J). M. FERRY <{' CO’S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE 
—because after most careful culture, we have succeeded , 
in securing a pure stock entirely free front the green I 
rind and the inferior flavored melons so often found in , 
what is sold as Surprise. 
Japan Coral Flesh. —Developed by selection from 
the Surprise. It is of 
medium size, nearly 
round, slightly ribbed, 
with a little shallow 
netting on a green 
ground. The flesh is 
red, very thick, fine 
grained, and uniformly 
of fine flavor. Pre¬ 
ferred by some to the 
Surprise on account of 
its green color, but we 
think it inferior in uni¬ 
formity and quality to 
our improved strain of 
Surprise. 
Japan Coral Flesh. Osage. This mel¬ 
on has made its way into public favor from the market 
rather than from the garden, and seems to be just what 
the people want. It is large, oval, slightly ribbed, dark 
green in color. The flesh is deep salmon and is good to 
within a fourth of an inch of the rind. In quality it is 
sweet and moderately high flavored,combining the flavors 
of the old Cantaloupe and the green fleshed Nutmeg sorts. | 
Vandalia.—A new variety, the result of careful selec¬ 
tion for many years, and combining the size of the old j 
Long Yellow with the quality of the Coral Flesh. Fruit 
large, oval, slightly ribbed and netted; flesh very thick, 
yellowish-red, sweet and melting. 
Long Yellow.—A large variety; long, oval shaped, 
deeply ribbed; flesh thick, light salmon colored, and of 
a peculiar musky flavor. This variety is used in its 
green state for Mangoes. 
Green Fleshed Cavaillon.— In Europe they have a 
class of melons which is quite distinct from our musk 
melons, having very thick flesh which is firm, very 
sweet, and by many is preferred to the softer, high fla¬ 
vored flesh of our American sorts. Most of the Euro¬ 
pean kinds do not do well in this country; but we have 
secured one which seems to be an exception, and we 
have grown a fine crop in which the vines were excep¬ 
tionally healthy and vigorous. Fruit very large, nearly 
round, dark green, very slightly netted; flesh very thick, 
firm and of a peculiar sweet and delicate flavor. 
. * 
MELON, iAZHTER. 
F r.. Melon ti'etiu. Cer., Wttsser Me lone. 
Although the Water Melon is a tropical fruit, and can 
be most easily grown in the South on a warm, rich, 
sandy soil, yet no one need abandon its culture because 
he has not these conditions, for one of the sweetest 
melons we ever ate was grown in Michigan and in the 
latitude 45 0 north, and Cuban Queens weighing 69 lbs. 
have been raised on cold clay soil in northern Ohio. 
Culture. —The essential thing is to get a good, strong 
vine early in the season, which may be secured by form¬ 
ing a large, well drained hill of rich earth, avoiding 
using the manure in such a way as to cause the plant to 
dry out under the hot sun. On this hill plant, the seed 
as soon as the ground is warm and dry, and carefully j 
protect the young plants from insects, and hasten their 
growth by the use of liquid manure. 
Phinney’s Early.—A valuable variety for use in the 
North; hardy and a sure cropper. Vine vigorous and 
productive, fruiting quite early; fruit oblong, smooth, 
marbled with two shades of green; rind thin; flesh pink, 
very sweety tender and brittle. 
D. M. Ferry & Co’s Peerless.— The best melon 
for private gardens and for market gardeners who 
deliver direct to consumers, particularly in the North. 
D. M. Ferry 6l Co*s Peerless. 
Vine moderately vigorous, hardy, productive; fruit 
medium sized,oval, finely mottled; rind thin; flesh bright 
scarlet, solid to the center, crisp and sweet. Our stock 
of this variety is most carefully' selected. 
Dark Icing. — Fruit large, nearly round, dark green, 
very indistinctly mottled with lighter shade. Flesh 
very rich, bright red. The juice, which is very abun¬ 
dant, is of rich, deep color and flows so freely as to be 
available as a drink. All of our stocks of Icing Melon 
are pure and perfectly distinct, showing very uniformly' 
the characteristics of each sort as described. 
Round Light Icing. —Fruit medium sized, round, 
very light green or white, mottled with slightly darker 
green. Flesh bright, light red, very sweet and tender. 
By many this is considered the best of all melons. 
Long Light Icing.—A variety established by selec¬ 
tion until it is uniformly long, oval in shape and nearly 
twice as heavy as the Round. In other respects it is 
much like the Round and fully equal to it in quality. 
Boss.—We do not think this name is in good taste. 
Boss. 
