[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 110 (Monday, July 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S9603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             SOUTH CAROLINA WATERMELONS: A RED, JUICY SMILE

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise today to draw attention to a 
little green and red sticker on my lapel. It says, ``I love 
watermelon.'' And Mr. President, I sure do.
  Thanks to the hard work of South Carolina watermelon farmers like Jim 
Williams of Lodge in Colleton County, Senators and their aides tomorrow 
will be able to taste the sweet, juicy, red meat of the melon that we 
call smile fruit. All day Tuesday, my staff will deliver more than 500 
watermelons to offices throughout the Senate.
  This year, farmers in South Carolina planted more than 11,000 acres 
of watermelons. We produce all kinds of watermelons--Jubilees, 
Sangrias, Allsweets, Star Brites, Crimson Sweets, red seedless, yellow 
seedless, and a variety of other hybrids marketed in the Eastern United 
States.
  Through the end of this month, farmers in Allendale, Bamberg, 
Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton, and other southern South Carolina counties 
will harvest hundreds of thousands of watermelons. In the Pee Dee areas 
around Chesterfield, Darlington, and Florence Counties, the harvest 
will continue until about August 20.
  Mr. President, the bottom line is that all of these farmers will be 
laboring in the heat and humidity to bring Americans what we call 
Mother Nature's perfect candy. Our remarkable watermelons are sweet, 
succulent, and, most importantly, nutritious and fatfree. However, 
while many of us savor the taste of juicy pink watermelons at the 
beach, at barbecues, and at family reunions, we often forget the work 
and labor that goes into producing such a delicious fruit. In fact, if 
you ask many children these days where watermelons come from, they will 
answer ``the grocery store.'' The truth is, Mr. President, that our 
farmers are among the most often forgotten workers in our country. 
Without their dedication and commitment, our Nation would not enjoy 
such a wonderful selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other foods.
  South Carolina farmers lead the way in the production of watermelons. 
For example, my State was a leader in the development of black plastic 
and irrigation to expand the watermelon growing season. By covering the 
earth in the spring with black plastic, farmers are able to speed up 
the melons' growth by raising soil temperatures. In addition, the 
plastic allows farmers to shut out much of the visible light, which 
inhibits weed growth. In addition, I am pleased to note that the 
scientists at the USDA vegetable laboratory in my hometown of 
Charleston continue to strive to find more efficient and effective ways 
to produce one of our State's most popular fruits.
  Therefore, as my fellow Members and their staffs feast on watermelons 
tomorrow, I hope they all will remember the folks in South Carolina who 
made this endeavor possible: Jim Williams of Williams Farms in Lodge; 
Les Tindal, our State agriculture commissioner; Wilton Cook of the 
Clemson University Extension Service in Charleston; Minta Wade of the 
South Carolina Department of Agriculture; and members of the South 
Carolina Watermelon Association and South Carolina Watermelon Board in 
Columbia. They all have worked extremely hard to ensure that Senators 
can get a taste of South Carolina.
  I trust that all Senators and their staffers will savor tomorrow one 
of the finest examples of the excellent produce we grow in our State. I 
also hope to see many folks wearing their ``I love watermelon'' 
stickers in celebration of the fruit that makes everyone smile--South 
Carolina watermelons.


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