Re: REF: How many Irises?
- Subject: Re: REF: How many Irises?
- From: H*@aol.com
- Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 10:31:42 EST
From: HIPSource@aol.com
Jeff said:
<< Using statistically valid sampling techniques, I have derived an estimate
of a total of 50,817 iris names recorded as we approach the end of 1998. Of
course, I could be off by one or two either way (-: (It depends on how
close we are assumed to aproach the end of the year, you understand). Fifty
thousand will do for a round figure, which implies that an estimate of
50,000 historics is too high and 40,000 total recorded named irises (not
"registrations") is too low. >>
Now that is interesting. I thank you very much for that information and the
time you took to derive it.
I actually have to call up some plausible figure from time to time in
HIPSource correspondence to explain either how we have managed to loose
something, or how important our mission is, or how vital the hybridizing
activity has been in the genus, or why we cannot save them all and neither can
anyone else...
So, I guess you took into account the war years and the ad hoc nature of the
1949 Checklist and all that...? I'm sure you did....
The same article in ROOTS--ROOTS is the journal of the Historic Iris
Preservation Society for those of you who don't know--posited that 90-95
percent of the irises introduced over the years have been -well--<cough>
arguably unworthy of heroic preservation efforts. It observed, however, that
people grow irises for many reasons and many of these are sentimental or
otherwise unrelated to the historical importance or innate beauty of the
flower. And this, it continued, is how it should be, for the persons growing
the irises are individuals. The article concluded with the following, which
may be good to recall when boggled by the numbers we have been considering:
"...please, as an organization [HIPS] aid the preseration of older irises in
any possible way. Do not, however, freight our conscience with an impossible,
undoable task...preservation of ALL older iris."
Anner Whitehead
HIPSource@aol.com
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