MARKETING AXD DISTEIBUTION OF WESTEEIST MXJSKMELOXS. 29 



is available during tlie rush of harvesting, and the harvesting work 

 and packing must be done largely b}^ local help. The green-meated 

 varieties are grown exclusiveh^. 



MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS. 



For a number of years marketing has been handled almost exclu- 

 sively by one firm of distributors at a commission varying according 

 to the sections of the United States in which the cars have been 

 sold, 17 J per cent being charged in the territory north of Denver 

 and Salt Lake and west of Minneapolis, and 1 5 per cent in the remain- 

 der of the country. No information is available regarding advances. 



QUALITY. 



All melons are shipped unwrapped. The quality and pack has 

 generally been fairly satisfactory, although it could be improved by 

 methods suggested for other sections. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



For many years Moapa Valley muskmelons have been marketed 

 almost exclusively in western cities, only a few cars gomg to eastern 

 points. As a result of the scarcity of good muskmelons in the eastern 

 section in 1915 a larger number of cars than usual were shipped 

 east. Table C (in envelope at end of bulletin), showing the receipts 

 of western muskmelons on the markets during the Nevada season and 

 the prices obtained for Nevada melons on the various markets, illus- 

 trates the success met with in the different cities. 



The results obtained in 1915 were good, and certain of the smaller 

 western markets were used to very good advantage. It is probable 

 that the distribution could be broadened if necessary to provide for 

 increased acreage. The only obstacle in the way of going farther 

 afield for markets is the fact that in the past the growers in the Moapa 

 Valley have been accustomed to picking then' melons for delivery in 

 the near-by western markets; consequently it is not unhkely that 

 most of the melons may be a trifle too soft for shipment to distant 

 points. In fact, some complaints to this effect have been heard in 

 the markets, but such objections could be easily overcome. 



TURLOCK DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA. 



HISTORY. 



The Turlock district is located in the San Joaquin Valley in the 

 vicinity of Turlock, Cal., which is the principal shipping station, a 

 majority of the cars bemg shipped from this point. The area of the 

 district is not large, and the growers arc resident ranchers exclusively, 

 very little or no land being rented for the purpose of growing musk- 

 melons. The patches generally are not large, and are cared for })y the 

 owners as part of a plan of diversified farming. The varieties grown 



