LAWRENCE R, ROBINSON 
LAWRENCE R. ROBINSON, JR. 
LAWRENCE ROBINSON & SONS © ae 
- CABBAGE, CANTALOUPE, CUCUMOED, BILL BOUMES, HUPEIN, SQUASH, WATEAMELOM, ete 
ea eT 
Eo Ae eee 
; CABLE ADDRESS: "ROBANDSONS” 
iy — ALL CODES — 
~ 



SPECIALIST PRODUCERS OF veceréaie ) ROCKY FORD, COLO. 
JOHN A. ROBINSON 
rea 4 erty i “i af \ a = MANAGER 
MICDIDIESTTAD., CAILIOF CD IRN IA 
TELEPHONE 2797 -+-- 2798 
April t, 1947 
VINE SEED PRE -PLANTING CROP PROSPECTS 
We give no warranty, express or implied as to the productiveness of any seeds or bulbs we sell and we will not be in 
any way responsible for the crop. Our liability in all instances is limited to the purchase price of the seed 
While crops in the Cucurbit line have not been planted, yet it is well at this time, 
to take stock of certain climatical trends, that may have an effect one way or an- 
other on crops during the coming production season: 
COLORADO: With a branch plant at Greeley and one at Rocky Ford, we produce a con~ 
siderable percentage of our cantaloupe and cucumber in this state. In both areas, 
irrigation facilities are provided with a large network of ditches and a comprehen- 
sive system of reservoirs which, while they have gone a long way towards the main- 
tenance of successful, varied productions, yet cannot be termed adequate. Each year 
Colorado has to depend upon not only their reservoir water, but on periodic rainfallL 
Starting in September, last year, Colorado rather generally received a large amount 
of snow. This was repeated at small intervals through our whole harvest program, and 
while, of course, it had an adverse effect on our successful harvest, yet it did 
provide considerable amounts of moisture. Through the whole winter the ground has 
soaked up a considerable amount of much needed moisture. We do not foresee at the 
present time, any danger of lack of moisture during the coming production season. 
From this standpoint, Colorado should have a successful production year in CUCURBITS 
CALIFORNIA: In this state, our main office is here at Modesto where we produce 
squash, pumpkin, and watermelon. We maintain a branch plant at Gridley, California, 
about 450 miles north, and in that area, large acreages of cucumber, cantaloupe, 
watermelon, squash and pumpkin are under annual production by our company. This is 
our largest production area, 
_ The rainfall has been far from normal this past season in California. As with Colo- 
rado, most of our production areas are covered with a network of irrigation ditches 
which are fed, in most cases, by the adequate reservoirs caused by large dams in the 
foothills and higher Sierra Nevada mountains. Now, Modesto has adequate moisture. 
While it has not been a normal year, as far as rainfall is concerned, our reservoirs 
are full and that is a guarantee of sufficient moisture for the whole production 
ear. Gridle however, is what might be called "borderline". The reservoirs are 
ull, but BuPticiont reservoirs are not provided to carry the northern California 
territory through the whole production year. The reservoirs must depend on being re- 
plenished by large ice packs formed during the winter in thé High Sierras, which, as 
they thaw during the summer, provide a run-off which keeps the reservoirs full. The 
ice pack is not normal this year, and while we believe adequate moisture will be 
rovided, yet there is a possibility that we may run a little short. We do not be- 
ene that it is serious enough to greatly effect our yields, yet it is a fact that 
has to be considered in placing acreage, 
Since the first of the year, we have experienced quite a lively amount of spot busi- 
ness on the items which we produce. This and other factors leads us to believe that 
stocks of vine seeds throughout the country are generally rather small, and the de- 
mand is almost countrywide. 
As you know, we are now actively contracting for.our 1947 crops, which will be 
planted in May and June for harvest in September, October, and November of this year, 
We have been booking contracts for the past seven weeks for this year, and to date, 
contract business is running just a little bit ahead of the same date last year. We 
will make our semi-final acreage revisions about the 20th of April, with final acre- 
age revisions the iSth of May, so we are hoping very much that the great bulk of the 
contracts will be placed prior to that time. As you no doubt are aware, it is exceed 
ingly difficult to allot acreage as the date for final planting draws near, Most of 
our ranchers make their final plans for acreage by the 10th of May. May we urge 
your early contracting? 
With our very best regards, we are, 
Yours very truly, 
LRRjr:AH LAWRENCE ROBINSON & SONS 
P.S. We've enclosed our list outlining varieties available for instant shipment. May 
we provide your SPOT needs. 
P.P.8. Don't forget -- our Colorado & California plants are equipped to treat ALL 
seeds with fungicides. The cost is small -- the results are large! 
