294 GARDEN FARMING 



Distribution. In America the muskmelon is more generally 

 cultivated as a garden plant than any other melon. It is not, how- 

 ever, so valuable from an economic standpoint as either the water- 

 melon or the cucumber ; yet, because of the esteem in which it is 

 held as a dessert fruit, during the last decade its cultivation has 

 assumed important commercial proportions in those localities where 

 it can be produced in its perfection. The superiority of melons 

 produced in certain restricted areas is now well recognized, and 

 the trade names in certain instances have been taken from the 

 names of the localities in which the fruits were grown. This is 

 true of the Rocky Ford melon, which is said to have been developed 

 in a district in Colorado known as Rocky Ford. This melon is now 

 widely advertised on the market under this trade name, although 

 it was undoubtedly evolved from one of the old standard sorts 

 known by another name, probably Netted Gem. 



The muskmelon industry is somewhat localized, but much less 

 so than the watermelon industry. In 1909 California led all other 

 states in the production of muskmelons, according to the census 

 report for that year, 5784 acres being grown. Colorado came 

 next with 3970 acres, while New Jersey with 3861 acres was third ; 

 and Indiana with 3855 acres was fourth. Maryland followed with 

 3516 acres. Ten other states produced from 1200 to 2000 acres, 

 but these five are the only ones which annually produced 3000 or 

 more. Colorado, perhaps the most noted muskmelon-producing 

 state, had an acreage of 2329 in 1899, which was much less than 

 the acreage of 1909 in some of the states which have no reputa- 

 tion as melon-producing areas ; however, in 1909 it stood second. 



The importance of the melon industry cannot be judged by the 

 extent of its cultivation in any particular region. It is of more uni- 

 versal cultivation by market gardeners and truck growers than the 

 watermelon, which is grown as a special farm crop. In some re- 

 gions, where the industry is given special prominence, it is carried 

 on as extensively as other farm operations. The muskmelon, how- 

 ever, has an advantage over the watermelon in that it is grown not 

 only as a field crop but as a forcing crop under frames and in 

 greenhouses. In Europe, where the muskmelon cannot be suc- 

 cessfully matured in the open, strains have been developed which 

 are specially fitted for cultivation in the greenhouse and cold frame. 



