15

IOWA SEED COMPANY, DES MOINES, IOWA. 13.

WATER MELON.
One ounce is required for forty hills; three pounds will plant an acre.
A light, sandy soil with good exposure to the sun, is the best for watermelons. It should be prepared deep, but receive shallow cultivation. Hoe often and thoroughly. Plant in hills 8 to 10 feet apart each way. Plant 8 to 10 seeds in a hill, and finally, when danger of insects is past, leave but three strong plants. Thousands of melon growers depend on us annually for their seeds and are universally pleased, claiming that nowhere have they ever obtained seeds so so pure and reliable. It pays to have the best. Packets contain about 100 seeds.
COLE'S EARLY.--Decidedly the finest early variety for the private garden, but is too brittle for long shipments. It is very early and will mature farther north than most other sorts. Of medium size, very productive, continuing to bear throughout the season. Flesh of bright red color, of granulated, sparkling appearance. In flavor it is lusciously sweet and refreshing. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 75c.
PEERLESS, or Ice Cream.--(White Seeded.) Of unquestionable quality, very early, of medium size, thin rind, flesh bright scarlet. Rind is too thin for shipping but it is the great home market melon. Few if any varieties can surpass it in melting delicious quality. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 20c, lb. 50c.
FORDHOOK EARLY.--A large early sort. From seeds planted May 10th, ripe melons were produced the last of July. The rind is tough, making it valuable for shipping. Color a uniform medium green; flesh red and very sweet. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 75c.
BLUE GEM, or Iceberg.--This remarkable new melon is one of the finest ever brought out and by some has been called Blue Kolb Gem, but it is of infinitely better quality than the old Kolb Gem. Averages a better size, and with less culls. It is of dark bluish green color, bright red flesh and black seeds. Has rough rind, keeps longer and the quality is superior to most other varieties. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 70c.

[image] COLE'S EARLY.

IMPROVED TRIUMPH.--Undoubtedly the largest of all melons, having been grown to the extraordinary weight of 149¾ lbs. It is also very productive, as melons aggregating over 800 lbs. have been grown on one vine. Isn't that enough to make the pickaninnies dance, as shown in our picture? Governor Candler states that he "had one of the Triumph Melons weighing 132 lbs., which was sufficient to supply the 43 persons present with all they could eat." It is of dark green color, matures in good season; flesh is dark red, solid and of excellent quality. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 30c, lb. 90c.

[image]
149¾ lbs.
THE TRIUMPH

C. B. Vail the noted melon grower of Muscatine, Iowa, wrote us September 15, "We are sending a sample Triumph Melon on to you to-day, weighing 62 lbs. I have shipped several carloads of this variety this year which averages nearly 50 lbs. each."
GREEN AND GOLD.--Red fleshed melons are the most popular, but some consider the yellow finer. This variety is of large size, flesh as yellow as gold. Pkt. 5c, oz. 15c, ¼ lb. 50c.

MONTE CRISTO, or Kleckley's Sweets.--After testing all varieties of melons, we do not hesitate to pronounce this one of the sweetest, juciest [juiciest], most delicious melons in existence, and it is especially desirable for the private family. The skin is dark green, faintly striped; flesh bright red and peculiarly rich, crisp and pleasant flavored. It ripens early, is of large size, is a good shipper and a long keeper. Market gardeners will also be pleased with it. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 30c, lb. 90c.
GYPSY, Or Georgia Rattlesnake.--A superior early market variety; large, oblong, the skin green, mottled and striped. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 20c, lb. 60c.
MOUNTAIN SWEET.--The old standard; best quality. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 75c.
DIXIE.--A cross between Kolb's Gem and Mountain Sweet, surpassing the former in shipping qualities and fully equaling the latter in fine eating quality and flavor. It is early, has a remarkably thin, tough rind and will keep and ship well. The flesh is bright scarlet and of fine quality. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 20c, lb. 60c.
KOLB'S GEM.--This variety, on account of its excellent shipping qualities, is extensively grown for that purpose. Grows nearly round, and the color is a dark green with lighter narrow stripes. Very thin and tough rind; flesh bright red and of good flavor. Our seed is choice. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 20c, lb. 50c.

[image] BLUE GEM

BLACK DIAMOND.--A cross between Kolb's Gem and Hoosier King. All that could be said of the Kolb's Gem as to good shipping qualities can be truthfully stated in a higher degree of the Black Diamond. All the praise of high quality bestowed on the Sweetheart can be repeated of our new melon, but its prominent point of merit is its large size and productiveness. Its color is a rich dark green, almost black. Shape roundish to bluntly oval. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 75c.
McIVER'S WONDERFUL SUGAR.--This is becoming the most famous melon for sweetness and high quality. The fruits are long and of large size, averaging about 35 lbs. each. It is considered one of the handsomest melons ever sent out, being rather light colored, irregularly striped and mottled with dark green. The rind is rather thin but tough, so that it is a good shipper. Flesh is delicate light red, entirely stringless and the most tender, juicy and luscious that can be imagined. The vine is a strong, vigorous grower, very prolific and withstands the extremes of weather, either wet or dry. Enthusiastic melon growers unite in pronouncing this the finest quality of any melon grown. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 75c.
SWEETHEART.--Early, large, handsome, heavy, good shipper, long keeper, bright color and of good quality. Its vines are vigorous and productive, ripening the fruit early. The fruit is large, oval, very heavy, uniformly mottled light green and dark green; rind thin, but firm. The flesh is bright red, firm, solid but very tender, melting and sweet. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 20c, lb. 60c.
DUKE JONES.--This magnificent large melon has a dark green rind, slightly striped, flesh bright red, very juicy and delicious. It matures medium early, is very prolific and much larger than Kolb's Gem. A carload of 800 melons, averaging 43 pounds each, were gathered from ⅔ of an acre. One grower writes that they produced ripe melons in 65 days from the time of planting. Every one who has a place to grow melons should try this new, splendid variety. It has been grown to immense size, and even the largest specimens hold their good flavor. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 85c.
MIXED.--25 varieties of the finest watermelons, the largest, earliest, sweetest; grown separately and seed carefully mixed by us. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 25c, lb. 75c.

CITRON MELON
Very nice for preserving and are largely used for this purpose.
APPLE PIE.--Best flavored of all. See novelties. Pkt. 10c.
COLORADO PRESERVING.--Pkt. 5c, oz. 15c, ¼ lb. 40c, lb. $1.25.
RED SEEDED CITRON.--Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, ¼ lb. 30c, lb. $1.00.

[image] MCIVER'S WONDERFUL SUGAR MELON.

KILL THE BUGS BY USING THE INSECTICIDES AND SPRAYERS LISTED ON ANOTHER PAGE.