MUSKMELONS 



87 



coloring showed as a clean cut zone around the seed 

 cavity with a green layer near the rind, in others the green 

 and salmon colors were mottled or blended together 

 and in still ethers the colors were in irregular patches, 

 possibly the green on one side and the salmon color on 

 the other. In some melons the whole flesh was a solid 

 salmon color and in others the flesh was entirely green. 

 Some years later P. K. Blinn and James B. Ryan 

 separated this original variable stock into two strains. 



In 1909 the Rocky Ford Cantaloupe Seed Breeders 

 Association introduced these strains as Rust-resistant 

 Pollock No. 25, Green Meat and Salmon Tint. They 

 were immediately popular and were widely adopted 

 both in Colorado and the Imperial Valley in California. 



Reedland Giant. Refs. 29, 33, 47, 53, 90, 96, 133. 



Syn. Reedland 's Giant Citron. 

 One of the very largest melon varieties to be offered, 

 the Reedland, was not of good uniform quality and 

 never became very popular. Because of its size it was 

 often called The King of the Cantaloups. It was listed 

 by Landreth and by Vaughan in 1887. The flesh was 

 green and quite highly flavored but rather thin and, 

 therefore, not suitable for handling. 



Kit tollhouse Special. 



This melon was offered in 1927 by Vaughan's 

 Seed Store, Chicago. It was one of the latest varieties 

 matured at Geneva, in season with Weaver Special and 

 Honey Ball and 4-6 days later than Montreal Market. 

 It is similar to Bender's Surprise in shape but is much 

 less ribbed. The netting is similar to that of Carolina 

 Clark while the skin color is much the same as Sugar 

 Rock. 



Plant vigorous; vines coarse and heavy; branches many. 



Fruit moderately large, 7-7 'i x 6— 6 ] 2 inches; weight 5-6 

 pounds. Shape nearly globular to short oval, slightly flattened at 

 base and apex; blossom scar rather conspicuous, often bordered with 

 a corky ring; ribs obscure; furrows very shallow, rather narrow 

 and usually slightly netted. Netting sparse, coarsely interlaced, 

 often streaked; cork light, unevenly distributed over the surface; 

 interstices shallow. Skin color pale bluish green later turning to 

 grayish green, sparsely mottled with pale creamy yellow. Flesh 

 orange; medium thick, \\i inches; texture fine, fiberless, soft and 

 juicy; sweet, rather highly flavored and distinctly aromatic, quality 

 good. Cavity large, 4x3 inches, circular in cross-section. Rind 

 thick, l i inch, rather weak and moderately tender. 



Rocky Dew. 



The Kilgore Seed Co., Plant City, Florida, first 

 offered this new variety in their 1934 catalog. According 

 to the introductory statement it was discovered in the 

 West Indies by a representative of the Kilgore Company. 

 Repeated tests in Florida and other southeastern districts 

 showed that it was particularly adapted to growing 

 conditions as found in the South. 



This was one of the latest melons grown at Geneva, 

 maturing about a week or ten days later than Rocky 

 Ford, 3-4 days later than Montreal Market and Giant. 

 The fruits are more oblong, more tapered at the base 

 and considerably less netted than those of Rocky Ford. 

 The skin color is similar to that of Honey Dew, although 

 in the earlier stages it is a much darker green. The flesh, 



although somewhat thinner, is much like that of Honey 

 Dew in color and texture. 



Fruit moderately small, 6-6 ' •_> x 4 ' _. 5 inches; weight I 

 pounds. Shape oval, somewhat tapered at the base; apex rounded, 

 even; blossom scar conspicuous; ribs obscure; furrows narrow, very 

 shallow and smooth. Netting sparse, very finely streaked; cork 

 very light, unevenly distributed over the ribs; interstices shallow. 

 Skin color greenish yellow later turning to bright yellow. Flesh 

 bright green, moderately thick, 1 ' _. 1 ; , inches; texture fine, fiberless, 

 very firm and moderately juicy; sweet, sprightly, highly flavored 

 and pleasantly aromatic; quality good. Cavity small, 3 ' i x 1 ' _. 

 inches, circular in cross-section. Rind medium thick, ' g inch, 

 moderately hard and tough. 



Rocky Ford. Refs. 5, 15, 16, 18, 19, 26, 29, 41, 45, 53, 



54, 58, 63, 64, 65, 70, 72, 73, 75, 85, 97, 100, 101, 

 102, 105, 108, 109, 110, 116, 117, 121, 123, 133, 

 136, 137, 140, 141, 143. Syns. Blue Ribbon Gem, 

 Blue Ribbon Rocky Ford, Buskirk, Buskirk's 

 Blight Proof, Colorado, Delicious Gold Lined, 

 Delicious Rocky Ford, Early Victor, Eden Gem, 

 Eden Gem Select, Emerald and Gold, Extra Select 

 Rocky Ford, Gem of Eden, Golden Gem Rocky 

 Ford, Golden Sugar, Gold Lined, Gold Lined Net- 

 ted Rocky Ford, Gold Lined Rocky Ford, Green 

 Fleshed Rocky Ford, Hart's Victor, Honey Sweet, 

 Ideal Eden Gem, Improved Rocky Ford, Improved 

 Rust Resistant, Johnson's Colorado, Junior Rocky 

 Ford, Mammoth Rocky Ford, Melting Gold, 

 Money Maker, Nebraska Gold Lined, Netted 

 Rock, Netted Rock King, Oklahoma, Perfected 

 Rocky Ford, Perfection Rocky Ford, Pineapple 

 Rocky Ford, Robinson's Delicious, Rock King, 

 Rocky Ford Gem, Rocky Ford Netted Gem, 

 Rocky Ford Nutmeg, Rocky Ford Rust Resistant, 

 Rocky Ford Selected, Rust Proof Rocky Ford, 

 Select Solid Net, Solid Rock, Sweetmeat, Ten to 

 One, Van Buskirk Netted King, Van Buskirk's 

 Netted Rock, Victor, Victory, Ward's Ideal, 

 Watter's Solid Net, Watter's Solid Net Rocky 

 Ford. 

 Burpee's Netted Gem under the favorable con- 

 ditions which prevailed in the arid regions of Colorado 

 was developed into a melon surpassing in appearance 

 and quality the parent stock. This was called the Rocky 

 Ford. The honor of growing the first Rocky Ford melons 

 for market is accredited to J. W. Eastwood who in 1885 

 planted about one -half acre of Netted Gem seed received 

 direct from Burpee. The same season J. E. Gauger near 

 La Junta also tried a small planting of the Netted Gem. 

 In succeeding years the extent of the melon industry in 

 this region greatly increased and it was natural that the 

 melons shipped from there should come to be known 

 as Rocky Fords. Many selections were made and it is 

 possible that some natural crossing occurred. 



Within the group of Rocky Ford melons there has 

 come into existence a large number of variety or strain 

 names. The majority of these strains represent a 

 gradual change from the original oblong, smooth- 

 furrowed Netted Gem to the globular, heavily netted 

 melon of today. Attention is called to the Pollock 

 strains and to Hale's Best which are treated elsewhere. 



