Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-01-07

hily over three quarters Of century, and
is the most noted place in Southern Cali
fornia, attracting tourists from all parts Of
tho world.
The planter Of this vine was Spanish
lady, DOna Marcella FELIX de Dominquez,
OF the earliest expedition to Sonora, before
1850. When starting from Sonora for
Santa Barbara, on horse back, her lover
gave her branch of grapevine, to be
used as riding-whip and when she ar
rived at the place Of her destination she
planted the branch which has produced this
wonderful vine. "a grand memento Of
love" truly How long ago this was, is
not neutrality-suspicious. differing on
that point-but somewhere from seventy to
100 years, probably, as il is said Dona
Marcella had lived on tho estate many
years before It was conveyed to her by the
authorities Of Santa Barbara. In the year
1865 she disposed Of il by will to her son,
Don Jose Doninquez, who has now con-
veyed it to NJ. Sarver, Esq, OF Canton, Ohio.
Soon after making her will she departed this
life, at the ripe old age of 105 years, leav.
ing 300 lineal descendants
Hyatt, 10 describing this mammoth vine
says he calls it such, not so much on nc.
count Of the size Of its fruit as Of its vine
and its pr0digiousy prolific bearing prop
critics.
Brace measured the trunk and found IL in
the tbickest place four feet and four inches
in circumference, rising clear eight feet
from the ground. AT this height it begins
to branch, and is supported on framework
Of fity-two trellises which II covers as
roof. The whole vine thus supported,
covers an acre Of ground. Some wears i
has borne 5000 clusters Of ripe, sound
grapes, which average from two to two and
One.half pounds each. The annual yield i:
from 10000 to 10000 pounds. 1t is Is.
timated that during the last sixty years its
total yield aPproximates the enormous pro
duct of half million pounds of grapes
which, at five cents per pOuud, woult
amount to twenty-five thousand dollars
For the last thirty years it has princi pally
maintained the ancient bona and Ael
numerous family.
According to Hyatt, it was made to pro.
duce more than any known grape vine in all
America North or South, and Professor
Silliman, when he visited it last year, said
he had never heard Of such an immens,
grape vine in any other country which il
saying great deal, as he has travelled
much iu the grape growing region of South
ern Europe.
Rev Robert Bentley in a Thanksgiving
sermon delivered in Santa Barbara In 1871
thus refers to this vine "a nuncio from
Rome, who visited this place not long since
and who in his observations and readings
had made the subject of vines his speciality,
asserted that the great grape vine in this
vicinity is as large again as the famous vim,
of Fontainbleu in France larger than any
found among the villas in the vicinity o
Rome, and surpasses any of which Pliny
gives record in his history aud travels"
1t would be interesting to know the secreu
Of this wonderful growth and fruitiulness
The vine is on rather high ground and il
is stated that the soil about it tas never
been enriched. The soil under it is hard
the Spsniards dancing beneath the shadow
of the leaves Of the vine, which form a com,
plete sun.proof canopy of verdure. Thi'
surely is not in accordance with Yankee
ideas Of promoting growth and iruitfulness
Perhaps the stream from the hot spring
has something TO do with it.
And new it is said that this marvel OIL
the vegetable world will grace the Centeu.
NAL Exhibition this year that it has been
already taken up, packed in secure man.
ner, and shipped to San Francisco, thence to
be re-sbiPped to New York. We are often
told that "this is an age of wonders :" but that
an acre of grape vines can be packed, trans.
ported from California to Philadelphia, un-
packed and set up again, passes belief
Mrs. NJ. p. RICE.