On Thu, 1 May 2003 09:57:46 -0400, "Ted Byers"
wrote:



That's OK. The required genetic material will still be there, and if a seed
producer can produce seed for a given cultivar with specified properties, so
can I. It is just a matter of study, breeding and patience. I expect to
begin breeding phalaenopsis orchids within the next year (depending on when
I can get suitable breeding stock), and so I expect I will see results from
breeding experiements with tomatos much earlier than I would with tomatos.
While one purpose of this is to supply our table with tomatos, another,
perhaps more important purpose, is to learn something. I am a scientist and
in order to maintain my sanity, I must be studying something.


If you start hybridizing plants, you'll have several
lifetimes worth of learning! You'll never run out of
something to study. Maybe you could even 'invent' a
superior new vegetable (such as sugar snap peas).

May I suggest a book called 'Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and
Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners' by Suzanne
Ashworth?

I haven't read this book myself yet, I'm having the library
get it for me on inter-library loan. If it's as useful as
people have said it is, I may buy it.

Amazon carries it, and has reviews and excerpts.

Pat