MAEKETIXG AND DISTBIBUTIOX OF WESTEEN MUSKMELOXS. 33 



crate, 25 cents per flat crate, and in some cases 25 cents per pony 

 crate, though the larger number of the distributors refused to make 

 any advance whatever on pony melons. Under such contracts the 

 crate material usually is furnished to the grower by the distributor 

 at cost or at a price allowing the distributor a small margin of profit. 

 Pools are made biseasonally — one for the shipments made m August 

 and the second for all shipments from September 1 to the end of the 

 season. The distributor reserves the privilege of discontinuing all 

 advances upon 24 hours' written notice. The commission on the 

 advance, as well as the no-advance types of contracts, is 15 per cent. 



Dm'ing the past year most of the owner growers adopted a contract 

 which contemplated no advance payment per crate by the distributor. 

 These owner growers generally do not need financial assistance in 

 producing their crops. Under tliis contract as written the distributor 

 performs no service but loading the cars and marketing them. These 

 growers purchase their own material either individually or through 

 theu' association. A feature of one such contract was that returns 

 were made to the association without delay by the local agent of the 

 distributing company on the same day that the car was sold in the 

 eastern market, the result being telegraphed by his eastern connec- 

 tion. Further, copies of all account sales were mailed directly to the 

 growers' association by the eastern agent of the distributor, these 

 acting as a check on the wired amount. 



It should not be inferred that no oAvner growers have contracts 

 mcluding advances or that all tenant growers have contracts mth 

 advances. No hard-and-fast rule can be set regarding contracts of 

 the Rock}' Ford district, but in a general way the various classes of 

 growers in 1915 made contracts as indicated. A copy of a "no- 

 advance" type of contract is given below: 



Agreement and Contract. 



This agreement made and entered into this 15tli day of March, 1915, by and between 

 , party of the first part, and , party of the second part. 



Vritnesseth: That, 



Whereas party of the first part is at all times engaged in shipping, marketing, and 

 distributing cantaloiii>e3 on commission; and 



Whereas party of the second part is engaged in the growing of cantaloupes; 



This agreement is such that the party of the second part agrees to plant 140 acres of 

 cantaloupes, eighty (80) per cent Eden Gem variety and twenty (20) per cent Osage 

 Gem variety, and properly prepare the ground, plant, cultivate, grade, and pack can- 

 taloupes, making e\ery effoi't to secure best quality of product, and deliver same to 



the .said party of the first part in good merchantable condition, at the platforms: 



for inspection, the inspectors to be furnished by the said party of the first part. 



It is further agreed that for and in consideration of the party of the second part 

 growing and delivering said cantaloupes, as aforesaid, the pa)ty of the first part shall 



