Although the clouds hung low and the weather man had predicted rain, early Thursday morning, August 27, cars began to arrive in Water Valley, Miss., for the Watermelon Carnival, and the crowd continued to grow until it was estimated at from 12,000 to 20,000 persons. All wore their holiday clothes and entered fully into the spirit of the day.

The idea of a Watermelon Carnival was first presented to Yalobusha County by C. R. Pitts, manager of the Yalobusha Democrat. The Water Valley Junior Chamber of Commerce then voted to sponsor the Carnival and it was through the efforts of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, with the cooperation of other civic organizations and private citizens, that the Carnival became the outstanding attraction in North Mississippi and embodied a program which was unexcelled in beauty and originality.

Ever since Yalobusha County has been settled, watermelons have been raised on the farms. In years gone by, each farm had a small "patch" of watermelons for private use. Occasionally a few choice melons might be brought to town in the farm wagon and offered for sale on the streets. But it has been only in recent years that watermelons have been produced here for outside markets. The production of watermelons in this section has been a gradual growth year by year until in 1930 more than 100 carloads of watermelons were shipped by rail from Water Valley and many more were transported by trucks.

Water Valley melons are known far and wide for their superior flavor. The sandy loam, found in the hills of Yalobusha County, is especially adapted to the production of watermelons. This soil possesses a quality which is not found in other soils which adds a distinctive flavor to the melon.

Soil Thoroughly Prepared

The land is thoroughly broken and laid off in "hills" eight feet apart. Each hill is fertilized. If barnyard fertilizer is used, the fertilizer is placed under the hill during the winter, or long enough in advance of planting so that the fertilizer is thoroughly decomposed and will not heat. When this method is used, the hills are marked by pegs so that the seed may be planted on top of the fertilizer in the hill. Planting takes place as soon as the danger from frost has passed. Cultivation consists of ordinary plowing and hoeing, to keep the ground loose and to destroy weeds and grass, care being taken not to bruise or injure the vines.

When the vines have attained a sufficient growth, the crop is "laid by," and at maturity the vines cover the field solidly from hill to hill. Some of the varieties of melons planted in Yalobusha County are Reuter's Wonder, Texas Jumbo, Kleckley Sweet, Stone Mountain, Irish Gray, Honey Dew, Halbert's Honey, Lem Green and Schockler, and some of the principal growers are W. E. Walker, Joe Holt, Jim Hayles, Will Hayles, Fred McCracken, W. O. Champion, Charlie Goodwin, Ernest and Joe Stone, Clarence Hervey, Dixie Davis, Robert and Ben King.

Ten acres is considered a big field for one man. The average yield per acre is

Celebrating the watermelon carnival. Left to right: Trainmaster N. W. Spangler, Jim Hayles, Charles Goodwin, Mr. Redwine, Fred McCracken and Mrs. Spangler.

about 30,000 pounds. Prices range from 33 1/2 cents to $1 per hundred pounds, varying according to the season and the grade of melons.

When the melon is ripe, the "curl" which grows out at the stem dies. One may judge the melon's condition by the sound brought forth by thumping it with the finger, very much as a physician thumps a patient in order to judge the condition of the internal organs. A melon pulled green will not ripen. A prime melon pulled when ripe will usually be in good condition for ten days or two weeks, without extra care, and will keep indefinitely when placed in cold storage.

The carnival program on August 27 was ushered in by the noise of many instruments as the crowd began gathering. The Holly Springs' band concert was the first special number on the program. Kermit Cofer was master of ceremonies and introduced the principal speaker of the morning, Congressman W. M. Whittington of Greenwood, Miss., who addressed the farmers in keeping with the spirit and intent of the occasion. During the day thousands visited the melon display where the largest melons produced in this section as well as other farm products were to be seen. There were ten melon and garden display booths that aroused the admiration of the throngs.

At 1:30 o'clock in the afternoon talks were made by Congressman Jeff Busby, H. J. Schwietert, general agricultural agent of the Illinois Central System, and L. A. Olson, extension director of the A. & M. College, Starkville, Miss.

At 3 o'clock a baseball game between the jolly Cabs of Memphis and a home team was the attraction, with Water Valley winning 5 to 2.

At 4 o'clock an important part of the carnival was the cutting of around 1,500 ice-cold melons. The melons were passed out over the long cutting tables to the thousands. The melons were purchased by the Junior Chamber of Commerce from the many growers in the County. W. O. Champion, W. E. Walker, Dixie Davis, Jim Hayles and J. N. Holt donated many of their special varieties.

