Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1880-10-13
GOSPEL SWAMP, Cal.
nalaho OH 1000

EDITOR HERALD: Six years age
l visited this fertile region. 1t was
and is the producer of fabulous al
falfa, monster beets, mammoth
pumpkins, ponderous melons and
huge corn on stalks that more
nearly assume the habit of trees
than any that L have seen. Six
years ago Gospel Swamp was not
but now is a producer of fruit, law
ish in quantity and sensationally
large. Last year James 7. Tedford
exhibited ut Horticultural Hall an
apple, the Gloria Mundi, which
measured 16 inches in girth; also
other fine specimens. Mr.. Tedford
was out of patience with the Soci-
ETY.. Said he sent exhibits to the
Fair bat never heard word about
them afterwards; that he supposed
some one must have devoured his
exhibits; that he did not care for q
premium, his object was to be use.
full, to add to the reputation of his
county and to increase the attrac-
tions Of the Fair; that he would
have been Satisfied ii he had seen
some notice Of his exhibits. I then
told Mr.. TedfOrd that his fruit was
on exhibition from Monday to Sat-
urday; that thousands saw aud ad.
mired his apples; that I measured
his apples, corrected the nom encla.
ture, "Prlde of the Gospel Swamp
and that my account of his exhib-
its, as from him and Gospel Swamp,
was published in the Semi-zropic
and circulated all through the
United States. When l stated
these and other particulars, aud
especially when he heard me with
out any prompting Oh his part ac-
curateiy describe his exhibits made
a year ago. be seemed not only sat
isfied, but greatly pleased. l thus
particuiarlzs in order to fix the inn
portance of publishing full and ac
curate accounts of the exhibits and
to send copies of the publications to
the exhibitors.
Mr.. redfOrd, now in the best of
humOr, showed me over his fertile
acres. His orchards are bending
with loads OF fruit. 1t is seldom
that one sees great fg tree bend.
ing with fruit, but such is the case
on Mr.. Tedford's farm. His apple
trees are over half apples, "a sprink-
ling Of leaves and wood for the re-
mainder. 1 asked him for the pro.
portions OF wood and apples Of
violently fruiting little tree. He
replied,
TWO HUNDRED POUNDS OF APPLES
AND FIFTY POUNDS OF WOOD.
Seeing that I WAS thinking for
myself. he said: The main trupk,i
iron, would not weigh over fifty
pounds. His estimate seeming cor.
rect for the main stem, it appeared
tina, the stem and branches as wood
did not exceed fifty pounds. That
there were four bushels of apples
on the tree seemed plain enough.
A single twig, three feet long,
stuck with apples wedged in as
tightly as Rose of Peru grapes, and
running about eight dozen to the
bushef, would fill a peck measure.
A proposition commenced brewing
In my mind. was to have that
tree Ding up tenderiy, packed in
straw and planted In the Pavilion.
At that instant Mr.. Tedford sor-
pointed to tree destroy
81 by a gopher. did not tell him
how l was mentally digging up one
Of his trees, and SO he did not dis.
cover that new variety OF gopher
had got into his orchard.
GRAPES IN GOSPEL SWAMP.
Just before calling at Mr..
Tedford's l had interviewed
Mr.. ]. III. Moser. his near neigh
Dor. I had made quite speech to
Mr.. Moser about the capacities and
duties of the squash belt to eclipse
the world in exhibits of pump
kins, alfalfa, corn and beets, and
that for grapes the squash belt, in.
Gospel Swamp, was the
latest and all-surpassing Valley Of
Eschol. Imagine how I wilted
when Mr.. Moser bluntly informed
me that Gospel Swamp was no
place for grapes. that grapes mill
deWed every year in Gospel
Swamp; too near the ocean; only
six miles to the beach; too much
fogj hopeless case. I dared not ar
que the case with Mr.. Moser. By
all odds he is better farmer than
l am; a better fruit-grower than I,
as his fine orchards and SPLENDID
exhibits last year at the Pavilion
abundantly prove; and, withal,
Mr.. Moser lived In Gospel Swamp
and ought to know. 1 went my
way very much sobered down on
the Gospel Swamp variation of the
Valley of Eschoi. l said not II
word to Mr. Tcdford about grape
trees, dug up grape stumps, hoods
of canes, and clusters hung by Pc.
mona. But Mr.. Tedford said:
"Lets go just yondsr and see my
vlueyhtu. Niuey aIu. IuouSut
!, sand Gospel swamp, Moser, fog
and miIdew!" But there was the
Tedford Gospel Swamp vineyard
even the Flame Tokay, great pink
clusters. without u particle of mil
dew. The TOkay is of all grapes
the most liable 10 miidew. II is
this year mildewed in more than
half the vineyards. Mr.. Tedford's
Muscats are large, without blemish
and luscious. His vineyard is CIV.
en- up to weeds, melon vines, vol
unteer potatoes and tomatoes. In
fact, Mr.. T. thoroughly let's his
vineyard alone; cares for corn, al
faIfa, pumpkins, apples, peaches
and figs. His neighbors scarcely
know that he has u vineyard, and
he barely knows that they bear
grapes. When 1 told him that his
vineyard, If half cared for, would
bring him from $50 to $500 per
acre, he said: "That beats corn;
though used to get
FIFTY DOLLARS AN ACRE FOR MY