Evening star., 1938-07-13

heavy for their size. and have . deep
sound when thumped. Any melon
with such a deep bass voice Is sure
to be mature, though 1t may also be
overripe.
In the past homemakers have COM
planned that their refrigerators
weren't big enough to hold a whole
watermelon. Melons were getting
ever larger and the mechanical re-
frigerators tended to be smaller than
the old ice boxes. Now growers are
producing small, de luxe model to
fit the new refrigerators. They're
better adapted to the family size. too.
One OF the leading varieties of the
small new melons, the Northern
Sweet. developed by the Minnesota
Agricultural Experiment Station from
seed imported from the Volga area Of
Russia, weighs 8 or 10 pounds.
This is less than half the weight
thought necessary to assure q good
melon in some of the older varieties,
such as the Tom Watson or Thur
mond Grey. The color, sweetness and
lack of fiber Of the new melon has
been approved by many buyers-also
by many northern gardeners. The
new variety requires nearly q month
less time from planting to picking
than some Southland favorites.
THE new small melon is only one
OF many breeders triumphs during
the last few years. Wilt-resistant
varieties produced through the State
agricultural experiment stations of
Iowa, Florida and California, with
the cooperation of the United States
Department of Agriculture, are ex-
pected to wipe out the wilt night
mare In some sections, where the
disease sometimes moved down whole
fields in a few hours time. These
new varieties, including the Pride
OF Muscatine, the Iowa King, the
Iowa Belle, Leesburg and the Resistant
Klondike No. Z, should help make
melon desserts possible in more Amer
ican homes, especially In districts
where the disease has been prevalent.
nIETIC1ANS preach no sermons
on the food value Of the water
melon. Citrullus vulgaris seems to
be served largely just for the pure
Joy OF eating. Yet history relates
how tribes in desert regions Of Africa
have been known to subsist through
periods Of drought on melons as their
sole food and drink supply. And
though the nutrition books give the
watermelon low ratings for vitamins
and minerals, the generous size Of
the usual serving does, after al, con-
tribute something worth while. Wa
termelon is fair source Of vitamin G.
which cannot be stored in the body
and is often low in the human diet
Some A and B are also found. Vitamin
c is the most Elusive Of the vitamin
family, and fresh, uncooked fruits are
its richest source.
X X \ II
WATERMELON PICKLE,
4 pounds watermelon rind.
Llmewater made with 2 quarts cold
water and 10 grams or table
spoons lime.
quarts vinegar.
l quart water.
~ pounds granulated sugar.
2 tablespoons whole allspice.
2 tablespoons whole cloves.
10 two-inch pieces stick cinnamon.
Select rind from q firm, not over
ripe melon and before weighing trim
of green skin and pink flesh. Cut in
inch cubes and soak for two and one
half hours in the lime water. Drain,
cover with fresh water and cook for
one and one-haf hours, or until ten
der, and add more water as 1t boils OF.
Let stand overnight in this same
water and next morning drain. Bring
to the boiling point the vinegar, one
quart of water, the sugar and the
spices tied loosely in cheese cloth. Add
the drained watermelon and boil gent
1y for two hours, or until the sirup |
is fairly thick. Remove the spice bag,
pack the watermelon pickle in ster.
ilized glass jars, seal air-tight and
store in a cn0l r1oca0