The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-05-03
DORCHESTER PLANS
BETTER MELONS
Farmers To Use Cooperative Method
For Marketing This Season
Crates Will Bear Seal. Steps Taken
Tn Assure Consumer That He VIII
Get Only Best Cantaloupes.

! Cambridge. Md. April 3o-In The
f.:It:r. When I ,antaioupe lfoh 'ne
| HurlOck dorchester county, DeIl Il
brought 10 consumers. table he may
be assured that the fruit is JUST
right 1t will be mellow and juicy.
No longer will they leave this
great shipping point in bulk, unrlpe
and unfit to eat. Every cantaloupe
will be examined at the central PACK
ing station about TO be erected. They
will be graded, placed in crate, anu
closed with the seal of the Dorches-
ter County Farmers Association, Inc.
insuring to the purchaser the very
best fruit obtainable.
All this was arranged for at
Joint meeting of the Pomona Grange
and this association at Hurlock yes
terdav. The meeting was addressed
by President Brand. of the Fruit
Growers Association and wartime
chief of the United States Bureau OF
Markets.
1t was decided, along the lines of
the suggestions of President Brand,
that the first move in cooperative
buying and selling among the farm
ers should be in the sale of canta-
Ioupes. President Brand told his
hearers that the farmer was deiat-
ed" today. all owing to the fact that
ne was not accustomed to business
methods. To make this cantaloupe
project feasible a committee was ap-
pointed to proceed with the erection
of the central warehouse and to be-
gin educational work among the
growers.
Members of this association, which
really represents practically the
whole of Dorchester rural life, will
agree that all cantaloupes raised in
this county shall pass through the
Huriock station, the inspection at
which will insure a uniform and
branded product.
Hereafter. it is the intention to
pick the fruit at the ideal time, so
that it will reach the table just at its
most luscious state. Each crate will
show just what grade of fruit is rat
ed, and at grower intends that the
whole crop shaII be eaten in season.
The fruit will be sold by the associ-
ltion To the primary market-that Is
he commission man, who will in
urn. supply the retailer. Naturally,
he grower says. he will be glad to
rave the consumer pleased with goou
ruit, but this move is a cold busl-
leSS proposition. The waste OF I'M
ipe cantalOupeS that rotted before
,eaching market, the Cutting OF mar
.ets by indiscriminate selling and the
dvantages taken by commission peo-
de, have made it necessary that the
.antaloupe output should be govern
ed from one central point. and that
he buying by the commission men
should be done at producing point,
md no longer upon the wholesale
market in cities, it is asserted. The
very best feature of the whole
scheme is that no more half-ripe
fruit will be shipped, and the loss to
the farmer will be negligible.
Dorchester county has more than
$500 acres of land set aside for
growing catalogues this season.
Even though last year was decidedly
Il bad one, more than 600 carloads OF
cantaloupes were sent to the market.
All were shipped in bulk, and be-
cause of heating and rOtting in
good portion of the shipments, its
growers received no return. For
those that did pass muster. the aver
age price was cents apiece. There
is no normal crop of cantaloupes, II
always differs, it is explained: but
The idea this season is to fill 900 cars
of 500 cases, each carrying two dozen
for which the grower expects to re-
ceive the minimum price of 81
crate