Development op Rockyford Cantaloupe Industry. 
ii 
of Pittsburg which jointly have directly or indirectly handled the 
cantaloupes of the Rockyford Melon Growers’ Association since 
the first car went to Eastern markets, and H. Woods of Chicago, 
who has marketed the cantaloupes of the Kouns Party since its 
organization, represent the principal distributing agents of canta¬ 
loupe growers’ organizations in Colorado during the past ten years. 
Each has kindly contributed an article embodying much use¬ 
ful information relative to the co-operative organizations and the 
marketing of cantaloupes. 
Mr. M. O. Coggins of Pittsburg had prepared an article en¬ 
titled, “The Cantaloupe—From a Luxury to a Necessity,” which 
he read before the National League of Commission Merchants in 
Milwaukee, and this article with supplementary information was 
to have been contributed to this Bulletin, but before he had time 
to prepare it, his sudden death immediately following his return, 
occurred, and the information expected to have been obtained from 
him, is limited to the article referred to. 
His unexpected death has caused a severe blow to the canta¬ 
loupe industry, for without doubt his influence, as much as that 
of any one man has made possible the present development of the 
industry. Being identified with it from the first, his experience 
and judgment are a loss which will be felt. It was through his 
personal influence that the first cars were shipped east of St. Louis. 
In 1897, after several interviews over the long distance telephone 
with Mr. Nat Wetzel of St. Louis, he induced him, by a guar¬ 
antee of $2 per crate, to forward a car of Rockyford cantaloupes, 
although it was doubtful whether cantaloupes could be carried far¬ 
ther east than St. Louis. Mr. Coggins lost 20 cents per crate but 
made good his guarantee, and the merits of the melons becoming 
known, he was able to realize a profit on subsequent shipments, 
and that season handled 8 cars of the first 30 received in St. Louis 
by the Western Poultry and Game Co. 
THE CANTALOUPE, FROM A LUXURY TO A NECESSITY 
M. O. COGGINS. 
In the year 1870, it was an unusual thing to see a muskmelon on 
the market, but long in the eighties, they began planting in the Maryland 
Peninsula a variety known as the Anna Rundels and also some Jenny 
Linds. 
These were placed on the market about the 10th of July, but ship¬ 
ments amounted to very little until about the 20th of July, continuing un¬ 
til the middle of August; these shipments gradually increased in quantity 
each year until the nineties, although the total receipts on the New York 
market would not amount to three cars a day at the height of the sea¬ 
son and the prices ranged from $2.50 to $6.50 per basket. 
Only a few of the fruit and vegetable men handled muskmelons and 
they supplied the hotels and restaurants. The high prices and limited 
supply made the cantaloupe a great luxury, too expensive for the average 
grocer to handle. 
