Re: Re: HYB: parents

In a message dated 11/19/2004 12:55:07 AM Central Standard Time, 
neilm@charter.net writes:

> One good way to learn is to get a copy of The World of Irises edited by Bea
> Warburton and Melba Hamblen.  This is currently priced at $15 from the
> American Iris Society bookstore. The on-line link is
> http://www.irises.org/storefront.htm

Neil, I think this book should be in everyones resource stack!  

This question of pod parents still puzzles me.  We've addressed this before 
on the list, but I can't find it.  

When I was starting out, I bugged hybridizers all the time, looking for 
answers that would keep me from wasting years of work.  In the beginning, I was 
limited to successful and knowledgeable people in my region, some of which were 
nice enough to visit my seedling patch.  In unison they all told me the pod 
parent was responsible for 70% (approx.) of the genes passed on.  I was told, 
"Choose your pod parent carefully!"  

Later, I wrote Ben Hager on just this subject.  He told me that there was so 
little difference that you could mix up the seed from reverse crosses when you 
planted!  I really respect his opinion.

But, I must throw this personal experience in the mix once again.  My very 
first year of crosses, before I knew there were things you couldn't do, <bg> I 
crossed HIGHLAND CHIEF X PEACH SPOT and reversed the cross.  I've since learned 
that plicata x amoena crosses often give spectacular results. I planted them 
separately and there was a tremendous difference in the children.  

Seedlings that had PS as the pod parent were shorter, had relatively poor 
branching, 4 to 5 buds maximum, and were all washed out and blah!  However, the 
ones that had HC as the pod parent were taller with a very wide variety of 
colors and form.  All had good branching and 7-9 bud count.  One lovely orange 
even gave a terminal with 3 buds.  

When making wide crosses, the pod parent really does seem to matter.  Now the 
term 'wide cross', according to information from this list, may be 
interpreted as anything that falls outside the cross of like x like.  (pink x pink, blue 
x blue) This was my understanding from earlier posts.  If this is incorrect, 
please correct me.  (I can't find it in the archives) 

I can't ask him now, but maybe Ben thought I was referring to pink crosses 
since I did ask questions about pink lines in the same letter?  

My experience is only with TB's.  

Betty W. in South-central KY Zone 6
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
 www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/
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AIS: American Iris Society website  

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