Re: Jim Hawes is Back!



Ran Lydell wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Diane <trueblue@micron.net>
> To: <hosta-open@mallorn.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 5:19 PM
> Subject: Jim Hawes is Back!
>
> > Good to see you back, Jim.   Now start
> > getting under peoples' skins again!! :)
> -------------------------------------------------

Yes, back but still in a lurking mode mostly. As many know, I must be in
Florida to care for my wife who is seriously ill. I care for my hosta garden
in Maryland by remote control only it seems.

I did not mean to stir up a hornets nest by commenting on Bill Nash's
original post of August 21 re 'Amime' nor Beth's post requesting additional
information on this hosta. But a little more true information might be of
interest to some, altho irritating to others.

Bill Nash's original post was essentially correct about the  hosta 'Amime'.
Bette  obtained it from a mutual friend, Toyozo Nakayama, as did I. She
donated a piece to the AHS auction as stated by Bill, not knowing it may have
had virus x. Meanwhile she had it tested by a firm in Ohio using Dr.
Lockhart's protocols. The test  showed positive, then Bette took the
initiative of  communicating with the purchaser and returning the  purchase
price to her personally. In my view this was a magnanimous offer by Bette. It
was not until some time later that the AHS reimbursed  Bette for the
financial loss  incurred by her donation of a plant found to be infected with
virus x. This was no fault of Bette who acted very responsibly in this
matter. Bette  also destroyed two plants  she still possessed in her nursery
garden. I decided to keep my plant to observe its growth as I have already
stated. Meanwhile, the AHS powers that be were having a cow. Some were
reported to be very upset that they were appearing to be at fault for
"promoting " a hosta which had been inported from Japan with a virus.
Decisions were made not to even talk about this incident, nor to publish
photos of this hosta. I sent an excellent photo of 'Amime' to the Journal
Editor but never received it back as I  requested. It appeared that 'Amime'
was now relegated to the dump heap with the hope that everything would be
forgotten.

I planted two pieces in my garden  under informal quarantine, not knowing the
status of the presence of virus x on my original plant.. I also sent a piece
of 'Amime'  to a tissue culture lab to see if the meristem explant would
outgrow the virus and become healthy once more, if it indeed it had virus x..
I am sure I was violating the unstated,  secret policy of AHS by doing so. I
am also sure that what I was doing was going to be found out and would be
considered controversial  But what the Hell, its still a free country!!!!.

What happened? The propagules came out of tc all green without any yellow
coloration of veins. The same happened to my plants in quarantine. All plants
of 'Amime' in my garden are now all green. I have not tested them because
they are of little economic value having lost their coloration.

So what is the "rest of the story"? A similar selection with yellow veins has
been made. Bette obtained it from Japan and traded me a piece of this plant
which has been tested for the presence of virus. It tested negative and is
clear   of virus x . It is called  'Mito No Hana'. At Bette's request, I have
shared it with Alex Summers and no one else.  I presume that it exists in Van
Wade's garden since ( I understand)  he purchased Bette's Japanese
collection.

Jim


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