The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1924-10-08
Prof. Dinsmore
On Melon Crop
Advises Home Trade
Name For Project
Products

Professor g. C. Dinsmore, who this
last summer inaugurated the plan OF
testing Fallon melons for sugar con-
tents and made some most flattering
reports which became matters of rec
ord, has the following suggestions
to make as to the future OF melon
shipments from this section. In an
interview in the Reno Journal he
says:
Approximately 900 acres of canta-
loupes were grown in the Fallon dis
trict, from which were harvested and
marketed approximately 200 cars.
The bulk of the melons were shipped
to eastern cities and when sold
topped the market in nearly all In
stances, Commissioner Dinsmore stat.
ed First cars shipped netted the
growers $3.50 per standard crate.
Dinsmore suggests that suitable
trade name be adopted for the Fallon
melon and copyrighted So that future
advertising will be a benefit locally
1.-THE tendency at this time is for
other localities to grow Heart of
Gold melons, and as some of these
are inferior to the Nevada melons 1t
will be q detriment to the Nevada
grown product" the commissioner
declared. "It may also be presumed
that as the Nevada melons become
better established in outside markets
competition for the crop will become
greater and, accordingly, increase
the revenue to the producer"
Dinsmore declares that the great
est concern to the Fallon grower Is
the cracking" of melons while still
on the vine, losses ranging from 40
to 75 per cent in. the Heart OF Gold
variety. Since these cracked melons
are of the best flavor and the most
desirable eating melons. the commits
sioner recommends that arrange
ments be made whereby a steady
flow of "cracks" and splits" be
maintained just sufficient to meet
demands and not glut the market or
overload the local merchants. as they
must be turned over" rapidly to
the trade. For the best interests of
the cantaloupe grower no immature
melons or "culls' should leave the
packing sheds.
To determine at what stage oil
maturity melons should be picked Il
make the best shipper and arrive OF
the eastern market at their best il
point of eating quality. a series oi
experiments were conducted on
Heart of Gold" and "Hale's Best
melons. They were placed in cold
storage and held under refrigeration
approximating as near as possible
conditions found in refrigerator cars
in transit for a period of 10 days
the average time between loading
and arrival on the markets of the
east.
1t was found that half slip" (half
the stem cavity retains its part of
the stem when picked) Heart of
Gold" melons were most adapted for
far eastern shipment and the full
slip" more suited for Rocky noun
tain and western states shipment.
On the other hand, "Hale's Best
new variety of golden centered
cantaloupe which is Just coming itno
prominence on the Newlands project,
was found adapted to eastern ship
ment in the more mature full slip
condition.
The commissioner also pointed out
that this variety has a greater yield
per acre than the Heart of Cold
melon and the per cent of cracks
and splits" was estimated at not
more than three per cent of the total.
Dinsmore also commented favor
ably on the '"Pearl Pink" variety,
grown in the Harmon district, whose
cracking propensities are even less
Charles Glazier, the grower, has con
tracted for his entire seed crop at
So per pound.