Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-02-08
ORGANIZE LOCAL.
AND WILL SHIP
'MIDCA' BRAND
One Hundred Acres Signed At
Start In Middle Georgia
Growers Association

J Sumter county melon growers yes
terday joined the Middle Georgia
Melon Growers association and organ
Eized local" following an address
to some fifty Representatives grows
crs Of the county by H. L. KennoR, ~
Macoa, representative Of the organiH
zation at the Carnegie library audi
torium. At the meeting 100 acres,
/ the minimum for the formation Of q
local, were signed up, and many more
are expected. Farmers will have lfl-
! til the last Thursday in February to
enter their memberships.
7 It was stated after the meeting
that the growers in the vicinity Of
Cobb and Leslie plan to organize their
own local shortly, and that there
was possibility Of similar action
being taken about Andersonyille.
! The address Of Mr.. Kennon was
made before the annual reorganiza-
tion meeting of the Sumter county
Farm Bureau He spoke ii consider
able detail of the plan Of organiza-
\
tion, its successes and failures last
year, and the outlook for the coming
year. He brought out the following
facts:
Summarized Facts.
All melons marketed this season
through the Middle Georgia Melon
| Growers association will be branded
with the word "Midga.'
No melons weighing less than 22
pounds will be shipped, and the mini
mum sizes by the car will be an av-
erage of "a pounds.
Members will be obliged to thin
their fields TO one melon plant to tho
hill and thYee melons to the plant,
this being for the purpose Of making
larger and finer melons, maturing
Imore uniformly and commanding Il
better price.
! All members are required to pay
fees of 81 per acre for all planted
and marketing through the associa-
ton, the minimum fees of SIS being
payable upon joining and the remain-
der payable out Of first shipment.
/ The organization is a mutual, non-
profit making marketing body, sims
liar to the Georgia Fruit Exchange,
and the fees are charged for the pay
ment Of expenses Of organization and
operation. Directors elected BY thu
various locals compose the boiv
which fixes the charges for selling
Any surplus remaining at the end
Of the season will be rebated to the
shippers.
One or more expert graders and
| shippers Of melons as are required
viii be furnished to each local for the
purpose Of insuring the proper haae.
Hing Of the crop Of the members.
Reason for Thinning.
Mr. Kennon went into the reasons
for thinning the vines to one to 4
/ hill and three melons to the vine. he
said experience had shown this to Be
/ 2 very high paying practice, and nee
tssary to obtain high grads Ineions
He said two brothers living near Ma
con planted the same acreage of
melons last year, one Of them resell 81
ing to thin and prune according to
the rules and the other refusing to
do 50. Tit brother who thinned his
melons shipped eight cars ii two
weeks, at fancy prices, while the 9th.
er shipped only six cars in four weeks
at inferior prices, he said.
Last year was the first the MIDI
die Georgia association hadloDerated.
It was organized early in The
southern part Of the state, covering
i a portion of the state not embraced
IN the South Georgia Melon Growers
/ association, and did splendidly in that
section, averaging S194.77 per car
for all melons handled, against All
average Of. S64 obtained the year Be.
fore by the same farmers under no
Organization. He said the success
| of the organization in the southern
portion SO attracted the attention Of
the Middle Georgia growers that they
insisted upon coming in ON the or
Eganization right at shipping time,
without having had time to make
preparations, either in planting Oh
growing according to rules, and
against the advice Of the officials OF
the organization, the result being
poor melons and little more success
than could have been obtained OUT
side any organization. He said these
growers will follow che rules this ysar
and should obtain vastly different re-
suits.
Many local melon growers who
We're act at the meeting are expected
q to Join IN the marketing movement
before expiration of the time limit
FORMER II e TPAMSpORT