THE MUSKMELON 



F. William Rane, Dept. of Horticulture and Forestry, New Hampshire College, 



Durham, N. H. 



Of the various plants grown- in the garden few have been appreciated 

 more than the muskmelon. The muskmelon is not only a delightful and 

 highly valued fruit when well grown, but under favorable conditions is 

 easily raised and brings good financial returns to the grower. 



The writer has grown muskmelons for many years, and is impressed 

 with their constantly increasing popularity and the extended area devoted to 

 their culture. Much of the fruit found in the markets, however, is even yet 

 of little value as regards quality, and were it possible to educate growers to 

 grow only the better \^arieties, those more delicately flavored, our present area 

 would be very inadequate. Poor, flavorless varieties are just as hard to grow, 

 other things being considered, as good ones. Sunshine, however, is believed 

 to be quite importantly associated with flavor. 



When sending in this subject to the Conference the purpose was to 

 make an exhausted study of the development of the cultivated American 

 muskmelons and in so far as possible trace out the origin and history 

 of all of our standard, well known and promising sorts. While the varie- 

 i*ies themselves have been carefully studied and an attempt at classifica- 

 tion made, it was thought by a close investigation into the origin of each 

 variety perhaps sufficient data might be obtainable to indicate more or less 

 the phyla or line of development. 



Early in the year I wrote to all of our leading seedsmen throughout 

 the country personal letters asking them for all possible information in regard 

 to their various introductions of muskmelons, viz., date of introduction, de- 

 scription and photograph of the original fruit, where originated, by whom, 

 whether a known cross, and if so its parentage, etc. I also wrote many large 

 growers throughout the country for similar assistance in tracing the origin 

 and history of this fruit. Some of our leading agricultural and horticultural 

 papers assisted me likewise by publishing a notice free of charge asking for 

 similar assistance. Each of the Agricultural College and Experiment Station 

 horticulturists was likewise consulted and asked to co-operate in the work. 



From these various sources a very liberal response was received. Many 

 seed firms were frank to say that they had not introduced anything of their 

 own origin, and even most of those offered to the public were not of any 

 definite known crossing, but largely variations or strains which through 

 selection had been brought out. Some were supposed to be crosses from the 

 fact that other varieties which the chance seedling or strain seemed to 

 resemble had been growing near by. Seedsmen, growers and horticulturists 

 united jn not only giving me the advantage of their own experience and data, 



