

* Much deserved popularity has come to Great Lakes lettuce because of its high quality and 
outstanding ability to head in midsummer. 
Imperial 847 — A lettuce of the ‘‘Iceberg”’ 
type selected by Dr. I. C. Jagger of the USDA 
for summer and fall production. Very sure 
heading. Heads somewhat flat but solid and 
crisp. This variety in many locations shows in- 
dications of being a more dependable cropper 
than New York 12, but is slower growing. 
Black-seeded. 
Great Lakes — A most recent introduction 
by USDA and Michigan Experiment Station 
which is outstanding in its ability to head in 
midsummer, the seed stalks developing very 
slowly even under conditions of high tempera- 
ture. It received the bronze medal award in the 
All-American new variety selections of 1943. 
The outer leaves are light grass green, large 
with waved edges, nearly flat blade, midvein 
thick and somewhat coarse. The heads are 
large, 6 to 7’’ in diameter and 5 to 6” high, 
extremely hard and solid weighing about 2 lbs. 
each. The inner leaves are crisp and brittle, 
tightly packed and white to pale green in color. 
This variety is highly resistant to tip burn 
and bottom rot, but some loss may occur from 
aster yellows, the leaf hopper carriers of 
which are most numerous in midsummer. 
This is the most promising variety so far 
developed for the successful production of 
summer head lettuce in Eastern States territory. 
Lettuce Culture 
Early Crop — One pound of seed produces 
plants for one acre. Sow in greenhouse in early 
February. Transplant in 2-3 weeks to flats 
2 x 2’. Harden off and set in field as soon as 
danger of hard freeze is past, 12 to 18’ apart 
in 12 to 15’ rows. 
Later Crops — One-half ounce of seed plants 
200’ of row —2 lbs. per acre. As early as soil 
can be finely fitted sow 4”" deep in 12 to 15” 
rows. Thin seedlings to 12 to 18’’. For suc- 
cession, sow at 2-week intervals to July 25. 
Field soil must be rich for good crop. 
MELONS 
MUSKMELON — SALMON FLESH 
Emerald Gem — A good home and market 
garden variety but not a shipping melon. A 
two-pound globular melon slightly flattened, 
41¥%4 by 514”, ribbed, outer color green to 
yellow and slightly netted. The flesh is thick, 
salmon-colored, sweet and the seed cavity is 
very small. 
Honey Rock — This nearly round, medium- 
size, 514 by 6’’ melon weighs 4 to 5 pounds. 
The skin is gray-green and is covered with a 
coarse netting. The flesh is thick, orange- 
salmon in color and has a typical musky flavor. 
A home and market melon but not for long 
shipment. 
Hale’s Best 112 — One of the best early 
market melons. Fruits oval, very slightly 
ribbed, and the hard rind is heavily netted, 
making it a good shipper and attractive in ap- 
pearance. The flesh is very thick, sweet, free 
from stringiness and a rich deep salmon color. 
The seed cavity is small. Recommended for 
New England and northern Pennsylvania. 
Hale’s Best 36—One of the best early 
market melons. Fruits nearly spherical, slightly 
ribbed and have a heavily-netted hard rind. 
The flesh is rich salmon color, thick, sweet, 
and free from fiber. A popular melon for ship- 
ping. Recommended for southern Pennsyl- 
vania, Delaware and Maryland. 
Hearts of Gold—A very popular mid- 
season variety for home or market garden use. 
Fruits are practically round, 6’’ in diameter, 
weigh 4 lbs., distinctly ribbed and covered 
with a fine gray netting. Flesh is very thick, 
deep pink-salmon, tender and sweet, having a 
characteristic musky flavor. 
Bender’s Surprise — One of the most impor- 
tant varieties for home and market gardens, 
ripening in 95 days. Fruits weigh 7 pounds, 
oval in shape, 6 by 8’’, with light green skin 
turning to a golden tint on ripening and has 
coarse netting. Flesh is firm, thick, salmon- 
colored and of good flavor. 
Muskmelon Culture 
One-half ounce of seed plants 100’ of row 
— 2 to 3 lbs. per acre. For early forcing start 
under glass in veneer bands or pots about April 
1, develop slowly and transplant after harden- 
ing about May 1-15. Plant outdoors May 15 
to June 1 either in rows or hills 1’’ deep. If in 
rows, make rows 5’ apart and thin plants to 
12’’ apart in the row. If in hills, make hills 
4 x 6’ apart, allowing 3 or 4 plants to the 
hill. 
WATERMELON 
White Mountain — This is an early small- 
fruited variety developed by the University of 
New Hampshire, adapted to many areas for- 
merly considered too cool for watermelon pro- 
duction such as much of central and northern 
New England and the higher elevations of 
Pennsylvania. On light soils in central New 
England, ripe melons have been harvested by 
August 1, 70 days after planting seed, with 
continued production until frost. In warmer 
areas this melon does not do as well. Fruits are 
about 6’’ long by 5’’ in diameter and weigh 
3 to 5 lbs. The rind is thin and brittle and 
will not stand shipping or rough handling. 
The color is light green with irregular darker 
stripes. The flesh is medium red, crisp and 
sweet. It deserves a trial in the areas where 
adapted as described. 
Northern Sweet — An early prolific variety 
for local markets introduced by the Minnesota 
Agricultural Experiment Station from Siberia. 
The fruits are small, 8-10 lbs., globular, dark , 
green, striped with medium green. Rind is 
tough but thin. Flesh deep orange red, medium- 
grained and stringy when over-ripe. High sugar 
content. White seeds. 
Cole’s Early — An early melon of excellent 
quality, particularly adapted to the home gar- 
den. Fruits are exceptionally large for so early 
a variety, weighing 20 pounds, slightly oval 
with irregular mottled broad stripes of light 
and dark green. Flesh is pink-red, crisp and of 
good flavor. Seeds are black. 
Kleckley’s Sweet — A second early variety 
of medium to large size, weighing 30 pounds, 
oblong in shape and dark green in color. Rind 
is thin. Flesh is bright red, very sweet, firm, 
solid and of excellent quality. Seeds are white. 
Will not stand very rough treatment in ship- 
ping, but especially good for local markets and 
_ home use. 
Watermelon Culture 
One ounce of seed plants 25 to 30 hills or 
200’ of row — 2 Ibs. per acre. For early forcing 
start under glass in veneer bands or pots early 
in April, and about May 15 transplant into 
field 2’ apart in 8’ rows. Seed may be sown 
direct in the field after soil has become warm. 
Plant 1’’ deep in hills or rows. If in hills, plant 
8 seeds 8 x 8’, later gradually thinning to 3 or 4 
vines per hill. If in rows, space seeds 1’ apart 
in 8’ rows, later thinning vines to 2’. 
