Re: Hybridizers Seedlings (long)


On Wed, 27 Nov 1996 CEMahan@aol.com wrote:

>  One, they want to be sure the person who will be evaluating them knows what
> to look for.  Two, because there is limited stock of a new seedling, they
> want to send them to someone who will give the seedling a vote for AIS awards
> if the seedling has merit.  

	I think the first part of these response makes good sense and I
	guess that the latter part must...every vote counts.....obviously,
	some more than others????

	I am a complete novice when it comes to this area - I don't even
	have a judge's handbook...and haven't even applied in my region to
	take the training. However, if I may make an analogy (poorly
	formed, perhaps) to another form of judging that I am familiar
	with and that is judging of different breeds of dogs. A long
	apprenticeship is required and many hours of training.

	Does AIS expect *all* judges to be qualified to judge *all*
	types of iris? I know there is a difference between garden judge
	and show-bench judge but in the dog fancy world, one can qualify
	to judge just terriers or working dogs, etc. Usually, one
	moves up to be an all-breed judge and is qualified to judge all
	groups.

	From what I have garnered on this list, it doesn't work this way
	in AIS. It is all types or nothing...am I wrong? I was dismayed
	when I read posts on this list saying that AIS judges have voted 
	for irises based on catalog photos without seeing the iris
	 growing in gardens. This practice would leads to a photo-
	graphic beauty contest....no wonder folks complain of poor garden
	specimens in their own gardens. 

	Is there a test that all judges have to take to be certified? 
	
	I think that no judge should be allowed to rate an iris of a type
	he/she doesn't grow....no exceptions allowed. I would take it 
	further to say there should be a minimum number grown.

	
> Moral: For those who would like to get lots of new irises free, it pays to be
> an AIS judge and to have one's garden on regional tours.  


	A friend up here in the tundra known as Zone 3, was given some of
	Currier McEwen's Japanese irises to grow from seed to be sown in
	the ground in the Fall and also the Spring for evaluation re
	cold hardiness. This friend is not an AIS judge and is not on
	any regional tour....there are none here since our bloom season
	is so late. 

	Currier simply wanted to test his irises in a really cold zone -
	he is in Zone 5 or 6, I think. BTW, his JI seeds all blossomed
	beautifully whether they were planted in our chilly Fall or equally
	chilly Spring.

	If hybridizers really care about testing their seedlings or seeds,
	we would have hardy irises across the board, IMHO.

	Enuf' said,

	Ellen Gallagher
	e_galla@moose.ncia.net
	Lancaaster, New Hampshire, USA
	Zone 3a
	AIS, CIS, SSI, SJI, MIS, DIS, SIGNA
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