Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-10-02
CALIFORNIA FREAKS
Some MonstrOus Growtha of VeEe-
tntlnn.

Some Monstrous Growths OF VeEe-
tation.
I'VE 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" lie is perhaps the Oldest
seedman on the Pacific coast. What he
does not know about fruit, grain and
vegetahlesisnot worth knowing. When
asked about vegetable monstrosilies
he refreshed his memory for a moment
and then continued: "0f 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 a boy, | mareled at
the size of this floral plant. II grew to
an enormous height, and completely
covered the house where it grew. Dur
ing my lifetime here in California |
have handled squashes running all the
way from $50 to 800 pounds each. Wa
termelous | have seen weighing from
IS TO 100 pounds. Bets are frequently
known on this coast weighing all the
way from 10 to IS pounds. | remem-
Der one beet raised at San Rafael which
weighed about so pounds. Last fall |
saw three onions, the aggregate weight
of which was nearly five pounds. In
the Pomona valley | have known onions
weighing from Ia to 21s pounds. To-
mato vines frequently grow ten or
twelve feet across, and | have often
seen radishes that looked like big tur-
nips."
How about potatoes?'
well, | have observed specimens OF
the humboldt county potato which
weighedfromt three 10 four pounds. 1t is
TOT at all unusual to see cabbage weigh
ing from IS to rs pounls. Some years
ago a Mr.. Fox, who lived down in the
Santa Cruz mountains, raised a carrot
of the white Belgian variety which
weighed about IS 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 cal pound pears, but | have seen
them weighing 2R pounds"
At a recent convention of fruit grow
ers held in Pomona +. p. Fowler, of
Paradise valley, exhibited a remarka-
bic assortment of deformed and alb
normal oranges. One of these deform-
tiles looked for all the world like a pair
of Jenness Miller's patent leglets. At
the same convention a farmer named
+, Cchulenberg, of Claremont, exhibit
ed a variety of Strawberries known as
the Triumph lie Grande," measuring
three inches in diameter.
At Kelsey's orchard, near Santa Bar
bara, is a 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 10 ten inches in circumference.
Probably there is not a 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 a score of
dwellings in the vicinity completely
empowered with roses, while fuchias
are trained like vines.
In Los Angeles II, l.. Baker, of Union
street, displays a rose bush which has
reached a height of 16 feet. Grated
upon its branches are IL 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 9h inches in cir.
conference and is what may be called
a se%cond-crop blossoms. An ordinary
apple blossom contains five petals,
while this one has so or 40. The big
grape vine at M%ontecito, 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, its circumference is
60 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 a photographer, in looking
about the golden state for views, came
across a 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 thai
tipped the scales at five pounds, and q
huge sweet potato. raised neal Santa
Ana, that weighed 25 pounds. Apples
weighing 20 ounces are frequently Oh
exhibition, and a five-gallon glass jan
contains eight pears, the weight OF
which is 33 1-3 pounds. These eight
pears completely fill the tive-gallor
jar. Towering plants grow to enor
nous size in all parts of the state. Flor
lists say they have seen lilies in Califor.
mia IA feet high, while geraniums that
look like trees are common.-Washing
ton Star.