216 CALIFORNIA VEGETABLES 



Citron melons are of low nutritive value but serve a good pur- 

 pose. In one hundred pounds of them there are 0.7 of one pound 

 of digestible protein, 3.3 pounds of 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 nutrients 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 suc- 

 culency makes it very good with alfalfa hay or bean straw, with 

 which it makes a balanced ration. Rotten melons are, however, 

 dangerous to stock. Probably much of the evil attributed to melons 

 is due to this fact. 



Watermelon 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, probably as many as of any single garden plant. Still, a few 

 varieties are easily leading in popularity. The following have com- 

 mended themselves to California growers: 



Angeleno: believed to be of California origin; dark green, roundish, 

 bright red flesh, thin rind; excellent shipper and largely grown. Seed must 

 be soaked to close cracks before planting. Standard variety white seeded 

 but selections with black and brown seeds are being introduced ; long bearer, 

 apt to be busy until frost. 



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

 a good midseason variety and a good shipper. 



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

 green rind, red flesh; good for early shipping. 



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. 



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

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

 and a good shipper. 



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 but is now but little grown. 



Chilian : oblong, deep green, mottled and striped, flesh bright red, sweet 

 and high quality; good for home use because of thin, brittle rind. 



Kleckley Sweet: medium sized, oval, dark green, flesh bright red, high 

 quality, largely grown for home use and shipping. 



Ice Cream: very large, long, solid deep green, flesh yellow. 



Excel: newly introduced and making a record for size and large yield, 

 both in southern and central California, and promising for long shipment; 

 early ripening. 



Tom Watson: dark green mottled; oblong, flesh scarlet, thick core; apt 

 to be over-large ; rather late. 



Klondike: high quality, thin rind and very tender flesh; chiefly grown 

 in southern California and very popular in local trade, also held to be a 

 good shipper; very small seed. 



