Re: HIST: HIPSource Needs U!

From: HIPSource@aol.com

In a message dated 98-11-13 13:01:51 EST, you write:

<< Not relevant to commercial sources, but a question you can perhaps answer
for me.  When I joined HIPS a couple years ago I was asked to fill out a
listing of all historic iris I owned.  That list is rather outdated already,
since I lost some of the ones I had then and have gotten some others.  Is
there an intention that members annually file a  new listing or something like
it?  Otherwise it seems to me the list
 didn't do much, if any, good to anyone.  Maybe I missed the boat somewhere.
>>

Hello, Arnold. 

Since your response went to the list and included the question above, I shall
answer it on the list.

The HIPS DataBank is a record of all historic irises that the HIPS Membership
has reported having in their collections. It functions both as a record of
cultivar survival and individual preservation efforts and also serves as a
resource for putting HIPS members in touch with other HIPS members who have
irises that are not available commercially. This member-specific information,
which is both cumulative and updated regularly, is not published and you must
be referred by this office to the DataBank to access it for trading purposes.
The list you were asked to provide was a list of what you were growing for
inclusion in the DataBank.

We had a uneasy transition from one volunteer Databank Chairman (manager) to
another. The effect of this was that the DataBank was essentially down for a
period. We have all muddled through as best we could and I'm proud to say that
during the interim we have managed to keep member services at a fairly decent
standard and we have managed to effect the restoration of iris plantings in
two very significant public historic gardens by relying on the support of
anyone who would help. Now we have a new DataBank Chairman--check your last
issue of ROOTS for her name and message--and she is very eager to receive
current collection lists from all members so she can update things and we can
work together to get those fine posies to the people rah rah rah. So send
along a new list of your stuff when you have it together.

Some folks here on line have kindly sent me private lists of their things
which I have used on occasion to help other folks on line, typically with more
recent irises, but occasionally with the older ones. These are irises for
which I do not have a catalog listing. This is all highly informal and I just
tell person A to contact to person B and leave them to it. It does what needs
to be done and I don't restrict this activity to HIPS members alone. 

I hope I have answered your questions.  Anyone desiring additional membership
information or information about HIPS's mission and activities or publications
should check the HIPS webpage at http://www.worldiris.com/

Requests for sources for historic irises should be sent to this office by 1
July of each calender year to arrive before 15 July. I use my best judgement
on referrals arriving later in the catalog season or off-season. And I do ask
that you remember that I am a volunteer and the process of looking things up
is time-consuming, so sending enormous want lists is not kind.

Keep them blooming.

Anner Whitehead
Commercial Source Chairman
Historic Iris Preservation Society
"Preserving irises, iris documents, and iris artifacts for the future."
HIPSource@aol.com

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