Melon Noir des Carmes
The noir des Carmes melon has a very dark, almost black skin. It belongs to the family of cantaloupe melons, and was grown by the Carmelite monks. It must be harvested when it is fully ripe, when the skin turns orange and the fruit is slightly flat. The fruits are rather large, up to 1.5 kg, and each plant produces 4 or 5 (it is an average yielding plant): The smooth skin is deeply ribbed, the flesh is thick, orange, very sweet and fruity. The melon must be eaten very quickly after being harvested, within 2 days at the most. It is an early variety (75 to 80 days) and it is easy to cultivate. It is also known as ""Black Rock"". In the United States, there is one illustration of it in ""Drawings of Fruits"" by Mrs. Hooker in 1817.
This very old variety, originally from the Tours region, is mentioned in the work by Vilmorin-Andrieux called ""Les Plantes Potagères"". It is also mentioned by Mawe et Abercrombie in their book ""Every man his own gardener"" (1787). The variety of the time seems to be rather wrinkly.
Its existing quantities are quite difficult to quantify, however its seeds are available at Kokopelli or the Sainte-Marthe farmhouse.
It is not a very productive variety; it produces large melons which do not keep very easily, while the cantaloupe melons (which account for more than 95% of the) have been selected for their high sugar content, the ability to ripen and become sweet even after being harvested and out of the sun, their ability to be stored for long thanks to the thick skin and the consistent sizes (only three standard sizes exist).
Back to the archive >Cette très ancienne variété, originaire de la région de Tours, est mentionnée dans l’ouvrage de Vilmorin-Andrieux “Les Plantes Potagères”. Elle a également été mentionnée par Mawe et Abercrombie dans leur livre "Every man his own gardener" (1787). Il semble que la variété d’alors était relativement verruqueuse.
Très difficile à quantifier, des semences sont néanmoins disponibles chez Kokopelli ou à la ferme de Sainte-Marthe.
Il s'agit d'une variété peu productive produisant de gros melons se conservant mal, alors que les melons cantaloups (qui représentent plus de 95% du marché) ont été sélectionnés pour leur important taux de sucre, leur capacité à mûrir et à se sucrer hors sol et en absence de soleil, leur meilleure conservation grâce à leur peau épaisse et pour l’uniformisation de leur taille (il existe uniquement 3 tailles standards).
