THE PLANT. Copyright P. Audcent 2014
Intro: In 2010 Bruce Davis from Mudgee in NSW, Australia grew a Pleach, a cross between a peach and a red plum. I have grown one and it is the most delicious fruit I have ever tasted. Now this story is entirely different!
Grant Weld was a farmer in the deep south who grew oranges and lemons but he had a hobby of trying different fruits. He got them from the internet and sometimes they came illegally from overseas. Some took and some did not but he was fascinated by their actual growth. He had dragon fruit from Vietnam, bananas from the Bahamas and even some succulent native species from northern Australia. He grew them all inside a class house he erected himself, and as his hobby increased so did the size of his glass house.
One day his son, who was a bad as him, called him over whilst he was hand watering the plants. Grant strode across and met his sons glance toward the back amongst the oldest plants he had been collecting. There was one that was shooting up over a circle of small dead juveniles. Grant studied the plant carefully and taking a shoot from its side he strode back into his home and picked up his plant reference guide. He studied the book from cover to cover, and then picked up another. His son soon joined him and together they perused every book and every web site.
'Do you remember what the seed was called when it arrived.’
'Of course its on the label, its supposed to be like those others that died two months ago. As you know I was hesitant in throwing then on the compost in case they grew again from the roots. Ah here they are in my book on New Guinea, I remember the leaf form when they initially grew, but look this is not at all like it. I expect someone dropped it in by mistake. I tell you what Joel, pop down and take a photo with your digital and we will send it off to them to identify it.'
Well the photo was sent off and a week later a reply came back with a series of ????
and a cannot help you. So the two of them sat down and discussed the problem, should they or shouldn't they destroy it.
'Not until we check with our own Institute first,' said Joel. So he sent the photo off to three plant and seed institutes and awaited their reply. None came back. In the meantime Grant moved the plant from the back into the middle of the glass house. That same evening he came to give the plants their nightly misting but the ones closet to the strange plant looked decidedly sick. By morning a circle of dead young plants surrounded the plant.
Grant was very angry some of his most looked forward too plants had snuffed it and he called Joel over from the paddock to help him decide.
'Move it into the laundry on the window shelf so it does not affect any of your prize plants.'
'Your Mother has her violets growing in granny's bowl, what if they were affected?'
'Well alright Dad I will put on my bedroom window shelf. I am as eager as you to see what flower and fruit develops.’
So they did and the following morning Grant had to pound on his son's door until he
eventually got up and staggered out.
'You look terrible, what on earth did you drink last night?' his mother demanded.
“Nothing..' Joel looked as his father, 'I reckon its that plant Dad.’
'Well I know you two hate throwing anything on the compost heap but put it in the laundry for the time being.' Joel's Mum returned to the stove to cook their breakfast.
Grant got up from the table and went into the bedroom and picked the plant up.
'We did not want to do that dear because of your violets, they are not the strongest of plants you know.’
'Just do as I say and make sure you close the door.'
Now which ever way you want this story to end you go ahead, but since its mine, here goes!
That same evening Grants wife popped into the laundry to give her violets a dash of water and she looked at the tall interloper, it was quite dead. She called Grant in and said ' Not the compost but the incinerator.' as she handed him his mysterious plant.
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