SEED AND PLANT DISTRIBUTION. .'17 



can lie had in market at least four weeks before Early Yellow Cracker, 

 Yellow Danvers, Australian Brown, Early Red Globe, or Extra Early 

 Red Flat. It is a half-globe variety, and averages about 2i inches in 

 diameter. Its color is brown, much the same l»ut a little lighter than 

 Australian Brown. It is mild and sweet, and while not a good onion 

 tor storage, keeps much better than the Bermudas or any of the early 

 white onions. It ripens down evenly, and seldom has any scallions or 

 8tiff neck-. With us in California it was ready for market August 1. 

 at leasl one month before the early varieties mentioned above, and 

 now. October L3, it is still in very good condition foi market."" 



d furnished by C. C. Morse & Co., Santa Clara, Cal. 



A. -I. Pieters, Botanist in Charge. 

 Approved: 



B. T. Galloway, Chief of Bureau. 



[Circular sent to recipients of --.•»■. 1 -~ » > t' novelties and specialties Included in Section 5 of the scheme 



of distribution.] 



SECTION 5. 



The varieties included in this special distribution are either new or 

 are not as well known as they should he. The seeds are sent out this 

 year, accompanied by full descriptions of the varieties, in the hope 

 that those who receive them will report the results of their trial to the 

 Department. In making the report, please use the blanks accompany- 

 ing this circular and return them in the inclosed franked envelope, 

 which requires no postage. 



MUSKMELON. 



Rocky Ford. 



This variety is a strain of the old and well-known Netted Gem, and 

 has been recently developed and grown in immense quantities at Rocky 

 Ford, Colo., whence it has been shipped extensively to all the eastern 

 and northern markets. The variety has been made extremely popular 

 by the Rocky Ford growers as much on account of the careful shipping 

 the}' have practiced as for the fine melons they have been aide to produce 

 in their ideal melon-growing country. The development of the variety 

 is obscure and disputed. It was first introduced by seedsmen in 1899. 



The melon is very early and productive, and the fruits are oval 

 shaped, shallow ribbed, densely netted, small in size, and mottled 

 green and 3 ellow in color. The flesh is green, of the very best quality, 

 and, though not as rich as some others, is not surpassed in sweetness 

 by any, while it is uniformly good and more universally liked than 

 any other. 



This seed was carefully selected by D. V. Burrill, of Rocky Ford, Colo., from melons of uniform 

 size that were ideal in every particular 



