The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-01-07


pher. 1t was this-a great tree, live
oak, with its trunk squeezed tightly be.
tween two massive powders. The ques,
ton arose in my mind, How has this
happened? Did the big tree result from
some seed dropped by a bird in a crevice
between these giant rocks, and as il
grew larger and larger did it press them
apart, or was the space the same when
the tree was small and had it grown in
time to completely fill it?
Nature, you know, operating through
pgs the most diminutive and appar.
weak, can accomplish most aston
) results For instance, there is
. well established fact of her lifting
great rocks merely by the upward pres
sure Of fragile and ephemeral toad
stools. So reasoned that probably this
immense rock, which the old oak was
hugging so affectionately with its broad
armed limb, had been thrust back slow
ly but constantly as tho tree increased
III size.
This rock bound oak tree we may
look upon as in the nature of freak.
but not far away, only few miles dis
tant, Ill the beautiful vale of Carpinte-
rla, ! fornd another vegetable produc-
ton which had been caused by evolu.
ton of natural growth until it had be-
come q veritable monstrosity. 1t was
grapevine, which, however, might bet
ter be called tree, so grand were its
proportions for its trunk was as big as
the oaks and seven feet in circumfer.
ence. Its spreading branches cover a
space one-third of an acre in area and
would now extend over q much greater
surface but that the owner has cut it
back every year, having no more space
TO spare
The people of the neighborhood have
often used the open court beneath the
nigh framework on which the branches
are trained sor a reception room, at one
time 500 gathering there, without be.
ing crowded in the least. Even 80 years
ago the vine was so large that the
neighborhood election was held beneath
Its leafy roof, for there was no hall so
large in that vicinity.
This is undoubtedly the largest grape.
vine IN the world, though until recent.
~ IL was thought that one at England's
hampton Court bore the palm in this
respect But there was one even larger.
~ years ago, i'll this very vicinity. and
tols one acquired fame at tho expense
OF Its existence, for it was transplanted
to the Centennial exposition at Phila-
delphia, where it excited the. of
all who beheld it there. Me owner of
the Carpinteriasgiant was urged to send
MS pet to the Columbian exposition at
Chicago in 1893, but very wisely re.
FUSED to crafty the public at the ex.
pense Of his vine.
This wonderful grape tree is now az
years old, having been planted bv a wo.
man OF Spanish birth, who died last
year at the age Of 81, with her last
breath speaking of her pet and pride.
The wide extended branches of thi.
grape tree are supported upon a frame.
work OF crossbeams heldpp by 60 sts,ns
posts, this strong structure being neces.
sary to bear aloft the tremendous load
of fruit, which last year amounted to
~ tons weight--ls tons, or 900 600
pounds, OF grapes, besides hundreds of
pounds which the owner gave away!
This old vine is of the Mission varie.
y, brought here from Spain 100 years
hgo by thesfounders of the missions,
now scattered in ruins throughout the
BOAST country Of California. The ;'fa-
hers" planted vineyards and taught the
Indians not on ly how TO cultivate the
vine, but how tdsmake wine and brandy
rom these delicious grapes. Though
here are many ruins Of mission build.
'ngs remaining, yet at only two, at
santa Barbara and San Gabriel, do we
Ina vineyards ard winemaking still
rcpt mp
since the departure Of the mission
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