1829 - Pumpkin Tensions Between the North and the South

The following letter appeared in the 1829 The American Farmer.

Great Produce Of Pumpkins

Taylorsville, Hanover Cy. Va. -  October 28, 1829

Sir,—I yesterday weighed the produce of three pumpkin vines, raised in my garden  among a crop of beets. There were forty-three pumpkins, that came to perfection, which weighed 1899 1/2 lbs.; besides there were a number that did not ripen. Sixteen of the largest weighed as follows: 67 1/2, 67, 66, 66, 66, 64 1/4, 63, 63, 63 1/2, 62 1/2, 62 1/2, 62, 60, 56 1/2, 52 and 50 lbs. I never before noticed the weight of the produce of a vine, and take the liberty of asking you if you ever did, and what was the greatest weight. I have known a single pumpkin to weigh 82 lbs.; it was raised a good many years past, in this neighbourhood, by Col. Win. O. Winston.

Wm. W. Taylor.

In January of the next year the periodical reprints this response to Mr. Taylor! (From the New England Farmer -Dec. 1829.)

PUMPKINS

Mr. Editor,—I observed in your New England Farmer of 4th inst. an article headed, "Yankees beat this if you can!"  from the New York Evening Post, giving a statement made by Mr. W. W. Taylor, of Taylorsville, Va. of his having raised in his garden the past summer, amongst some beets, three pumpkin vines, which produced 43 pumpkins that came to maturity, weighing 1899 1/2 lbs- the largest of which weighed 67 1/2 lbs.; besides these a number that did not ripen.

Being a native of New England, and in possession of facts that still give to her the palm,  I have been induced on reading the above, to give you the following statement for publication, notwithstanding its substance was noticed in several of our newspapers some years since.

In April, 1815, I planted in my garden among some cucumbers, one pumpkin seed.      On the 29th September following, I called on several of my neighbors to assist in gathering and witnessing its productions— the result was as follows: 44 pumpkins weighing 1040 lbs.; the length of the vine, including its branches, 105 rods, or 17,321 feet—circumference of the vine's stem 9 1/4 inches. 

Ten of the largest pumpkins weighed 923 1/3 lbs., viz., 135, 126 1/4, 97, 94, 91, 90, 90, 76, 64, 60 lbs., the remaining thirty-four weighed together 116 3/4 lbs. The noted tornado of 23d September so much injured the vine, that I considered it useless to leave the pumpkins any longer on it, notwithstanding it was in its most flourishing state at the commencement of the gale. 

The vine was spread on a grass plat, back of my house as it was measured, where it remained for public inspection from three to four weeks. On the the 14th morning after it was wide spread, I discovered twenty fresh blossoms on it. The month of October was remarkably mild, and judging by the appearance of the vine, could it have remained in the ground undisturbed through the season, its product would have been increased at least fifty per cent.

I raised also in the same garden the past season, a French turnip, which weighed 20 lbs, 10 oz-, after being closely trimmed. It was taken out of the ground in the month of September.

Respectfully your obedient servant,

J. Johnson. Jewett City, New London Co. Conn. Dec. 8, 1829.

Not that anyone would bother to add up the above pumpkin weights...but just in case one of you is that thorough, don't be surprised to find they are wrong.  It is impossible to read the blurry scans of the fractions and the OCR rendered them with great imagination!!  One was changed to Ariz. from 1/3...go figure...