A Rust Resisting Cantaloupe. 
# 
PHILO K. BLINN. 
The cantaloupe rust, or “blight” as it is called, has for a num¬ 
ber of years inflicted serious injury to the cantaloupe industry in 
Colorado in the vicinity of Rocky Ford, and recently it is reported 
as being the cause of similar trouble in other cantaloupe growing 
sections of the United States. 
The prevalence of the disease is largely affected by climatic 
conditions, yet in localities like Rocky Ford, where cantaloupes are 
continually grown, the soil becomes so infested with the spores that 
its development is as regular as the seasons, yet varying somewhat 
as to the loss it causes. In very dry seasons its development may 
not excite much notice, other than the dying down of some of the 
leaves in the centre of the hill, and perhaps a few yellow spots or 
specks on the leaves over the plant. On the other hand if the sea¬ 
son is subject to rains and dews its development is very disastrous 
to the crop. Often before the plants reach maturity the disease so 
destroys the functions of the leaves that the cantaloupes prema¬ 
turely ripen, and have no desirable qualities for table use and are a 
disappointment to everyone handling them. A few days of cloudy, 
wet weather will so precipitate the disease that the leaves and vines 
will go down as if swept by a blast from a furnace; the cantaloupes 
will become soft and wilted and if marketed will result in loss, 
though it sometimes happens that if rust strikes a field of canta¬ 
loupes at about the time the melons reach maturity it will so hasten 
the ripening that enormous yields are sometimes marketed in a very 
few days, when the prices are high, thus resulting in advantage to 
the grower. But invariably the same conditions which hasten the 
ripening of one field will also hasten others, and the shipments will 
increase beyond all proportion to the market demands, and at the 
same time the quality will decrease with equal rapidity and, before 
it is realized, the market is full of cantaloupes inferior in quality, 
and very disheartening returns are made. 
The recurrence of these rust injuries seems to be more com¬ 
mon with each succeeding season, and even the grower who by care¬ 
ful cultural methods or favored location escapes a serious attack, is 
still unable to get satisfactory returns,owing to the demoralized condi¬ 
tion of the market due to melons from rusted areas. It seems evi- 
