■30 BULLETIN 401,, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
are very largely the green-nieated, especially various strains of the 
Eden Gem and Pollock. Only a small acreage of Burrell Gems is 
grown. The district is notable in that it is the onlv western musk- 
melon section not depending upon surface irrigation. Although the 
San Joaquin Valley is supplied with water for irrigaiton, and alfalfa 
and grain fields are irrigated freely, the growers depend entirely upon 
subirrigation or seepage to supply the necessary moisture. 
The muskmelon crop was not generally very profitable prior to 
1915. Shipments were limited by unsatisfactory market conditions 
in previous years, and only a portion of the crop was moved. In 1915 
the markets were good, and shipments continued for a long season, 
car lots going out from July 20 until October 4. The following figures 
show the difference between shipments in 1914 and 1915: 
To- 
1914 
1915 
East 
West 
Total 
Cars. 
539 
120 
Cars. 
1,350 
204 
659 
1,554 
So far as could be learned, the acreage was substantially the same 
in both years, and the production about the same. Had the market 
been as satisfactory in 1914 as in 1915, it is not improbable that the 
same number of cars could have been moved. In other words, it 
seems probable that half of the crop of 191,4 was lost for lack of 
markets. 
MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS. 
Muskmelons probably have been marketed in a greater variety of 
ways at Turlock than in any other western sections. In previous 
years large numbers were purchased from the farmers' wagons by 
buyers stationed in the railroad yards, but this was not so much the 
case in 1915. Fairly large acreages were contracted to distributors 
to be marketed at a charge of 15 cents per crate. So far as is known, 
there were no advances made in any of these contracts. A coopera- 
tive organization was formed, which handled a considerable tonnage 
for 15 cents per crate. After a 5 per cent dividend was paid on the 
stock, any surplus was to be returned to the growers at the end of the 
season, being prorated on the basis of the volume of shipments offered 
by each grower. 
QUALITY. 
The quality of Turlock muskmelons during the 1915 season was 
generally satisfactory, although not uniform. The prices at which 
different brands sold on the market varied considerably. Certain 
brands also were very uneven, some very good packs and some very 
poor being observed in the same cars. No wraps were used on any 
of the Turlock melons. 
