238 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



digestible protein, 3.3 pounds digestible carbohydrates and 0.2 pound 

 fat, which, giving a true value to the fat, means 4.5 pounds of 

 nutrients. Alfalfa hay contains approximately 53 pounds of nutri- 

 ents to the one hundred pounds, counting the fat in the same way, 

 making the alfalfa about twelve times as good, weight for weight. 

 However, an added benefit to the citron melons comes in the fact 

 that they are a succulent food and have an excellent physiological 

 effect aside merely from the food content. This succulency makes 

 it very good with alfalfa hay, with which it makes a balanced ration. 

 Varieties. Everything offered by seedsmen in the form of an 

 improved watermelon is quickly put into California soil. The result 

 is that in the state as a whole very many varieties are grown, proba- 

 bly as many as of any single garden plant. Still a few varieties are 

 easily leading in popularity. The most famous variety in the central 

 part for the last quarter of a century has been the "Lodi/' a variety 

 believed to be of local origin, taking its name from the locality 

 where largely grown, in San Joaquin county, but the Lodi has given 

 way even in its own region to other varieties, and its decadence is 

 probably in part due to lack of proper selection in seed sowing on 

 the part of the growers, and the superiority of newer sorts. The 

 following have commended themselves to California growers: 



Florida Favorite: large, oblong, -deep green, mottled; good flavor and 

 a good early variety and a good shipper. 



Fordhook Early : very early, medium size, globular, tough, deep mottled 

 green rind, red flesh; good for early shipping. 



Dixie: large and handsome, dark green, beautifully striped, hardy and 

 productive, sweet, juicy, and tender scarlet flesh. A good shipping variety. 



Cuban Queen : large, symmetrical, solid, rind thin and strong, striped 

 with dark and light green, flesh red, tender and very sweet, vine very strong 

 in growth and productive. Melons keep well and ship well. 



Mammoth Ironclad: resembles Cuban Queen in markings; melons 

 uniformly large, with hard, tough rind, flesh very red and solid, productive 

 and a good shipper. 



Kolb Gem: round, dark green, with light green stripes, which are 

 narrow and of dull color, fair size, flesh bright red and good flavor, tough 

 rind and a good shipper. f 



Iceberg: like Kolb Gem, but darker green and flesh deep red; a good 

 shipper. 



Southern Rattlesnake: oblong, light green, beautifully striped, thin rind, 

 flesh scarlet, solid and very sweet. 



Lodi: large, solid, light green, flesh deep red, rich and delicious, and 

 extending to within half an inch of the rind. For many years this variety 

 almost controlled California markets and is still largely grown. 



