298 



GARDEN FARMING 



is another group which, as a rule, has a more strongly developed 

 musk flavor and a red or salmon flesh. In this group are Emerald 

 Gem, Paul Rose, Banquet, and Tip-Top. Besides being grouped 

 according to the color of the flesh, muskmelons are also classified 

 according to the markings upon the surface, and also according to 

 the form of the fruits. There are the long, cucumber-shaped varieties, 

 called Snake melons, and the short, turbinated varieties such as 

 the Jenny Lind, with all the gradations from the fusiform to the 

 globular. The markings on the skin are either netted or smooth, 

 some of them, as in the Tip-Top, being almost smooth with compar- 

 atively few ribs, while 

 in others the ribs and 

 sutures are distinctly 

 marked. Within re- 

 cent years a group of 

 soft-fleshed melons, 

 sweet "but lacking in 

 muskiness, has been 

 introduced from south- 

 ern Europe into the 

 irrigated sections of 

 southwestern United 

 States, where they 

 have found favor. 

 This class is little 

 known to the Eastern 

 markets, except in the so-called Christmas melon. The student of 

 varieties will find this a very interesting class. 



Harvesting and shipment. Muskmelons are seldom or never 

 shipped in bulk in carload lots as are watermelons. The character- 

 istic method of shipping them is in crates corresponding somewhat 

 in size and character to the container for berry cups. The crates 

 for the pint or quart boxes used in the shipment of raspberries, 

 strawberries, etc., is one of the containers frequently employed for 

 muskmelons. In some localities, instead of using crates of this 

 kind, one like that shown in figure no, which is similar to that 

 used for the six-basket carrier of peaches, is employed. In other 

 localities the Delaware peach basket is used, and in still others the 



FIG. 1 10. Crates for shipping muskmelons 



