"CONGO" 
CONGO—Anthracnose Resistant (USDA-46-40) 
Variety No. 55 
The Congo was developed at the Regional Veg- 
etable Breeding Laboratory of the U. S. Department 
of Agriculture at Charleston, S. C., by Drs. C. F. 
Poole and C. F. Andrus. Seed of this variety, then 
known only as USDA-46-40, was offered for in- 
crease in October of 1948 and from this source we 
obtained our original stock seed. The name Con- 
go was given this new variety to symbolize the 
continent from whence it obtained its resistance to 
Anthracnose. This African variety, after being 
crossed with the "Iowa Belle,” was inbred for a 
number of years. This inbred line was crossed 
with the Garrison watermelon in 1941 by Dr. C. F. 
Poole. Selections from this cross being made over 
a number of years by Dr. C. F. Andrus, we now 
have the “Congo,” which is definitely resistant, but 
not entirely immune from Anthracnose. However, 
this is the only watermelon that we know of that 
has this trait. It is susceptible to Downy Mildew 
and Fusarium Wilt and growers are urged to give 
it the same protection by dusting or spraying that 
they would give other varieties. 
The Congo is a large, semi-long or blunt end 
type of melon that matures in 90 days. The rind is 
very tough, dark green in color with a darker 
green stripe; flesh is red, very solid with a medium 
grain. This melon possesses total solids of 12 per 
cent (mostly sugar). The seeds are slightly smaller 
than the Watson seed, light tan, with side pattern 
of darker tan. It has been proven, as a result of 
commercial trial plantings in 1949 (some 24 cars 
being shipped to northern and eastern markets by 
those conducting this experiment), that the Congo 
is vastly superior to the other common varieties in 
regard to breakage during shipment. However, 
care should be taken in loading as it is not im- 
mune to bruising. 
See price sheet for prices. LIBERAL PACKAGE, 
ANY VARIETY, 25c. 
"Good Pure Seed from Grower to Grower" 
"We Cover the Globe" 5 
