Imperial Valley press., 1928-07-10

second installment on review
of the 1928 cantaloupe crop by
A. E. Prugh, of the U. s. De-
partment of Agriculture, in
charge of the Market Bureau
Service during the recent sea-
son. Another aIlstallment will
appear tomorrow.
Under relatively light receipts,
cantaloupc prices in city markets
quickly declined. Standard crates
of - melons in Chicago on May 1G
brought $500, with 6 cars on
track; 21st Is on track $500; 25th
36 on track $4.50-$4.75; 2Sth SO on
track $350-S4.00 and June 1st 112
on track $300-$3.25. Too many
ears were going to the large termin
ais, as apparently the weather was
not warm enough for small cities to
handle carlots. While the New
York City market stood up wonder
fully we'll under such heavy re-
ceipts, the wisdom of sending from
oup-third to onc-fourth of theetotal
output to one large city, is question
ed. During the five day period from
June % to 80, New York received
about an average of 100 ears daily
of Imperial cantaloupes and III adj
dition to private sales, auction sell
ing was inaugurated. In taking a
broad view of the cantaloupe deal,
city market prices really have a
greater bearing ON actual conditions
than the shipping point carlot cash
quotations, as around 20 per cent of
the crop is consigned, with about
% per cent being sold cash f. o. b.
The large operators prefer the con-
siCnment deal because 1t offers n
way for more equitable distribution.
In fact, until recent years when
movement began to climb and cash
BUYERS entered the field, distribu-
tlon was handled through a
clearing house in which the Market
News Service took a prominent
part. Another form of clearing
house has been suggested as Il
means of improving present distri-
button. Any practical plan of this
nd far handing such a pcrishabie
commodity as cantaloupes Is pro
baby worth a trial.
As the cash f. o. b. price dropped
down to $1.35-$1.40 per standard DO
crate during the first part of June,
a wave of discouragement spread
over the valley. The Chicago mar
ket had declined to $2.75-$3.00 for
standard 45s and 36s and New York
to $3.25-$3.75 on June 6, which with
transportation cost of freight and
refrigeration of $1.36 to Chicago
and s1.61 to New York City, show,
ed very little if any profit on the
covered acreage. Growers began to
wonder whether 1927 conditions
were to be repeated but a cool spell
With drop of 90 degrees maximum
temperature in Imperial valley
/ checked movement and the sun came
/ ont from behind the clouds back
cast, and people turned TO eanta-
loupes as their breakfast delicacy.
After the peak on June ls of 4i9
cars. with shipments dropping to
357 two days later. eastern recciv-
ers became convinced that move
ment was declining and they com
mcnced to speculate. The cash +.
O. b. price advanced rapidly from
4l.35- 40 on June 10 to S1.S5-S2, 90
on the 22nd. The New York market
also advanced from $300-S3.75 on
the 18th to $3.75-$4.50 on the 22na.
Competition Looms
Growers now began to think that
t.thc darkest hour had been just be-
fore the dawn The peak move
ment was rolling into the markets
/ on advancing prices, as against W.
, when with a peak of 532 on june
p and a movement of $500 cars IN
seven days from June 20 to 20, the
+. o. b. market crashed down to zoe
85c per standard 45 crate and the
Chicago market dropped to 500
sos.
The 1928 deal around June a
seemed to be over the last hurdle,
when the cloud Of Arizona competi-
tion loomcd on the horizon. Tie
Phoenix section moved II cars on
June - and increased to l31 on the
3oth. Carlot cash f. o. h. prices in
Imperial valley dropped from $50.
81 80 for standard 45s on tho 2Gfh
10 $l10 on the goth. Starting
early, the season had been under
way a long time and quality in old
fields was detcricrat!ug. Grow'rs
and shippers having made some pro.
cit were not inclined to continue
shipping the cleanup stock and take
chance on lo,ng money. However,
receiving market prices did not drop
so sharply in sympathy with the
shipping point quotations. The roll
ing cars were still selling at far
nrices and some cooler weather At
Phoenix delayed maturity. The
Chicago market had been holding
about dollar per standard crate
higher on the receipt Of this sea
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