At 7 o'clock one of the most elaborate parades ever produced in Mississippi proceeded from Blount Street north to Court Street around the City Park and returned to Blount Street, in the following order: mayor's car of welcome; official decorator's car; Sardis Drum and Bugle Corps; 155th Mississippi Infantry, Company "G, Aberdeen, Miss., Captain E. L. Sykes in command; Curtis E. Pass Post, American Legion, and visiting ex-service men; American Legion float; W. S. Turnage Drug Company's decorated car; Memphis Band and Orchestra; Oakland, Miss., merchants' float; Kraft Cheese Company's decorated car; McCullar-Suratt float; Indian Tribe on move; P. T. A. Float; R. L. Mann's Floral Garden float; Chapman Service Station float; decorated car of Mrs. John Dalton; Memphis Illinois Central System Band; queen's float, queen and princesses; decorated car of Lee's Hardware and Furniture; Water Valley Rotary Club float; Oak Grove Dairy float; U. S. Post Office float; O'tuckolofa Consolidated

In Fred McCracken's melon patch, five miles southeast of Water Valley. The "Queen of the Carnival," Eleanor Houston, is at the left watching Traveling Engineer J. P. Kennedy hold a 75-pound melon. Mattie Sue Hudson is helping. Others in the field are Trainmaster and Mrs. N. W. Spangler, Lottie Brown, Miss White, Inez Busby, Virginia Trusty, Ruth Houston, Susan Smith and Barbara Fly.

School float; Will Henry's thirty-piece band; U. D. C. float; Henry Ford's special car; Martha and George Washington; W. P. Moorhead and Company's float; Peoples Wholesale float; decorated car Water Valley Hospital; float of three banks; float Grand Theater; two floats Hendricks Machine Shop; Babe Ross' famous clown band of fifteen pieces; Ford caravan headed by their special built radio and Victrola on truck followed by sixteen latest models of Ford cars and trucks.

One of the most impressive floats in the parade and one which was as typically southern as the watermelon festival itself, was the float which was entered by the Daughters of the Confederacy. This float represented "The Old South," a picturesque ante-bellum carriage, entirely covered with 100 old-fashioned red and white (the Confederate colors) hollyhocks. B. Leland, a veteran of the Civil War, and father of Mrs. A. D. Caulfield, wife of superintendent, represented the plantation owners of the sixties, and his posing in character made the pageant seem more real. Mary Lynne Brown was truly a picture of our early womanhood, while Charlotte Blackston, daughter of Engineer and Mrs. H. R. Blackston, was a dainty reproduction of the "Miss" of our revered "Old South."

The carriage drawn by two bay horses was preceded by four "outriders," one of whom, Uncle Frank McFarland, a Negro veteran of the Civil War, accompanied his master and remained with him through the memorable days. The ensemble was a never to be forgotten sight, and when it passed to the strains of "Dixie" and in the midst of a pageant of beautifully decorated motors, there was something in its stately simplicity which touched the heart of every onlooker.

Following the parade, on the platform decorated to represent a large watermelon patch, Mrs. E. L. McVey conducted a beautiful pantomime composed of fifty or more little children who represented watermelons, flowers, butterflys, fairies, etc.

This was followed by the crowning of the Queen of the Carnival, Eleanor Houston, telephone operator in the office of the chief dispatcher and daughter of Chief Dispatcher and Mrs. L. S. Houston, and the presentation of a silver loving cup to Miss Houston. At the conclusion of the coronation, Edwin Blackmur, president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, with the queen, led the grand march for the street dance, followed by the ten princesses, Minnie Sayles Bailey of Oakland, Miss., Catherine Brannon non of Coffeeville, Miss., Lottie Coker, Peggy Davis, Martha Jane McLarty, Maybeth Barber, Lillian Walker (daughter of Conductor and Mrs. H. S. Walker), Eleanor Colson (daughter of Dispatcher and Mrs. J. M. Colson) Ruby Norris (daughter of Engineer and Mrs. L. A. Norris) and Louise Stewart (daughter of Conductor and Mrs. J. H. Stewart), each accompanied in the grand march by a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

The big carnival program closed with a magnificent display of fireworks including six beautiful set pieces, one of which portrayed a watermelon, twelve special arena pieces and fifty-two aerial bombs, the display being handled under the direction of G. L. Gafford, chief clerk to superintendent.