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A round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator and the usually round melon often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves. Smart Japanese Farmers have forced their watermelons to grow into a square shape since 2001 by inserting the melons into square, tempered glass cases (see top photo) while the fruits are still growing on the vine.
(From an anonymous email, verified through www.hoax-slayer.com.)
Found by Marina.
I bet its a whole lot easier to cut away the rind too!
Now, for the real question…are these those flavorless seedless watermelons or proper ones with seeds to spit at your sister?
Those have been around for a LONG time. Surprised this is news to anyone.
[Ahhh… yes, just like I said in the post, since 2001… and this is NOT a news blog. – ed.]
They have been around a while, but they are pretty much just a novelty….I see them every year as a funny filler story on the news, but have never seen one in a store here.
It`s another of those “Isn`t Japan weird/crowded/expensive” stories the US and European press loves to find. It`s really not so crowded we can`t have round watermelons!
Just think what else you could do this to … honeydews, tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkins!
simplicity at it’s best.
i’m bet some putz in the biotech industry just learning of this will now be hell bent on finding the gene that expresses squareness (more properly, shape) in the watermelon so as to produce square-producing watermelon seed. (at 10x cost, ofc)
tbh, on the surface..while it may save space, i get the feeling this shape will not be as conducive to slicing handy eating-wedges…*shrug*
-s
A square meal in every slice.
The melons taste great but sell for about 25.00 per melon so this is an odd expensive Japanese story.
There’s a reason nature doesn’t make square produce, it’s far less expensive energy-wise to grow into spherical type shapes. Plus there’s no natural benefit to the plant for having corners.
Humanity and its penchant for fitting round shapes into square holes, what can you say.
There was a movie called “Space Truckers” starring Dennis Hopper. In the beginning of the movie they were hauling “Squared Hogs”.
Dennis Hopper is my third cousin once removed or something like that.
But it`s a rare thing, a novelty, even here….it`s often portrayed as normal.
I pay about 3 times what you do for watermelons, but not 100 times!
#11–Hiroshi==isn’t the novelty the notion of “fresh fruit?”–or why do the Japanese pay so much for fruit?
Can you confirm as my impression is you have vegetable farmers on any unimproved plot of land and your veggies are excellent and cheap?
Also–are honey buckets still used or is that a thing of the past?
Maybe they can apply this to training bras. Always fancied square boobs. Would make for a great place to place my beer.
#13–Warden==no, that would be a flat level head. Just fits the bend of your elbow – – – – – -etc.
Looks quite cool to me. I never knew these things existed. Thanks for the pics.
Pretty much….it`s rarer in big cities, but most rural areas and small towns are dotted with small fields. Veggies are indeed excellent and affordable. (With some differences in availability. Don`t look for cheap celery or cilantro. Produce is also much more seasonal, which I like… no watermelons in December)
About the same percentage as there are unplumbed outhouses in the US. These days Japan is the land of the Washlet!
Gracias hhopper
My daughter asked me about this because this question was on the 2009 Science OGT (Ohio Graduation Test).
“If watermelons were grown inside tanks to have straight sides, what would be the advantages over round ones?” I knew about the melons and these are some great pictures to show her.
Square Watermelons? Unbeleive~
Sooo.. hypothetically, we can soon see babes with square tits….
Next scientists will invent the square root!
They say that Pi r Squared, which is wrong…
Pi r Round
Cornbread r Squared
Wow. Now I know how Wendy’s makes square burgers. Those poor cows.
Sorry…. doesn’t beat Bonsai Kitten
http://tinyurl.com/pu9hb
Ron,
That could be just about the sickest thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
Why PETFV (People for the Ethical Treatment of Fruits and Vegitables) doesn’t have a dozen Hollywood types protesting this abhorrent behavior is beyond my comprehension.
The topic is quite trendy on the Internet at the moment. What do you
pay the most attention to when choosing what to write about?