374 
VEGETABLE GARDENING 
This is just as serious a mistake as the failure to grade 
apples before marketing. The extra care assists dealers 
in meeting the demand from different classes of trade 
and increases profits for the producer. It is necessary 
to make three grades, except toward the close of the 
season, when two will serve better. The three grades 
are variously designated. In Illinois they are termed, 
fancy, No. I and No. 2, besides culls. The Illinois Ex- 
periment Station ( 111 . Sta. Bui. 124, p. 303) gives the 
following information in regard to this important matter: 
“The quality is the primary factor which determines 
the grade of a melon, though size and condition are also 
to be considered. Extremely high quality and uniformity 
in size and condition are essential in the making of a 
fancy grade. The size must also be normal and the 
packing perfect. The No. 1 grade should be of nearly 
as high quality as the fancy grade, but may include odd 
sizes, though the different specimens in a given package 
should be fairly uniform in size. This grade may in- 
clude melons too large or too small for the fancy grade. 
The No. 2 grade should consist of the balance of the 
salable melons. These should be of fair quality and far 
superior to the flavorless culls sometimes shipped by 
unscrupulous growers. 
“There is a close relation between the amount and 
character of netting and the quality of a melon, so that, 
after a little experience, it is possible to grade melons 
with extreme accuracy as to quality, on the basis of 
netting. As a rule, the denser and more fully developed 
the netting, the better the quality of the melon. The 
netting should stand out like whip cords on melons 
graded as fancy stock. Well-netted melons, in which 
the netting is not quite so prominent, together with 
off sizes of the best-netted melons, may be graded as 
No. 1. Specimens with still less netting, but in which 
the netting is fairly well developed, may be graded as 
