CANTALOUP CULTURE 
followed by the men exploiting the new 
names have established slightly different 
strains of the Pollock. Hence there is a 
good deal of confusion in regard to Rocky 
Ford seed. 
The markets have a demand for both 
the green and salmon-tinted flesh in the 
Rocky Ford strains of cantaloupes; this 
is entirely distinct from the orange-col- 
ored meat of the Osage types; and the 
growers also demand an extra early strain 
beside the main crop sort. 
Rust-Resistant Pollock, Salmon-Tinted 
The original “Pollock” was the result of 
a hybrid, as running through nearly all 
the Pollock strains there are the two 
colors in flesh and various combinations 
of them -—green and salmon-tinted, vine 
disease-resistant. 
Rust-Resistant Pollock, Green-Fleshed 
The Green-Fleshed Pollock is very sim- 
ilar to the other Pollock, except in the 
color of the flesh, which runs more green, 
shading to yellow at the cavity; we would 
recommend this strain for markets that 
demand a green-fleshed cantaloup. The 
general character and appearance of the 
two strains of Pollock are the same. 
These two Pollocks are classed as the 
best late or main crop varieties of Rocky 
Ford Netted Gems. 
The Ryan’s Early Watters Strain 
There are localities where the early 
cantaloup is very profitable and there 
is a demand for an early maturing canta- 
loup. Ryan’s Early Watters meets 
that demand; this strain holds the best 
records of high returns on account of its 
very prolific yields of extra early canta- 
loupes. In appearance it is almost iden- 
tical with the Pollock type; it has the 
green colored flesh, and the same general 
flavor. The special point in the selection 
has been prolific early maturity This 
strain germinates very strong, vigorous 
plants, the fruit sets early, and the crop 
matures in a very short time, yet is ex- 
tremely prolific, often making yields of 
two hundred and fifty crates per acre. 
It is fully a week earlier than the Pol- 
lock strains. Recommended where the 
tendency to fungus troubles is not too 
marked, and for a small portion of a 
2-—T 
753 
grower’s plantings it will doubtless pay in 
many locations. 
Early Rust-Resistant, Hybrid 
This strain has a remarkable vigor of 
growth until it has set and developed a 
large set of fruit and then the growth 
seems to stop——that is, the new shoots; 
the vines seeming to throw all the force 
into the development of the fruit. This 
trait seems to make it desirable in one 
point, as it has not been so seriously at- 
tacked by the melon aphis as the strains 
that have plenty of young succulent 
shoots. 
This hybrid is the best early strain by 
all odds. It is early as the Watters, and 
almost as disease-enduring as the Pollock 
strains; it is very prolific, and especially 
so in producing a heavy yield of the first 
early sets. 
The flesh of this strain is green, the 
netting exceptionally good; the canta- 
loupes are rather inclined to be longer 
in form than our other strains, and is 
not quite as regular in size, yet its many 
good qualities make it the most desirable 
cantaloup to plant for early. 
New Strains of Promise 
Triple Hybrid No. 3. This melon has 
an exceedingly heavy close netting, and 
thick flesh, of a salmon tint at the cen- 
ter, with a deep zone of emerald near the 
rind. This cantaloup runs rather large, 
but on account of its exceptionally attrac- 
tive appearance, we believe it would be 
valuable to market growers, especially 
for local trade. 
The Osage type of cantaloup that has 
been grown for several years around Ord- 
way, Colo., adjacent to the Rocky Ford 
district, is becoming very popular on the 
market on account of its exceptionally 
good keeping quality, and its thick, or- 
ange-colored flesh that has an exception- 
ally spicy flavor which many are fond of. 
But this variety has the weakness of hav- 
ing a very unattractive form and appear- 
ance, and a very undesirable tendency to 
crack open when nearly ripe, thus result- 
ing in a great loss to growers, and in 
fact on this account this variety has not 
been a success except in a few localities. 
