Re: hosta-open DIGEST V1 #400

John:

Thanks for the clarification, but I don't think it has too much effect 
on the basic premise of the question I asked.  The North American Lily 
Society has had a situtation not unlike what is occuring in the hosta 
society.  There is a very strong interest in the species lilies, but 
the NALS completely failed to address this interest.  As a result a 
new and seperate group formed and it increases in membership, despite 
some of it's own problems, while NALS membership falls.  There is 
absolutely no reason why the information published in the species 
group newsletter can't be published in the NALS publications.  By the 
way things are going it's not unreasonable that someday in the future 
that the species group may eclipse the original, main society.  It 
seems to me that the hosta society is being rather narrow minded in 
not addressing a major interest of a significent number of its 
members.

>I'll again rely on what Ed Elslager wrote in his introduction to 
>HostaScience:

>"You may be aware that recent changes in scientific policy in The 
>Hosta Journal preclude the future publication of original scientific 
>articles such as those published recently on hormone-induced 
>propagation, Hosta College student research, and hybridization.

Now, how many potential new members are going to be inspired to join 
the society, or maintain a membership if the only thing that is going 
to be published is socially related material such as garden visits.  

>"The specific aims of the journal HostaScience are:
>To provide rapid communication of important, relevant, and timely 
>science-related information on hosta biology, biochemistry, 
>cultivation, hybridization, and propagation to home gardeners, 
>hybridizers, students, growers, nurserymen, and scientists;

Can't that be part of the Hosta Journal?  If there is enough interest 
in this type of material that a seperate and independent journal can 
be published and maintain a decent membership base, isn't the hosta 
society failing its membership base by not offering this type of 
information?  The fact that the interest is there seems to be self 
evident to me.  

>To promote collaboration and the interchange of ideas and information 
>among these investigators;

Sounds like the Hosta Journal could be the perfect venue for this 
function.  

>To stimulate experimentation and research by amateur and professional 
>hosta devotees alike;

And what better place to publish articles about such reasearch then in 
the Hosta Journal.  I realize the Hosta Journal may not want to 
publish high end scientific research that is directed to the academic 
and research community, but there is a LOT of hosta related material 
of a scientific nature that is not high science that would be welcomed 
by a significent number of Journal readers.

>To encourage, assist, and facilitate publication of the results of 
>these studies;

Isn't part of the reason for the existance of the Hosta Society is 
that it is suppose to promote the genus Hosta.  What better way then 
to actually publish articles about hostas.

>Therefore, it would be incorrect to characterize the journal 
>HostaScience as a publication dedicated to hosta hybridization; that 
>is just one of many topics to be covered.

In effect, isn't the HostaScience journal and the hybridizers group 
competing with the Hosta Society if hosta hybridizing is only one of 
many topics to be covered.  How many different hosta groups do I have 
to join to get all the information that could easily be published in 
one journal?

I guess my basic question is why is the Hosta Society shooting it self 
in the foot and then aiming the gun to it's head with an almost full 
chamber?

BTW, are you related to any Christensen's from Long Island, NY.

Joe Halinar


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