Re: More demons of ignorance, arrogance, and darkness

There's no teaching when the student doesn't want to learn.

I'm surprised that Cornus florida is on a Protected Plant List, though. Has something changed in the environment to cause problems? I remember hundreds of them when we used to travel along the river or up the Thruway.

d



Maybe you guys can help me with a similar but unrelated problem.

The Federated Garden Clubs of New York State have a policy
restricting the use of plants on the NY State (not Garden Club)
Protected Plant List in competitive classes in a flower show.
The policy says "Commercially developed named hybrids or
cultivars (NOT NATURAL VARIETIES) of plants on the NY
list are permitted in competitive classes, but ONLY when the
DISTINGUISHING FEATURE is evident."
I have been organizing state-sponsored Horticulture Schools
for nearly 18 years now.  In every single school - totalling nearly
30 - I have made a special emphasis of this policy.  I have
shown them acceptable named cultivars.  I have shown them
a slide program of protected plants.  I have brought in examples
of those not permitted.  Every time I have asked if anyone does
not understand.  They all assure me they understand completely.
Yet I include a question on every exam requiring an understanding
of this matter, and out of several hundred papers I have graded,
maybe 10 have answered the question correctly.  And this week
a student who is an Nationally Accredited judge, and who has
taken two of my previous Hort. schools, brought in a branch of
dogwood (Cornus florida) which is on the list, and which I had
used as an example several times, and expressed disbelief
when I told her it could not be used in a flower show.  "But it
grows in my yard" she said.  I feel totally depressed and
frustrated.  What am I missing?  What am I doing wrong or
not doing?

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