Sloan Reed Yellow-meated

Dark green, elongate fruit, 5-12" long, 4.5-7.5" wide, 2.5-11 lbs. The 2013 HF watermelon plot had fertility problems and produced undersized fruit. Dark yellow, almost orange flesh, rind thickness 0.4-0.6". Seeds tan with black along margin and at tip. Moderately sweet. All fruit harvested over a period of weeks was over-ripe and mealy-textured. Following standard watermelon picking guidelines (dry tendrils) appears to be ineffective for this variety. Earlier harvesting may be advisable. Late maturity, low productivity when grown in 2013 at Heritage Farm. SSE received this variety from Marcy Frantom (LA FR M) who got it from Jimmy Williams of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. The story of this variety is that Sloan Reed went to Texas in the 1930s to work in the oil fields and on his way home, bought this watermelon and saved the seeds. SSE Accession # 127997