Re: HYB: the toothpick thing
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: HYB: the toothpick thing
- From: D* S* <s*@molalla.net>
- Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 21:19:19 -0700 (MST)
Tom Tadfor Little wrote:
>
> I thought I'd try Sharon's suggestion of using colored toothpicks to apply
> pollen. I had trouble getting a significant amount of pollen to adhere to
> the toothpick, though. I was tempted to moisten the toothpick in my mouth
> before dipping it into the pollen...will saliva destroy pollen grains like
> water does?
>
> (For most of my hybridizing career, I used the anther itself as an
> applicator. But when I started working with tiny pumila anthers and plants
> with scarce pollen, I supplemented that with a brush. It would be nice to
> use something that doesn't involve worrying whether the brush is properly
> cleaned between crosses.)
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Tom Tadfor Little telp@Rt66.com
> Iris-L list owner * USDA zone 5/6 * AIS region 23
> Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA)
> Telperion Productions http://www.rt66.com/~telp/
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please, EVERYONE, do not use the toothpick method for hybridizing,
UNLESS you use a new toothpick each & every time. Remember always that
the iris plant, all parts, contain oxalic acid in the form of needle
sharp crystals. Oxalic acid is poisonous and can cause severe stomach
upset in small amounts. Some years ago there was a story making the
rounds that a well known hybridizer of the time applied pollen to each
flower with a single toothpick that was returned to the mouth each time
so that the saliva would destroy the pollen grains. This individual
suffered from stomach pains which the MDs were unable to diagnose.
Shortly thereafter another hybridizer was suffering the same stomach
problems and realized that is was a direct result of using the toothpick
method.
I don't vouch for the veracity of either story, BUT if memory serves I
believe I came by it in one of many Robins I was a member of.
Dave Silverberg
Molalla, Oregon where the Oregon wet sunshine has returned with a
vengeance!
