• Subject: Re: Advice needed
• From: A*@aol.com
• Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 16:26:32 -0400 (EDT)

Unfortunately, Noreen, most of them say "no" and give me some stuff
about it's being on the Protected Plant List and can only be shown in
educational exhibits.  At least they get the point that protected plants
are not to be exhibited in competitive classes. 
 
As for questions that are not covered in the lectures - I always sit in 
myself, or if that's not possible, appoint a knowledgable master judge 
to sit with a list of questions and answers just to be sure all points are 
covered.  If I feel that one is not being sufficiently addressed, I will 
ask 
stupid-sounding questions until the answer is completely covered.
I make up the examinations myself, but from questions and answers
submitted by the speakers.  I want to be sure that the answer I have 
on the answer-sheet is exactly what the speaker says, not just what
I think.  When I return the graded exams I always include an answer
sheet, thinking that if the student is interested, he/she can learn from
mistakes.  I often wonder if they really look at the returned exams other
than to see if they passed.
 
My opinion is that they somehow don't register on the "distinguishing
feature" aspect.  I don't always use "Cherokee Chief" as the example.
Sometimes I use another like Kalmia "Ospo Red" or some other such.
I just think "Cherokee Chief" is a popular one that these people should
know.  Oh well.  I'll keep trying.
Auralie
 
 
In a message dated 8/1/2011 4:10:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
TeichFauna@aol.com writes:

Auralie, do they at least get the "yes" part right?  Surely at this  stage 
in the studies they know that "Cherokee Chief" is a cultivar, but perhaps  
they are not familiar enough with this particular plant to know what color  
blooms it has.  I would have gotten the Yes part right, but could have not  
explained.  Also, it would depend how well "distinguishing features" was  
covered in the class.  Having just completed a five year International  
Judging 
school, our class had quite a few issues with certain questions on  the 
final that were not covered as much as we would have liked.   Although we 
too 
had many slides, often the details were not covered, as was  mentioned, if 
the particular "distinguishing features" were not pointed  out.   One sees 
so 
many slides of so many plants, that it is difficult  to remember what plant 
has what bloom without having personal experience.  
Just my take....
Noreen
zone 9
Texas Gulf Coast

In a message dated 7/30/2011 4:25:45 PM Central Daylight Time,  
Aplfgcnys@aol.com writes:

If  there's still anyone out there, please give me some words of advice on  
a
problem I have.
In the Horticulture School series I have been running  for years, I always
include a segment on the New York State Protected Plant  List. The state
list is quite lengthy, but the Federated Garden Clubs of  New York State
(FGCNYS) have prepared a selected list of those plants that  might just
appear in flower shows - a one-page list that is easy to tuck  into your
Handbook.  It is considered that the rest of the state list  are either wild
flowers that wouldn't be suitable, or are so rare that they  would never
be seen.  The FGCNYS policy reads:
Plants named on the  New York State list, "Protected Native Plants,"
cannot be exhibited in  competitive classes, except in Special Exhibits
Division as an Educational  Exhibit.  Such plants must have been
acquired in a lawful manner, and  may be cut specimens and/or
container-grown plants.
Commercially  developed 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 helped write this policy more than 20 years ago,  and have been trying to
teach it in the Horticulture Schools ever  since.  This year there have
already
been three schools, and three  more are scheduled.  As State Chairman, I
write
the exams for the  schools.  On each exam I include one question on the
Protected Plant  List.  Many times the question reads:

.  May a branch of  Cornus florida bCherokee Chiefb be exhibited in a
flower show   in a class of flowering branches.   Explain.
The answer, of course would be Yes, if the branch was in bloom,  because the
Distinguishing Feature, that is the red blooms, would be  evident.  If it
were not
in bloom, it could not be  exibited.

My problem is that more and more often I will get maybe one  correct answer
from each ten students.  The answers I got this spring  were so depressing
that
I have resolved to make a greater effort to get  the point across.  I wonder
if
some of you knowledgable people can  give me a clue as to where the problem
lies.  To me, the concept is  quite simple, but why do so many seem to miss
it?
These students are  usually pretty alert to Horticultural matters - after
all, it is  a
fairly specialized series.  I would really appreciate any thoughts  on the
matter.
Auralie

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