Specific Marketing Problems 



57 



Phoenix and is handled through the Union Melon Growers' Associa- 

 tion. This organization has headquarters at Phoenix and while not 

 in the strictest sense of the word a farmers' co-operative marketing 

 association, is nevertheless an organization for the purpose of con- 

 solidating watermelon shipments. The marketing of this crop is purely 

 a local problem and, as the following table will show, practically all 

 of these melons were sold in Arizona and New Mexico : 



Table VI Destinations of Watermelon Shipments in 1917 



Except for supplying Arizona and New Mexico, it is doubtful 

 whether watermelons ever will be produced in surplus quantities in 

 the Salt River Valley. This crop differs materially from the canta- 

 loupe crop in this respect, since the latter is a fairly in^portant factor 

 on the large markets of the United States. 



Less than lOO acres of grapes are grown in the Salt River Valley. 

 Most of these are of the Thompson Seedless variety and are ready for 

 market in advance of the offerings of California table grapes. The 

 commercial acreage is in the vicinity of Mesa, from which point about 

 9 cars were shipped in 191 7. Some of these grapes are sold locally 

 in the Valley, but many of them move to large Eastern markets, not- 

 ably Chicago. The marketing is largely on a consignment basis. 



Dates are perhaps the most interesting of the special crops in the 

 Valley. The principal orchard is near Tempe and is controlled by the 

 University of Arizona. In addition, there are small quantities of edible 

 dates produced incidentally on many of the farms in the Valley. It is 

 difficult to ascertain the total acreage in dates outside of the Tempe 

 orchard, which is the only important commercial orchard in the Valley. 

 The latter contains about 10 acres of bearing palms and produces a 

 wide range of desirable varieties. The Hayani and Rhar are among 

 the more important of the so-called soft varieties, while the Deglet 

 Noor is an interesting example of the harder date, which matures later 

 in the season. 



Dates from palms owned by farmers over the Valley are all sold 

 locally in the towns in the Valley. Most of the output of the Tempe 



