The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-11-26
732
A Monster Grapevine.

The grapevine now growing in the
Montecito a few rods from where the
Worldwide big vine grew, bids fair to
rival its parent vine, in all its proper
tons and its crop of fruit This vine is
now about twenty-five years old, and
has just been measured by one of our
citizens. Its circumference at the sur
face of the ground is three feet and
eleven inches. At one foot above the
ground it is three feet three inches. At
two feet above the surface it is four feet
around. Atthree feet elevation it swells
out and is five feet in circumference, and
at three feet and three inches from the
ground it branches. One of the branch
es at the fork is twenty-eight and a half
inches Ill circumference and keeps this
size to the height of six feet and six
inches from the ground, when it turns
horizontally and divides over a frame or
trellis. At sixteen inches above the
crotch the second branch is sixteen
inches in circumference. The third
branch at twenty-five inches above the
crotch, is twenty-five inches in circum-
ference. At thirty-three inches above
the crotch this branch forks. One of the
prongs of this fork is eighteen inches in
circumference where it starts out from
the branch. -Four feet from the upper
fork this prong is fifteen inches in cir
conference. The other prong, at four
feet from the upper fork, is twelve inches
in circumference. The fourth branch
from the main trunk, at twenty inches
from the crotch, is twenty inches in cir
conference. AT the crotch itself this
branch is twenty and one-fourth inches
around. This fourth branch is fourteen
inches in circumference where it turns
from a perpendicular and begins to run
horizontally, dividing into three arms,
which then spread out over the trellis.
The fifth main branch is twelve inches
in circumference at the crotch. At three
feet above the crotch it is ten inches
around. The sixth main branch is
twenty inches in circumference at the
crotch.
The vine is trained over trellis seven
feet high. The trellis is eighteen steps
square, with two projections, each about
twelve feet wide and forty feet long.
The trellis consists of framework of
joists, two inches by six inches resting
upon forty-five upright standards, some
two by six, and others three by six
inches. Above the horizontal joists, Stats
about three inches wide and six inches
apart are stretched across for the branch
OF a derrick, made of four strong ioists
framed into the trellis and meeting at a
point about six feet above the top of the
trellis, from which hangs a trace-chain
with links as long as finger and three
eighths of an inch in diameter This
chain is not over the main trunk of the
vine, but about ten feet to the south of it,
and is intended to keep the trellis from
being crushed under the weight of the
crop OF grapes. An iron wire, about as
thick as a lead pencil, is wrapped around
the cross pieces of the trellis and con-
nected with the chain depending from
the derrick. The spread of the derrick is
about twenty-five feet. The vine .ex-
tends over the trellis, measuring from
the trunk Of the vine as center, north
thirty-two feet, south forty-three feet,
east thirty-four and one-half feet, and
west twenty-five and one-fourth feet.
The measurement is limited to the wood
New shoots, of the present year, extend
beyond the figures above given. The
ends of some of the branches at the
outer edge OF the trellis are two. two and
Il half, three, and three and half inches
In circumference.
Year before last (lSS2) the vine bore
over three tons of grapes. The weight
OF the crop of 1888 was not calculated,
but was apparently as large as in 1882.
1t has borne good crop ever year since
it was three years old. In the present
year it has bloomed out well and will
probably produce full crop. The vine
is OF the variety commonly known as the
Mission grape. This kind is said to have
been brought from Spain by the Mission
Fathers, and is the kind from which the
famous sherry wine is made. The vine
shows no sign OF age. 1t has a smooth,
bright bark, is full of sap, and none Of
the branches are dried or shriveled in
the slightest degree.-Santo Barbara
Prees.