H/GIITEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



43 



I'nder the third factor I inchide varieties. There are 

 certainly a great many varieties of musk melon, and each 

 seems to have at least a catalog reputation of value. Without 

 question certain varieties, as the Montreal Market and the 

 Rocky Ford, do better in particular regions than they do here. 

 What we need to know is what varieties are best adapted to 

 our conditions, and also if we can improve the strains of these. 

 Growers of experience here have, wath some cost to them- 

 selves, more or less definitely decided what are the best mel- 

 ons for them to handle. From what I can learn the Emerald 

 Gem at present has the best reputation, or at least is the mel- 

 on most generally grown for local markets. A certain mys- 

 terious French melon, not listed in the seed catalogs, said to 

 be a cross of the Emerald Gem and the Alontreal Market, 

 enjoys a rather unusual reputation. I should like to learn 

 more about this particular melon, as I have heard that it was 

 raised by a number of growers last season. But with a va- 

 ried or extensive market, besides quality, which I place first, 

 and yield, there is the keeping factor, which determines wheth- 

 er or not the melons can be placed on a more distant market, 

 such as Boston or New York. In order to learn something 

 about different varieties of melons and their value to this 

 State, the New Haven Station last year, in cooperation with 

 Mr. Frisbie of Southington, grew about one hundred varie- 

 ties, and expects to g-row them again the coming year. Of 

 these varieties none proved of any greater worth, as to qual- 

 ity, than the Emerald Gem. Though last year was a better 

 year than usual to obtain quality, the greater part of the va- 

 rieties, so far as this test shows, were poor in this respect. 

 The varieties that gave melons the majority of which were 

 of good or excellent quality are as follows : Admiral Togo, 

 Defender. Emerald Gem, Extra Early June, Fcrdhook, 

 Hac'kensack, Hoodoo. ^Missouri and Stokes' Standard Salmon 

 Flesh. I think that it is important for the grower to deter- 

 mine from his own experience, as well as from that of others, 

 what is the best melon for his conditions, and then by rigid 

 selection from his own stock, try to improve the strain. 

 Where one depends upon the market for his seed, he will find 



