MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION OF WESTERN MUSKMELONS. 29 
is available during the rush of harvesting, and the harvesting work 
and packing must be done largely by local help. The green-meated 
varieties are grown exclusively. 
MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS. 
For a number of years marketing has been handled almost exclu- 
sively by one firm of distributors at a commission varying according 
to the sections of the United States in which the cars have been 
sold ; 17| per cent being charged in the territory north of Denver 
and Salt Lake and west of Minneapolis, and 15 per cent in the remain- 
der of the country. No information is available regarding advances. 
QUALITY. 
All melons are shipped unwrapped. The quality and pack has 
generally been fairly satisfactory, although it could be improved by 
methods suggested for other sections. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
For many years Moapa Valley muskmelons have been marketed 
almost exclusively in western cities, only a few cars going to eastern 
points. As a result of the scarcity of good muskmelons in the eastern 
section in 1915 a larger number of cars than usual were shipped 
east. Table C (in envelope at end of bulletin), showing the receipts 
of western muskmelons on the markets during the Nevada season and 
the prices obtained for Nevada melons on the various markets, illus- 
trates the success met with in the different cities. 
The results obtained in 1915 were good, and certain of the smaller 
western markets were used to very good advantage. It is probable 
that the distribution could be broadened if necessary to provide for 
increased acreage. The only obstacle in the way of going farther 
afield for markets is the fact that in the past the growers in the Moapa 
Valley have been accustomed to picking their melons for delivery in 
the near-by western markets; consequently it is not unlikely that 
most of the melons may be a trifle too soft for shipment to distant 
points. In fact, some complaints to this effect have been heard in 
the markets, but such objections could be easily overcome. 
TURLOCK DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA. 
HISTORY. 
The Turlock district is located in the San Joaquin Valley in the 
vicinity of Turlock, Cal, which is the principal shipping station, a 
majority of the cars being shipped from this point. The area of the 
district is not large, and the growers are resident ranchers exclusively, 
very little or no land being rented for the purpose of growing musk- 
melons. The patches generally are not large, and are cared for by the 
owners as part of a plan of diversified farming. The varieties grown 
