2 BULLETIjST 401_, U. S. DEPAEfMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



located in the large markets w,ere i^iistfucted to give particular atten- 

 tion to miiskmelons. The results of these studies have been made 

 public.^ 



These studies were continued in 1915 in connection with an ex- 

 perimental market news service wliich was conducted for straw- 

 berries, tomatoes, muskmelons, and peaches. An intensive study of 

 the most important melon-producing districts of the United States 

 was made, and, as growers in the irrigated districts of the West 

 suffered especially from the disastrous markets of 1914, special at- 

 tention was given to these regions. In addition to market reporters 

 covering the large cities during the muskmelon season, field repre- 

 sentatives were stationed in the Imperial Valley district of Califor- 

 nia, the Salt River Valley district of Arizona, and the Rocky Ford 

 district of Colorado during the entire shipping season. In addition, 

 the Moapa section of Nevada and the Turlock district of California 

 were visited by one of the authors during the shipping season. 



IMPERIAL VALLEY DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA. 

 HISTORY. 



The Imperial Valley is the earliest and probably the most impor- 

 tant muskmelon-growing district in the United States to-day. The 

 growth in production since 1905 has been remarkable, the increase 

 being very close to 1,600 per cent in the 10 years since that time. 

 The following table shows the total shipments per year from 1905 

 to 1915: 



Table 1. — Total shipments of muskmelons from Impe^'ial Valley, 1905-1915. 



Carloads. 



1905 297 



1906 577 



1907 644 



1908 1,891 



Carloads. 



1909 1,411 



1910 1,621 



1911 2,580 



1912 2,887 



Carloads. 



1913 3,502 



1914 4,448 



1915 4,722 



During the season of 1915, 8,156 acres were planted to muskmelons. 

 A portion of this area was abandoned or did not produce a good 

 crop. However, the average yield of 185 crates of marketable melons 

 per acre, making a total for the section of 4,722 cars of 320 crates 

 each, shows the abihty of this valley to produce abundant crops of 

 muskmelons. The early and prolonged shipping season, extending 

 from May 25 to July 21 in 1915, gave the valley a very considerable 

 advantage in disposing of the crop. 



The melons produced are largely of the green-meated (also called 

 white-meated) varieties, the Early Waters and Eden Gem predom- 

 inating. A few "pink meats," or Burrell Gems, are growTi, but do 



1 See Gail, A. D., Sherman, W. A., and Yeaw, F. L. "Cantaloupe marketing in the larger cities with 

 car-lot supply, 1914." U. S. Dept. of Agricultiu-e, Bui. 315, 1915; and More, C. T., and Branch, G. V. "The 

 commercial grading, packing, and shipping of cantaloupes." U. S. Dept. of Apiculture, Farmers' Bui. 

 707, 1916. 



