Cantaloupes. 5 
once taken to the shade—packing sheds being made for the 
purpose—where they are crated. The standard crate holds 
forty-five perfect melons, in three tiers of fifteen melons 
each, and weighs about sixty-nine pounds. There are also 
used, to some extent, the two-layer crate, which is two-thirds 
the size of the standard, and the “pony” crate holding 
forty-five melons, but smaller than those of standard size. 
The standard crate is (inside measurement) 22 inches long, 
12 inches wide and 13 inches deep. 
When it is proper time to pick for shipment, the stem 
slightly parts from the melon. No stem tissue should ad¬ 
here to the melon, but there should be a smooth surface 
where the stem was attached. The netting and skin has a 
peculiar grayish appearance, which is easily distinguished 
when one becomes accustomed to picking. 
The cantaloupe is very perishable and rapid transporta¬ 
tion, in refrigerator cars, is required. By this means melons 
of good quality are placed in all of the markets of the east¬ 
ern states. The shipping period (from the same vines) 
should extend over not less than thirty days; a more rapid 
ripening than this is generally indicative of unhealthy con¬ 
ditions. As high as 300 crates per acre have been taken 
from alfalfa sod, but 100 to 150 crates of marketable melons 
per acre is considered a good yield. 
IRRIGATION. 
The essential thing in irrigating is to keep the water 
confined to the furrow, reaching the roots only by percola¬ 
tion. This keeps the soil in good condition, does not cover 
the vines with mud, and leaves the fruit in dry condition. 
If the water stands on the fruit it is apt to induce decay or 
cause uncolored or soft spots, which make the product un¬ 
salable. It is common to irrigate every ten days, paying 
little attention to the needs of the plant. The tendency is 
to irrigate too often early in the season. 
The most water is required about the time the blossoms 
commence to set well, previous to this giving only enough 
to keep the plant growing well. When the plant commences 
to bloom profusely, irrigate thoroughly and afterwards give 
only so much water as will keep the plant in good thrifty 
condition. A too moist condition is apt to increase the 
spread of any fungus trouble. 
In 1899 three plats were used to test the effect of irri¬ 
gation on quality and production. One plat had seven 
irrigations, June 19 , 30 , July 10 , August 1 , 17 , 26 , and Sep- 
