profit for them
selves. The buyers at Salisbury,
Laurel and other points where Specu-
latOrs and buyers for dealers in the
large cities, have arrived at an agree
ment, that they will not buy fruit or
melons which are picked before they
reach a stage when they are ready to
sell to consumers in the city markets.
A writer from Salisbury this month
stated that when the growers reached
the railroad with their wagon loads
of melons, they were greatly surprised
when the buyers refused to bid at all
on the unripe product. This was in
accord with the efforts being made to
place the reputation of Wicomico-
grown cantalOupes upon the highest
standard and the concerted action of
the buyers is said to have demon
strated that the habit of shipping the
early plucked fruit will be eliminated
in this section, thereby greatly to the
prestige of the local product.
In speaking of the opportunity
growers of cantaloupes have for MAX
ing this one of the biggest cantaloupe
sections in the United States, w. R.
Beattie, of the Department of Agri-
culture, who is now here on a visit
looking over the situation, said that
the possibilities here are far better
than in California for growing melons
on a big scale and for making this
the premier market if the growers will
only give the people what they want
ripe, sweet cantaloupes.
Conditions Termed Excellent
This section of the Eastern Shore"
said Mr.. Beattie, "is in a position to
grow far better cantaloupes than Cal
ifOrnia. Soil and climatic conditions
are much better here, and the melons |
grown in WicOmicO are better looking, |
better tasting and of better quality. /
However, to make real big market |
the growers must not pick their mel
Ons too green, as has Decn the case l
in many instances in the past"
AS an example of how carefully the
California product is scrutinized be-
fore being put on the market, Mr..
Beattie cited the instance where the |,
California State Marketing Bureau
turned down $4,000 crates of canta-
loupes in one week because they had /
been picked too green, and refused to
allow them to be shipped.
California shipped 5000 carloads
Of cantaloupes in four weeks this I
year." continued Mr.. Beattie, but this /
section should be able to easily out
rival the Western State owing to the ]
TACT that it is within "a hours of the ,
pest Eastern markets, while it takes 7
rom to IL days to bring a carload {
If melons from the Western Coast. {
Better Methods Brought Profits II
zone firm, of HurlOck, has made a t
business for years of shipping melons '
It the right stage of ripeness, and, as t
| result of their precaution in this {
'egard they were getting 81 per crate a
or their goods when others were re- c
,eiving about $3.50. This was two t
'ears ago., but this firm stands high in {
he esteem of the buyers because it t
ellis only high-grade fruit, well grad t
ID and properly packed" 8
Mr.. Beattie has offered the follow
ng suggestions to growers of canta- t
OupeS DIS 10 Ilme OIL picking: PICK
hem when the stem will break free t
rom the melon by the pushing of p
humb or finger. Pick often; at least a
very other day, at first; then every n
lay, and finally two or three times a f.
lay. Melons should always be picked
reener toward the end of the season e
han at the beginning of the season. a
Watch your cantaloupes closely so h
hey don't get over-ripe over Sunday, a
nd pick them on Sunday, if neces- il
ary."
Accompany Mr.. Beattie to Salisbury NJ
Tas S. B Shaw, of the Maryland Ex-
ansinn SerNice Cnllega Park