The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-03-25
Gigantic Botanical Wonders Of the World.

even unto the hyssop that springeth out Of
the wall. But Solomon, in all his glory,
did not enjoy the pleasure Of seeing such
noble kings of the forest as the Seguoia
Gigdntea of California, which are only
found in the Sierra Nevadas, in compari-
son to which the noble cedars Of Lebanon
arc mere saplings. Both the Seguia Gi-
gdntea, or big trees, and the cedars Of lie :
banon are cone-bearing evergreens.
California may well be proud of her ex-
tensive groves of mammoth trees, as they
are found in no other quarter Of the globe;
but, so far as isolated instances of trees of
gigantic proportions are concerned, she is
surpassed by several foreign countries.
A fig tree which stands on the northerly
bank Of the river Johnstone, East Austria
Tia, near Brisbane, ut three feet from tho
ground measures 150 feet in circumfer-
ence, and at 55 feet sends out branches 80
feet in circumference. But the great king
of trees is " The Chestnut Tree Of Hun
dred Horses" situated near Museoll, at the
foot Of Mt. Etna, in Sicily. This is said
to be the largest and one of the oldest
trees in the world, and received its name
from the following incident Queen Jane
of Aragon, with her principal nobility,
took refuge from violent storm under its
branches, since which it has been noted as
"The Chestnut Tree Of Hundred Horses" I"
Five enormous branches rise from the
trunk, 204 feet in circumference, the in
teryals of which are Of various extent. In
Bouyouderch, near Constantinople, they
boast of a tree 149 feet in circumference.
California, though surpassed by these
three isolated trees, each of which is in a
different country, so far as large groves
of forests of the Sequoia or other NAM
moth trees are concerned, is unrivalled. /
might have named the immense cypress
tree of Oaxaco, measuring III feet in cir
cumference; the famous lime tree Of Nor
folkshire, 48 feet in circumference, and
many others Of less note, but all these are
outranked by such trees as the Grizzly
Giant, the monarch of the Mariposa grove,
consisting of APT mammoth trees, the
largest of which is 30 feet in diameter and
over 300 feet high. One Of these, which
is down, is supposed to have been 40 feet
in diameter and 450 feet high. One Of
the notabilities Of this place is the " Horse
back Ride" which is a hollow trunk Of a
tree through which man can ride IS #.
on horseback. One Of these was bored
down by FIVE men in % days. It was 92
feet in circumference and on its stump 4
newspaper, called the Big Tree Bulletin,
was published for some time, after which
dancing pavilion was erected thereon,
which still accommodates dancing parties.
Here is tree called "Uncle TOMS Cabin. ="
All the largest trees are named in honor
of some noted general or other famous
character.
The Tulare- Fresno forest consists mostly
of big trees, some Of which are 120 feet in
circumference, and this forest is said to be
seventy miles long and ten wide.
As sections Of these trees, and cones
from oil cone-bearing trees of the State,
will be on exhibition at the Centennial, at
Philadelphia, many who may now doubt
these statements will be convinced beyond
reasonable doubt that California is re-
markablo for her forests Of the largest and
most beautiful eoniferous trees in the
world, among which are the Sequoia Gi-
gantea. the redwood, the sugar pine, the
red fir, the yellow fir and the arborvite.
Last but not least is the great celebrity
Of Southern California, the famous "Grape
Tree," called the Mammoth Grape Vine Of
Santa Barbara, which resembles large
tree far more than vine on account Of its
immense trunk and limbs, under the shade
of which over $500 persons could be seat
ed. On account of its marvellous annual
crops of grapes during period of about a
century until the time Of its death, it may
now well be honored with the title Of "The
Grape Tree of 10000 Clusters" which
was, according to the best authorities, the
amount produced in single year, the crop
being annually not less than 1900 clusters,
equal to over six tons Of excellent Mission
grapes. This vine will also be on exhibition
at Philadelphia during the Centennial, and
it will represent California more effectively
than any other product of the State.
Being well known as the largest and as
having been the most prolific vine in the
world, it will attract the attention of all
civilized nations to the genial climate and
productive soil Of California, the home Of
the vine and the favored land of the
grape.
This vine is also noted for its romantic
history, its origin being connected with
the incidents Of an interesting love tale
according to the traditions handed down
through several generations of its Spanish
owners. These traditions were made the
subject of a romance, entitled "The Legend
Of the Monticello Grape Vine" which first
appeared in the Overland Monthly Maga-
zine, and the story was made popular by
extensive publication in the newspapers,
The fame of the vine is worldwide, and
for quarter Of a century, it has attracted
tourists from all parts of the globe, who
were astonished by this great wonder, and
always gave glowing accounts of Its mar
yelous productiveness and its gigantic
nronortiana