Horror Story Review: "Professor Jonkin's Cannibal Plant" by Howard R. Garis

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This short story opens with Professor Jeptha Jonkin proudly showing off a prize specimen of his new pitcher plant (Sarracenia nepthenis—a species, which, as far as I can tell, is fictional, though, of course, pitcher plants exist). The audience, friend Bradley Adams, has been teasing him about his exotic botanical endeavors. Adams is duly impressed with the pitcher plant, though he can’t help tweaking the professor’s nose just a bit. He can’t help notice on subsequent visits the professor has started to neglect work on other products in favor of the pitcher plant. And what about those deliveries of porterhouse steak? Aren’t he and the gardener both vegetarians? The ending has a humorous little twist to it, though a couple of things seem unlikely. It’s not to be taken too seriously. Having said this, I rather enjoyed this silly little tale. According to Wikipedia, author wrote several Tom Swift books for the Stratemeyer Syndicate under the pseudonym Victor Applegate. Also for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, he contributed to the Bobbsey Twin series and others. In addition, he wrote the Uncle Wriggly series and many other children’s series. A copy of this story is available at the link below. _____ Title: “Professor Jonkin’s Cannibal Plant” Author: Howard R. Garis (1873-1962) First published: The Argosy August 1905 Source: ISFDB