-psu^- 



24 BULLETIN 401, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUSE. 



tliree installments during the growing season, the first loan of $5 

 generally being made either about the 1st of April, or when the melon 

 fields show 80 per cent of a perfect stand. The per-crate advance is 

 generally considered to be a guaranteed season average net return. 



Two other special features of the contracts are a clause contained 

 in some- of them binding distributors to wire net results obtained 

 from each car as soon as it is sold; and another allowing the dis- 

 tributor to discontinue the advances at any time by giving the 

 grower 24 hours' notice. Neither of these provisions is contained in 

 the contracts made in the Imperial Valley. 



POSSIBILITIES OF COOPERATION. 



Although the growers in the Salt River Valley have been organized 

 in the past, there was no association in active operation in 191.5. The 

 opportunities for saving on purchases of materials and supplies through 

 cooperation are much the same as those which exist in the Imperial 

 Valley. Crates and nails for green-meated muskmelons are furnished 

 to growers by distributors at 15 cents for standards, no paper wraps 

 for melons being included. A charge of 10 cents is made for each flat. 

 This price, however, includes the paper wraps for the "pink-meat" 

 melons. Figures obtained indicate that this represents a gross profit 

 of about 3 cents on standard crates and approxim^ately 2 cents per 

 crate on flats. However, from this gross profit there must be deducted 

 the cost of labels and labeling, the shrinkage, breakage, insurance, 

 storage, and interest charges. 



Seed which is now furnished to the growers at $1.25 per pound could 

 be purchased by an association in large lots at prices from 30 to 40 

 cents less than this. It is probable that a saving amounting to consid- 

 erable in the aggregate could be obtained by cooperative purchasing. 



QUALITY. 



PicKiNa AND Packing. 



The problems of securing quality are much the same as in the 

 Imperial Valley, except that conditions are more favorable. Because 

 of small acreages a great many growers are able to do their own picking 

 and packing, with a consequent improvement in the average quality. 



Packing is carried on in open sheds much like those in the Imperial 

 Valley. Wrappers are used only for the Burrell Gem melons, and 

 then only for the sake of appearance. While packing is generally 

 fairly satisfactory, room for improvement exists, as is shown by the 

 difference in weights in the following table of tests (Table 9), taken 

 on the same day, covering different brands but the same varieties 

 of melons. These weight tests are the average of an entire day's 

 shipments. 



