Production the past three years has tended to increase rapidly in nearly
all the leading watermelon States. Nearly 30,000 acres were planted in
Texas compared with 38,000 in Georgia, the leading State, but shipments
from Texas were greatly reduced by unfavorable weather. In most other
sections conditions were favorable. Taking the watermelon section as a
whole, there was a greater production from an acreage about the same as
in 1920.
The East has been aggressively increasing its hold on the commercial
production of watermelons during the past few seasons. Of the 5,000 cars
constituting this season’s excess of shipments as compared with the
movement last year, 3,000 cars came from the Southeast, about 1,000 cars
from the Middle West, and a few hundred cars from the Far West.
The 1921 crop for the most part was of excellent grade. The size of
Florida melons was reduced by drought, but conditions improved as the
growing season moved northward.
The 1921 season opened with prices as high as in any preceding season.
First sales in May exceeded $1,000 per car for medium sizes in New York,
Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Similar prices were reported at the opening of
the 1920 season and there were a few opening sales of medium size melons
around $1,000 in 1919. In 1918 ranges in the early part of the season
were only about one-half those of 1919 and were still lower in 1917 and
1916.
Prices in 1921 were not so well sustained as in 1920. During July heavy
shipments from Georgia depressed the markets rapidly. July opened with
carlot sales at $250 to $650 in city markets, but the range soon
declined, reaching $200 to $250. The first week of August prices reached
the low point of the season at $150 to $250 per car but recovered about
$25 toward the end of the season of heavy shipments.