Re: HYB: Trialing, gardenability

Tho not all are primarily motivated by the 'big money and big glory'
Anner mentions, I must confess that I have similar 'selfish' hybridizing
goals.  I am trying to breed cultivars that will bloom gloriously and
reliably here.

I've already demonstrated to my own satisfaction that, regardless of how
well a seedling of mine does for me, not everything I hybridize here
will stay alive elsewhere.  Even within my own general geographic area.

But there is one big difference - I am very curious about how my
seedlings perform outside of my garden.  From what I hear from other
small hybridizers, there is no money to be made from introductions - the
few dollars made don't even offset the advertising for the few small
time folks I've talked to.  So I probably won't bother registering
anything unless by some wild fluke I get something that both thrives
here <and> is somewhere near the cutting edge, or turns out to be a
really good and well-liked performer in the general region.  But I will
continue to send for trial to a few daubers and friends I know and
trust.  I get the impression that curiosity isn't shared by all
hybridizers <g>

Re: Griff's tale of LADY FRIEND and BEST BET:  An even better example
would have been our old much maligned highly awarded EDITH WOLFORD, who
won't even live long enough to bloom for a <lot> of people.  But look at
all those wonderful kids, some of which even do reasonably well for me!

Anner ruminates:
<'gardenablity," especially
                   "gardenability" over a broad geographical area, is
not among the goals shared
                   by the preponderance of them [hybridizers], who are
breeding for new breaks of color and
                   form.

I am told that competition is very fierce, that the big money and big
glory
                   are at the cutting edge, and there is a limited
window in which to get a new
                   introduction onto the market; accordingly, culling
and trialing must happen
                   largely in the hybridizer's own garden. If other
trialing is wanted, it is likely
                   to be done by a trusted colleague, a fellow
hybridizer, who can offer
                   sophisticated insights. I understand that it may even
be possible that in some
                   quarters the experience of gardeners around the
country may not considered relevant
                   to the goals being persued, or even very interesting.
....Anner Whitehead
                   Richmond VA USA>
--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
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