15

Iowa Seed Company, Des Moines, Iowa.

Watermelon.

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 seed 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, 1/4 lb. 25c, lb. 75c.

Peerless, Or Ice Cream. - (White Seeded.) Of unquestionable quality, very early, of
medium size, thin rind, flesh bright scarlet. Pkt. 5c, oz 10c, 1/4 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, 1/4 lb. 30c, lb. 85c.

Phinney's Early. - One of the first to ripen, of good size and productive; shape oblong;
rind a distinct mottled color; flesh of a deep red; quality fine. Pkt 5c, oz. 10c, 1/4 lb. 20c, lb. 60c.

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. 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, 1/4 lb. 30c, lb. 90c.

[Image: Cole's Early.]

Improved Triumph. - Undoubtedly the largest of all melons,
having been grown to the extraordinary weight of 149 3/4 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 Triump
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, 1/4 lb.
30c, lb. 90c

C.B. Vail, the noted melon grower of
Muscatine, Iowa, wrote us September 15,
1903: "We are sending a sample Triumph
Melon to you to-day, weight 62 lbs. I
have shipped several carloads of this
variety this year which average 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, 1/4 lb. 50c, lb. $1.50.

[Image: The Triumph]

Monte Cristo, or Kleckley's Sweets. - After testing all varieties
of melons, we do not hesitate to pronounce this one of the sweetest,
juciest, 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 ripes early, is of large
size, is a good shipper and long keeper.
Market gardeners will also be pleased
with it. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, 1/4 lb. 25c, lb. 75c.

Gypsy, Or Georgia Rattlesnake. -
A superior early market variety; large,
oblong, the skin green, mottled and
striped. Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, 1/4 lb 20c, lb. 50c.

Mountain Sweet. - The old standard;
best quality. Pkt. 5c, oz, 10c, 1/4
lb. 25c, lb. 75c.

Dixie. - A cross between Kolb's Gen
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, 1/4 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, 1/4 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, 1/4 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, virogous 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, 1/4 lb. 25c, lb. 75c.

Sweetheart. - Early, large, handsome, heavy, good shipper, long keeper, bright color and
of good quality. Its vines are virogous 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, 1/4 lb. 20c, lb. 50c.

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 2/3 of an acre. One grower writes that they produced ripe
melons in 65 days from the time of planting. Everyone 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, 1/4 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, 1/4 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, 1/4 lb. 40c, lb. $1.25.

Red Seeded Citron. - Pkt. 5c, oz. 10c, 1/4 lb. 30c, lb. $1.00.

[Image: McIver's Wonderful Sugar Melon.]

Kill the bugs by using the insecticides and sprayers listed on another page.