Now violet before you move this I have reworded it to better fit this forum. I am looking for anyone who may have grown this variety of watermelon it was very popular 40+ years ago. It is a small icebox type red meated. I have had several people ask me about this melon in the past few years and it has prompted me to find it. I did find a dealer in Va. Meridith that still lists it but it has been on back order for over a year. It would be ashame for this variety to be lost. I have checked the last 4 years of SSE annuals but no listings. If someone has older copies could they please check to see when it was listed and maybe have a contact I could get to see if that person still has this variety. I have also sent an e-mail to Glen at Sandhill but this is a busy time and I don't expect a response I may try to call him later this week since he is the curator of the cucibits and melons are his specialty. I will also be attending the 10th annual seed swap in Crawford GA. Sponsered by PASS at the Southern seed Legacy project and will see if anyone there may have seed. Any help from anyone would be appreciated. Thanks Rodger

Hello, I am interested in these. Please check my list for a possible trade (although I may be low on some stuff.) I also have some 'Tashkent' Marigold seeds and possibly some other things. Thanks much, Danita

My grandfather grew scaly bark watermelons his entire life. They were the sweetest, crispest watermelon I have ever eaten. He grew them in Aiken County, SC--acres and acres of them. Granted, I know that various soil types produce different flavors and textures, so perhaps his soil was perfect for the scaly bark. Not as black as the Vidalia soil, his soil was quite black and rich. We are going to try to grow them here in NM in some very good soil we have worked on with compost and horse manure for years. The seeds are from his original, so I hope they take. I am going to try to start them in the greenhouse first, just in case. But I am now interested in the Stone Mountain melon, too. But if the scaly bark is half as good as what my grandfather grew, I will be one happy old woman!

Wayne, Disease is always a problem and wilt is a problem I deal with each year. I lost 6 plants under the netting due to wilt, it seem to went straight across in a line down the middle. I also lost one of my Stone mountains. I am completly Organic and I choose not to spray anything even organic sprays. Mainly I choose this approach because I don't have the time to spend worrying about each problem that arises and spending time and money trying to battle it. Instead I choose cultural practices to minimize the effects of insects , birds, deer ,rabbits, coons, squirrels and ever bacterial, fungal and viral microbes out they that want the vegetables and flowers of my garden. I have found the more I learn to let nature take its course and creat a garden inviting to beneficial insects and keeping the ground covered at all timeswith the use of mulches, cover crops, and employing tactics to ward off critters, including vigilant trapping of some pest such as squirrels the garden takes care of it self and I have more time to enjoy my garden and I feel a lot better about the produce I eat and raise. But wilt is probably my worst problem with melons and roatation is the key. I too have grown melons for years but not as long as you have especially in this garden spot. Hopefully I can continue to get a sweet summer melon for my troubles. Frank if referring to the Missouri yellow meated it is a big melon the one pictured is probable 35lbs I picked one the other day and that 's what it weighed. It was devine juicy and sweet. This was the first year growing it. Rodger