24 BULLETIN 401, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
three installments during the growing season, the first loan of $5 
generally being made either about the 1st of April, or when the melon 
fields show 80 per cent of a perfect stand. The per-crate advance is 
generally considered to be a guaranteed season average net return. 
Two other special features of the contracts are a clause contained 
in some of them binding distributors to wire net results obtained 
from each car as soon as it is sold; and another allowing the dis- 
tributor to discontinue the advances at any time by giving the 
grower 24 hours' notice. Neither of these provisions is contained in 
the contracts made in the Imperial Valley. 
POSSIBILITIES OF COOPERATION. 
Although the growers in the Salt River Valley have been organized 
in the past, there was no association in active operation in 1915. The 
opportunities for saving on purchases of materials and supplies through 
cooperation are much the same as those which exist in the Imperial 
Valley. Crates and nails for green-meated muskmelons are furnished 
to growers by distributors at 15 cents for standards, no paper wraps 
for melons being included. A charge of 10 cents is made for each flat. 
This price, however, includes the paper wraps for the "pink-meat" 
melons. Figures obtained indicate that this represents a gross profit 
of about 3 cents on standard crates and approximately 2 cents per 
crate on flats. However, from this gross profit there must be deducted 
the cost of labels and labeling, the shrinkage, breakage, insurance, 
storage, and interest charges. 
Seed which is now furnished to the growers at $1.25 per pound could 
be purchased by an association in large lots at prices from 30 to 40 
cents less than this. It is probable that a saving amounting to consid- 
erable in the aggregate could be obtained by cooperative purchasing. 
QUALITY. 
Picking axd Packing. 
The problems of securing qualit}^ are much the same as in the 
Imperial Valley, except that conditions are more favorable. Because 
of small acreages a great many growers are able to do their own picking 
and packing, with a consequent improvement in the average quality. 
Packing is carried on in open sheds much like those in the Imperial 
Valley. Wrappers are used only for the Burrell Gem melons, and 
then only for the sake of appearance. While packing is generally 
fairly satisfactory, room for improvement exists, as is shown by the 
difference in weights in the following table of tests (Table 9), taken 
on the same day, covering different brands but the same varieties 
of melons. These weight tests are the average of an entire day's 
shipments. 
