4j§ STOKES SEED FARMS COMPANY <ogao» MOORESTOWN, NEW JERSEY gj fe 



White Antibes Winter or Honey Dew Melon 



No. 518 



Days to Maturity 150. A variety the origin of which has been 

 erroneously described by almost the entire American seed trade. 

 The story would be interesting if true but has been conclusively 

 proven otherwise by Dr. D. N. Shoemaker of the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The well-known 

 French seedsmen, Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., have listed the melon 

 White Antibes Winter for a number of years and it might have 

 been purchased long ago by any American seedsman. It is a variety 

 which has been grown extensively for years in the south of France 

 and more recently in Algeria for foreign shipment. The original 

 fable started with one of these melons which was eaten in a New 

 York restaurant. The seed was saved and finally reached Mr. 

 John Gauger of Swink, Colo., who planted it in 1911 alongside of 

 the Netted Gem, thinking that the two would hybridize. The seed 

 was saved and the following year was planted beside a Casaba 

 and it was Mr. Gauger's belief that this also hybridized. Dr. Shoe- 

 maker has proven conclusively that there was no hybridization and 

 that the melon which Mr. Gauger successfully raised and marketed 

 a car of in 1915 and was sold as the Honey Dew Melon was nothing 

 but the pure original strain of White Antibes Winter. This melon 

 was popularized by Charles Weaver, a Chicago broker, and in the 

 short time it has been on the market it has found an exceptionally 



quick popularity. Mr. Gauger is undoubtedly the man who is 

 responsible for popularizing the melon in America but he is not the 

 first man to grow it here, inasmuch as there are several records of its 

 having been grown experimentally on several occasions in the United 

 States. 



The Honey Dew Melon develops to a length averaging nine inches 

 and a width of seven inches. It is a light greenish white until dead- 

 ripe when it will turn to a pale yellow. The length of season required 

 for its maturity almost excludes it from culture here in the latitude 

 of New Jersey. However the melon has such an excellent flavor 

 and has found such a rich sale that we urge all who can do so to 

 make arrangements for starting the growth in pots under glass, later 

 transferring to cold frames which can be removed after danger of 

 frost is over. Unless this precaution is practiced we do not believe 

 it will come to maturity on average years. The Montreal Melon 

 growers have had such unqualified success in producing the Mon- 

 treal Market Melon under a similar plan that we are led to believe 

 that growers in our own latitude would have unqualified success if 

 similar plans were adopted. The seed offered has been grown for 

 us in Colorado where this melon annually attains its most perfect 

 growth. California is also producing immense quantities of Honey 

 Dew Melons. Generally speaking all melons of this type do better 

 in a commercial way when grown west of the Mississippi River. 

 Pkt. 15c, oz. 35c, y± lb. $1.00, 1 lb. $3.50, postpaid. 



MUSHROOM 



{Agaricus campestris) 



Mushroom Spawn 



We offer our trade the American Spore Culture Spawn which is 

 produced from the original spores of the best varieties gathered, 

 germinated and propagated under the famous French process. We 

 believe they are the most vigorous and prolific strain on the market 

 at the present time. Although mushrooms are essentially a fall 

 and winter crop there is no reason why they should not be purchased 

 in the spring. The American Spore Culture Spawn brick weighs 

 from 1J4 to V/i pounds and will spawn eight to ten square feet 

 of beds. We keep on hand the white variety, which is generally 

 preferred, but should be pleased to secure the cream or brown 

 varieties if wanted in large quantity. 



Mushroom spawn is a term used commercially and includes the 

 spawn proper or mycelium, a felt or thread-like growth of greyish 

 white color, the brick being the carrying medium in which it is 

 developed or preserved. In nature mushrooms of the Agaricus type 

 are primarily reproduced by means of spores which drop from 

 their gills at maturity. When germinated, these spores produce the 

 thread-like growth above referred to as mycelium or.spawn. In its 

 further development under certain conditions mycelium forms 

 pin-heads and finally fully expanded mushrooms. Until quite 

 recently the natural method of germinating the spores of the mush- 

 room had remained a secret. Price: Per brick 40c, 5 bricks, $1.80, 

 postpaid. 



Try Honey Dew in the home garden 



