Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-07-07
Baron Munchausen In California.

baron MHHCnauStH III CdllIUfHld.
The following is fair representation,
somewhat enlarged, of the "big talk" about
the agricultural productions of the Pacific
coast which one hears in those parts
1.-TWO weeks ago, 1 started on visit to
the 70 Semitic Valley. | arrived at the
wharf moment too late to get on board
and, instead of waiting until the next day,
[ determined to 60 to Stockton on horse
back. 1 accordingly crossed the bay to
Oakland, or, as it is better known, Little
Peblington,' procured a horse and rode
over to the Livermore valley, where stay
ed all night with rancher, who was
known in the valley as Clamps They
call him that because he got rich by hold.
ing on to his money with degree OF for
titude not universal in the country. AS
supper time approached, Clamps asked
me if would like some egg, and how |
preferred it-hard or soft, boiled or fried.
I told him would like some eggs, and that
it would suit me best to have them soft
| boiled.
"In few moments there came Clamps
and his wife rolling an egg the size of
! flour barrel, which they boiled in short
| time in a large caldron, and then set 1T
upon end by madam's chair at the table.
| A hole was made in the top of the shell, and
the egg was dipped out with l0ng-han-
| died ladle. / was astonished at the size of
the egg and observed that his hens must
be enormously large. BY no MEANS he
replied. You will not be so much sur
prised when tell you that one hen did not
| Law this egg alone; it took seven or eight
hens almost a week to lay it. 1t was a
| Joint stock production of the chickens
but still it is better than the individual re-
sponsibility plan.
| "At break fast the next morning We had
more egg, and then | went on the road to
| Stockton. / reached San Joaquin river at
noon and was ferried over in unique look
ing craft. While the ferryman was tug
cling silently at his big oars [ inquired
whether his ferry was profitable.
doesn't scarcely pay for raisin' the
boat he replied.
Raising the boat - repeated. What
do you mean by raising the boat
"'Mister,' said he resting for awhile on
his oars, you be stranger in these parts,
bean't you"
81 replied that / had not been long in the
country.
"'Then,' said he, pointing to the shore
this 'ere boat growed in that pumpkin
patch over yOnder.'
Borrowed in that pumpkin patch !
exclaimed.
"'Growed in that pumpkin patch, on {
| lphIu WIG. IIlSltI, UlAlS OOttU 10 pump
kin shell, cut in two. That patch is where
it growed.'
"'Where, over by that barn?' l in
quired.
"'That amt no barn, he answered, 'un
, less you choose to call it so. That's pump
kin, too. But 1 made hole in the enc
ont and let the stock inside; and wher
the wet season sets in, why, you see, plus
up the hole and let 'em winter there. They
come out awful fat in the spring. That biz
green-looking squash over yOnder Pm hol
lerin' out to live in
care these the growth of the season p
asked.
"'We don't have no SIGH difference here
on the San Joaquin as CROWN seasons ant
them others. Things keep on CROWN
all the time till we pull 'em or they die
GAS l was taking leave of the ferrymal
, he gave me pumpkin seed, with the re
mark that might astonish the folksin tn
East with it; but before twenty-four hour
. had elapsed came near having a calami
ty by reason fit myself.
at was in this wise: After riding sew
eral hours in the sun, was so overcom
by drowsiness as to find it impossible t
keepin the saddle, and, dismounting, la.
: down on the ground, intending to take
short nap. 1 had the pumpkin seed IL
my vest pocket. During my slumbers
; fell on the ground and / rolled over on it
My great fatigue caused me to Overslee]
myself, and woke in the morning by be
J ing roughly hurried over the ground in m,
D PROSTATE position with what seemed to b.
rope around my body. I howled lustil.
for help, and my cries attracted the atten
ton of two men who were OH their way t
= the harvest field.
"On being relieved from my perilou
position the mystery became clear. Tn
} warmth of my body caused the pumpkin
seed to sprout and begin growing, and on
of the tendrils of the new vine had cole
itself around my body, dragging me alon
in its rapid growth distance of more thai
half mile before I was awakened. NJ
+ deliverers had hard run to keep pace wit
= ! me in the clutches of the pumpkin vine
and finally arrested my progress by cuttin
n it with their scythe blades. / gave then
the vine for their reward and we COUNTS
on it no less than three hundred youn,
. pumpkins; ranging from the size of ahen'
: egg to flour barrel.
. There is but one more thing | will nc
tice. Six years ago gentleman residin
near Stockton planted grapevine by hi
house. In two years the building was com
pletely embodied in the branches of tn
vine, and the gentleman was surprised a
seeing his dwelling starting from its foun
: dation. The vine grew with wonderfU
vigor, and carried the house unframed u
to the height of sixty feet in the air, wher
it remained. The gentleman now reache
l. his front door by means of winding stail
case around the trunk of the grapevine
w and anybody who will take the trouble
go and see will find it as / have said"
"
re One of our religious Journals, speaking