Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1921-06-06
PROFITS Of
MELON CROP
WILL Be
IN RED
Lower Rates Would Help
Cantal0upe Growers But
Not One Expects to More
Than Break Even.

President Harding, prodding the In
terstate Commerce Commission into
doing something towards reducing
vegetable rates from California east,
may result in more cantaloupes rolling
Atlantic Coast than growers expected
Quality of the crop is fine. Size is the
average and in quantity will probably
be record breaker
The Imperial Valley expects to turn
out the bumper crop of its history this
season. Everything Is set for the
great American Derby of the fruit
game. There is something like 40
distributors listed, dozen of course,
being of the small fry, shipping only
to nearby points The Japanese grow
ers generally stick close to the old
line distributors yet there are already
a half dozen japanese shipping con-
Germs which have developed a lettuce
trade, tomato trade and are now
going in for cantaloupes and water
melons. Again, there is a growers
association with fair acreage, says
Austin Holcomb in story Oil the
melon situation broadcasted this NOM
ing.
The fate of the 1921 deal rests en-
tirely with the eastern trade. The
distributors who have finished the crop
have something like $3,000,O0O tied up
in rentals. Starting this week they
hope before the close to "cash in" on
their investment. Not one expects
10 show a profit by the end of the sea-
son. Not one dares to hope for such
luck, in view of the prohibitive freight
rates, which all had hoped would be
suspended, but now realize they Will
not.
The acreage is something near "a
coo, or nearly 1000 more than IN l92O
or nearly 10000 more than in 1919
If anything better seed was planted
than was the case last year, shown ny
n careful examination of so fields. In
nearly every field the melons had
reached standard size as against the
usual pony for early shipments. "A
large majority of the plants showed
fewer melons to the hill of the crown
set. which in turn means better pro-
duct. The blooms of the third setting
were heavy, indicating second peak
close to June 20. The melons of the
second setting had made good firm
growth and were abundant, which
means first peak quite early IN the
season. =.
Aphis was found here and there. 1t
can be kept down as was demonstrated
bv Farm Advisor Garthwaite, near
Brawley early last week. The remedy
is almost 80 per cent perfect and costs
but little, with the additional advan-
tape that any sort of labor can handle
the dust sprayer used to shower the
under side of the leaves with nicotine
dust.
The 1921 acreage is more widely
scattered than that of any previous
season. Brawley and Westmorland
or the north end of the valley, lead
making a total of about 10000 acres.
or practically half of the valleys total
within a narrow radius. Brawley Of
ficiallv has 6698 acres and Westmor-
land 1897. The railroad figures give
Brawley but $500 and Westmorlanc
3566 acres. The FL Centre district
embracing Wilsey Siding and Kimura
show 1927 acres by the railroad figures
and 4OO8 by the record of COMMISSION
err Waite. Heber, which is between
I'll Centre and Calexico, has 3243 ano
Calexico $50. The railroad derives
the same total, reducing Calexico ant
increasing Heber. Thus the lower enc
Of the valley near the Mexican Iln'
has more than is normal acreage. inns
means a steady run of late shipments
since the southern crop natures late
than Brawley and Westmorland, bu
on the other hand makes up for thu
iateness with heavier yield per acre
~uprc nELr COCO 9OO