The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-10-15
CALIFORNIA & A
Some Ionstrous Gr0wths =,
fatiOu.

some s'on.trou. Grswths Of w..
tattOn.
4 W are not much on corn Ia
California" said Seedman L. Garr
of Los Angeles, recently, but n ~
other products of nature we can 80
the world" He is perhaps the ol5s-.
seedman on the Pacific coast. Wh.,hs
does cot know about fruit. grain ~
'egetablesisno worth knowing. W.
asked about vegetable mopstros;,;s.
he refreshed his memory for a momar,
and then continued: "Of corrs.. 1.
nave heard of the big grape vine !,
Santa Barbara, which covers an arc, J.
three acres of land. Then there i u.
monster rose bush at Santa hos, !
remember. when a boy, | maryeled =,
the size of this floral plant. 1t grew =
an enormous height, and comple,s,r
covered the house where it grew. pur,
ing my lifetime here in Calporn;, I
have handled squashes running all A..
way from $50 to 800 pounds each. ~
termelons have seen weighing from
80 TO 100 pounds. Beets are freouen,Iv
known on this coast weighing all ~
way from 40 to rs pounds. renam-
Der one beet raised at San Rafael which
weighed about so pounds. Last fail I
saw three onions, the aggregate weight
OF which was nearly five pounds I,
the Pomona valley | have known onions
weighing from ~ to 2H pounds. To-
vines frequently grow ten or
twelve feet across, and | have of,a,
seen radishes that looked like big tur.
nips.'
how about potatoes? ?"
We'll, I have observed specimens n,
the Humboldt county potato which
weighed fromthree 10 four pounds, Its
not at all unusual to see cabbage weigh.
ing from So to rs pounls. Some wears
ago n Mr.. Fox, who lived down in the
Santa Cruz mountains, raised a carrot
OF the white Belgian variety which
weighed about % pounds. It was the
biggest carrot on record. In the way
OF fruits we have raised on this coast
peaches and pears. The
largest pears that come to the San
Francisco market. of course. are what
they call pound pears, but I have seen
weighing 2H pounds"
At a recent convention of fruit grow.
ers held in Pomona E. p. Fowler, OF
valley, exhibited a re1narka-
Die assortment of deformed and alb
normal oranges. One of these deform-
looked for all the world like a pair
Jenness Miller's patent leglets. At
the same convention a farmer named
C~chulenberg, of Claremont, exhibit.
a variety of Strawberries known as
me triumph lie Grande," measuring
hree inches in diameter.
AT kelsey's orchard, near Santa Bar.
'ara, is a remarkable plum tree, known
IS the Japan plum, which vas planted
1876. The fruit is heart-shaped and
/ a rich yellow color. The plums
rom this tree are frequently from
to ten inches in circumference.
Probably there is not a spot in Cali.
ornla more prolific of enormous yeoe-
Die growth than Santa Rosa. Here
located the mammoth rose tree al
eady mentioned. There are a score of
in the vicinity completely
uncovered with roses, while fuchias
re trained like vines.
In Los Angeles H, l.. Baker. of Union
rect, displays Il rose bush which has
'ached a height of Is feet. Grated
BON It's branches are ~ varieties of
'ses' The parent stalk is IL years of
re. The stalk, a few inches above the
ound is five inches in circumference.
). H., Of Ontario, recently discovered
wonderful freak of nature in the
ape OF a monstrous apple blossom ON
re OF the trees in his orchard. The
ossom, which resembled a larpe-
,ed rose. measured 9Ks inches in cir.
inference and is what may be called
.second-crop blossoms. An ordinary
pie blossom contains five petals.
lile this one has 30 or 20. The big
ape vine at Montecito. near Santa
rbara, is famous. The vine was
lnted about 10 years 400. The
apes are of the Mission variety. The
rent stalk is +G inches in circwmfer-
&c one foot from the ground. Where
commences TO branch, three feet
IN the ground. its circumference is
inches. The vine yielded AZ, tons of
in a single season. The vine
.ers an area of 100 by 90 feet. Some
ago II photographers, in looking
'u' the golden state for views. came
'oss Il giant cactus near Los Angeles,
trunk of which was six feet four
mes in circumference. He also
IN the same vicinity pampas
mes growing to the height of ten
u the rooms Of the state board of
ae IN San Francisco some remarka.
products of California soil are on
''oi'ion. Last year. when the sea-
was well advanced. pumpkins
shlng 267 pounds were upon ey-
l''on there. There were also cab
eS weighing IS pounds, onions that
'ea the scales at five pounds, and a
e sweet potato. raised near Santa
y 'hat weighed % pounds. Apples
20 ounces are frequently on
'o.'ioh' and a five-gallon glass jar
'ains eight pears. the weight Of
IN IS 80 Ia pounds. These eight
$ completely fill the fve-gaIlon
Towering plants grow to enor-
) size In all parts Of the state. Flor
say they have seen lilies in Ca,ifor.
IA feet high. while geraniums that
IKE trees are common.-Washing-
Star. |
Hehections of a ~Spinster.
man whom a dog will trust is never