AN ENGLISH "SPECIAL SETTLER."

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2283, 26 February 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN ENGLISH "SPECIAL SETTLER."

Ten years ago a..Cpn]ish carpenter, J. H. Boddy by name, came to the conclusion that, with a, growing family, the plane and the chisel might be abandoned for the pruning knife and tho glass-house. But carpentering had not lined his pookots enough to begin a new career exactly as he desired ; so honest John was compelled j to take at a comparatively high rent, on a ninety-nine years' lease, an almost, worthless piece of bog srround at; Land's End —■such a piece of dreary looking land, compared to which an Irish bog was a gentleman's garden. Like tho early Western settler, John, with his carp'-nter's know - ledge, sot to work to erect, a. wooden shanty for himself and family to live in, and, in his spare time, cleared and drained this unpromising swamp. Until he could more profitably utilise the land, he started poultry keeping on an extensive scale, and found it remunerative. But' this was not his goal. By working night and day, aided by ; . his wife and the, little Boridys (there is now a baker's dozen of these), he commenced the erection ;*of vineries, which now reach' to a total length of 800 feet. In ten years —in six years really, as his first vines were only planted six and a half years ago—to put it briefly, the carpenter of 1876 has become the most successful Cornish ghipe grower and nurseryman of 1886. Those who doubt what scientific cropping of the soil will accomplish, may visit the erstwhile wretched bog of ten years ago, and, sfee wliat a picture it now presents, and we warrant they will doubt no more. The site is; it commanding one; and. the ..long lines oi the glass houses which form three sides of -pie.ee,, of at : tract the notice of thousands of visitors to Land's End. ■ The first feet long, 19 devoted to peaches, ; and -is also utilised for tomatoes, mignonette, and fuchsias.inpots; Then there is a cucumber house 150 feet in length, in which both the Telegraph and Black Spine varieties are grown during the season, and beyond this, forcing houses in. which young vines are raised in tubs. A great many of those of the second year's growth of Alicante carry as many as 10lb bf grapes. But the principal vinery is the centre of attraction. In the earlier part of the season there were 1200 bunches of splendid Muscat and Black Hamburg grapes growing, and even now there are 800 fine clusters, which form an exceedingly inviting picture.—Horticultural Times.