The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-10-06
CALIFORNIA FREAKS.
Some MonstrOus Growths of vege-
tatiOn.

Some MOnstrOus GrOwths of Vege-
tatiOn.
1--WE are not much on corn here in
California" said Seedman L. German,
of Los Angeles, recently. ''but in all
other products of nature we can beat
the world" He is perhaps the oldest
seedman on the Pacific coast. What he
does not know about fruit, grain and
vegeta bles is not worth knowing. When
asked about vegetable monstrosities
he refreshed his memory for a moment
and then continued: "Of course, you
have heard of the big grape vine at
Santa Barbara, which covers an area of
three acres of land. Then there is the
monster rose bush at Santa Rosa.
remember, when boy, l marveled at
the size of this floral plant. 1t grew to
an enormous height, and completely
covered the house where it grew. Dur
| ing my lifetime here in California I
have handled squashes running all the
way from $50 to 300 pounds each. Wa
termelons have seen weighing from
35 to 100 pounds. Beets are frequently
known on this coast weighing all the
way from 40 to rs pounds. remem-
Der one beet raised at San Rafael which
weighed about 80 pounds. Last fall 1
saw three onions, the aggregate weight
of which was nearly five pounds. In
the Pomona valley 1 have known onions
weighing from IA to 2R pounds. To-
mato vines frequently grow ten or
twelve feet across, and l have often
seen radishes that looked like big tur-
nips."
How about potatoes"
SWELL, have observed specimens Of
the Humboldt county potato which
weighed from three to four pounds. 1t is
not at all unusual to see cabbage weigh
ing from 35 to rs pounls. Some years
ago Mr.. Fox, who lived down in the
Santa Cruz mountains, raised carrot
of the white Belgian variety which
weighed about 20 pounds. 1t was the
biggest carrot on record. In the way
of fruits we have raised on this coast
enormous peaches and pears. The
largest pears that come to the San
Francisco market, of course, are what
they call pound pears, but have seen
them weighing 21a pounds"
At recent convention of fruit grow
ers held in Pomona e. p. Fowler, of
Paradise valley, exhibited a remarka-
BILE assortment of deformed and alb
normal oranges. One of these deform-
tiles looked for all the world like pair
of Jenness Miller's patent leglets. At
the same convention farmer named
F. Cchulenberg, of Claremont, exhibit
ed variety of strawberries known as
the Triumph lie Grande," measuring
three inches in diameter.
At Kelsey's orchard, near Santa Bar
bara, is remarkable plum tree, known
as the japan plum, which was planted
in 1876. The fruit is heart-shaped and
of a rich yellow color. The plums
from this tree are frequently from
eight TO ten inches in circumference.
Probably there is not spot in Cali
fornia more prolific of enormous vege-
table growth than Santa Rosa. Here
is located the mammoth rose tree al
ready mentioned. There are score Of
dwellings in the vicinity completely
EMPOWERED with roses, while fuchias
are trained like vines.
In Los Angeles H, l.. Baker, of Union
street, displays rose bush which has
reached a height of 16 feet. Grated
upon it's branches are 10 varieties of
roses. The parent stalk is IL years of
age. The stalk, a few inches above the
ground is five inches in circumference.
S. H., of Ontario, recently discovered
a wonderful freak of nature in the
shape of a monstrous apple blossom ON
one of the trees in his orchard. The
blossom, which resembled a large
sized rose, measured 9k inches in cir
conference and is what may be called
a second-crop blossoms. An ordinary
apple blossom contains five petals,
while this one has 80 or 40. The big
grape vine at Montecito, near Santa
Barbara, is famous. The vine was
| planted about 40 years ago. The
grapes are of the Mission variety. The
parent stalk is 46 inches in circumfer-
ence one foot from the ground. Where
| it commences to branch, three feet
from the ground, it's circumference is
GO inches. The vine yielded Az tons of
grapes in a single season. The vine
covers an area of 100 by 90 feet. Some
years ago photographer, in looking
about the golden state for views, came
across giant cactus near Los Angeles,
the trunk of which was six feet four
inches in circumference. He also
found in the same vicinity pampas
plumes growing to the height of ten
feet.
At the rooms of the state board of
| trade in San Francisco some remarka-
BILE products of California soil are on
exhibition. Last year, when the sea-
son was well advanced, pumpkins
weighing 267 pounds were upon ex-
| hibition there. There were also cab
bages weighing 95 pounds, onions that
| tipped the scales at five pounds, and
huge sweet potato, raised near Santa