58 MELON CULTURE 



growers in disposing of their crops, each of which, 

 doubtless, has its advantages, depending upon con- 

 ditions. Some ship direct to commission houses, 

 taking all the risk of fluctuations in the market 

 themselves. Others sell direct to a regular buyer 

 after the melons are loaded on to the cars. In sec- 

 tions where melon growing assumes large propor- 

 tions, as it does in certain parts of the country, 

 where hundreds of acres are grown within a radius 

 of a very few miles, it is quite common for the large 

 commission houses to send their agents or repre- 

 sentatives into the melon fields for the purpose of 

 buying as many carloads as they may need to sup- 

 ply their trade. 



These agents usually " camp on the field," where 

 they can have a general knowledge of what is going 

 on in the way of picking and packing and be able 

 to take advantage of any unusual conditions which 

 may arise. This method also helps the grower, be- 

 cause he is kept constantly in touch with the latest 

 markets ; and then, too, where several buyers are in 

 the field there is always more or less competition, 

 which has a tendency to keep prices up to a normal 

 level. Then, too, when the car is loaded and ready 

 for shipment, he receives his check, and so all worry 

 concerning a glut in the market or, possibly, unfair 

 treatment by his commission merchant, is avoided. 



In some sections the growers have formed them- 

 selves into organizations similar to the large fruit 

 associations of the Northwest for the purpose of 

 securing certain advantages in the marketing of 

 their products, as well as in the purchasing of sup- 

 plies. In this case, the melons are all marketed 



