Grow Your Own Magazine

Does anyone know where I can buy some Butcher’s Disease Resisting Cucumber seeds?

Thank you in advance!

Has anyone ever heard of this variety of Cucumber?

My grandfather used to grow then years ago and I would like to obtain some seed.

Never heard of them sorry, but then I haven't been growing cucumbers for long. Good luck finding them.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

I have never heard of them and I'm growing cumbers for a long time

Thank you for the replies so far.

They do exist, here is a link to a picture of them growing in a greenhouse.

Stock Photography image of cucumber butchers disease resistant plant gr stock photo

When I did a Google search, there were lots of references but nobody selling seed.

Could you try contacting the person who took the photo to see if they could put you in touch with the grower?

__________________
Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

10 out of 10 for one of the most eye catching post titles. I'm not a fan of cucumber but was drawn to having to read this one.I can only assume it does exactly what it says on the tin!?

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Spiderpig

Yes, these cucumbers were supposed to be resistant to diseases. Who Mr Butcher was is anyone's guess though!

They were popular many years ago. It's a shame they no longer appear to be available as I would have liked to have grown some this year.

This is from the house of commons archive:

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 17 Jun 1996 (pt 21)

Mr. Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) for what reasons the Butcher's disease-resisting cucumber is omitted from the list of species which are allowed to be commercially bought or sold as seeds; and if he will make a statement; [32276]


(2) for what reasons the Brown Bath Cos lettuce is omitted from the list of species which are allowed to be commercially bought or sold as seeds; and if he will make a statement. [32275]


Mr. Boswell: The Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 1982, as amended, which implement EC directives, require a variety on the UK national list or EC common catalogue to have a "maintainer", responsible for maintaining it true to its original description. "Butchers disease-resisting" cucumber and "Brown Bath Cos" lettuce were deleted from the UK national list in July 1986 and April 1979, respectively, because no one could be found to maintain them.

Thank you for that information. It looks as if there is no hope of me buying or finding any seed.

At least I have the satisfaction of knowing the reason for their demise was raised in the highest debating chamber in the land.

The question is after all these years would it still be possible to find someone to be the "maintainer" so the variety could be re-introduced?

I would imagine it would cost too much, I think it cost £2000 to reegister and £300 per year to keep it on the database.

Cheers Chris

Thank you for the information - £2000 is expensive so it looks unlikely there is any hope of buying any.

Surely someone must have some plants or seeds they could sell i.e. at a plant/seed swop, etc... My search will go on....