>Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 22:11:01 -0500 (EST)
>From: telenet!unicorn!dkpurks@uunet.uu.net (David K. Purks)
>Subject: ICPS seed bank
>To: uunet!pstbbs.com!ksnive@uunet.uu.net
?I didn't know this address was part of the uu.net how did you come
up with it and how have you been doing since we lost contact with
each other the last time?
> As newly elected officers, I have a few questions for you...
> Is the "Keeper" of the seed bank a perpetual position, appointed,
> volunteer, other?
I believe it is appointed but usually a volunteer gets the appointment.
It wouldn't do to appoint someone who doesn't want to do it. To my
knowledge Tom is the fourth seed bank coordinator. The first was
Bob Ziemer. The seed bank was suggested in Vol. 1 No. 1 as being one
of the things the founding fathers were interested in having, but a
volunteer did not step forward until Vol. 2 No. 2. the original
prospectus was to be a seed AND plant exchange service with voluntary
donations to cover expenses. Seed was sent to Bob but the information
for plant exchanges was maintained in a database. Early reports were
sporadic. In Vol. 3 No. 2 eight volunteers in as many countries
were helping to coordinate the plant exchange to try to localize things
and avoid the need to deal with plant quarantine.
> What happens to the money generated by the seed bank? Is there a
> published policy dictating how the seed bank is to operate?
In Vol. 3 No. 1 to encourage people to participate in the plant database
Bob offered a free _Darlingtonia_ and _P. vulgaris_ and a request of
$ 0.50 was asked to help defray the expense of postage and handling.
In Vol. 3 No. 4 word of problems and abuses involving the exchange
service appeared and the first set of official guidelines was published,
about 1 page. In that issue it was still listed as a free service but
the request for assistance with postage that relates to the _Darlingtonia_
& _P. vulgaris_ was misquoted as a general request for help with postage.
By the way the original system was to send SASE in the USA and
money for sufficient postage for overseas orders.
The next reference I was able to find was in Vol. 5 No. 1 where the
editors reminded current members and informed new members about the
seed exchange and grower/plant database. The contribution asked was
$ 0.50 to $ 1.00 and participants received 2 printouts/year. References
to the increasing stress involved in this job and a call for participants
to be polite, patient and fair were again mentioned.
In Vol. 6 No. 1 it was decided to reform the seed bank in a more
formal manner calling for unspecified fees for seed and credit for
donors. Also a request was issued for a volunteer to replace Bob
Ziemer. Vol. 6 No. 2 announces the appointment Patrick Dwyer as the
new seed bank administrator. Bob served us for 5 years.
> I have a suggestion to increase the number of species available...
> I think that "deposits" to the seed bank should generate credits
> that can be used towards "withdrawals". It certainly wouldn't work
> 1 for 1...maybe 10 deposits would be good for a free packet? It
> seems to me that more people would donate seed if there was an
> incentive.
With the reformed seed bank came a fixed price $ 0.50 and a policy
to give a free pack of seed for every 10 packs donated. Deja vu?
To my knowledge this policy is still in affect. A packet was defined
as enough seed to sow a circle of 5cm diameter. with fine seed, or at least
25 seeds for those species with larger seed. At this time the seed list
was to be included as part and updated with each C.P.N. In Vol. 6 No.
2 clarification was made and the number of packets required was stated
to be 10 -> 19 for a free pack with an additional pack for each 10 there
after, free packs were to be of approximately equal rarity. All members
were expected to wait for the publication of the C.P.N. for updates
to the seed list and were asked to try when possible to submit their
seed one month before the publication of the C.P.N. in order to facilitate
the publication of the list.
Vol. 7 No. 1 saw Patricks first financial report. Income $ 266.70
after expenses $ 215.67 which was donated toward the publication
of C.P.N. Also a list of seed donors was published with the approximate
numbers of packets that were donated. By Vol. 10 No. 1 the financial
disclosure of society income due to the seed bank had disappeared from
the C.P.N. In Vol. 18 No. 1 Gordon Snelling began assisting Patrick
with monthly updates to the seed list for a S.A.S.E. because the in
rush of seed and then seed orders around the time of the publication
of the C.P.N. had become a burden. Patricks resignation was announced
in Vol. 19 No. 1 & 2 after serving the I.C.P.S. for 19.5 years and
Gordon Snelling took over his duties. At this time the price per pack
was raised to $ 1.00 each, a very good price compared to the local
garden stores price for a pack of posies. Gordon served us until
just last year when Tom took over.
> Tom has mentioned to me that he doesn't have the
> facilities to test the seed he receives and that there are no
> refunds or replacements for seed that doesn't germinate. To me
> there's something not quite right about that.
No guarantees have ever been given to my knowledge except that the
trusted servant in charge of this job will do the best he can. I would
like to be able to offer finincial information to you that is current
but at this time I still have not recieved any my self.
Thanks!
Kevin Snively
ksnive@pstbbs.com
Secretary/Treasurer I.C.P.S.