My December issue of 'Veldt and Flora'* arrived yesterday, together
with the catalogue of free seed. I always like to get my selection
sent off as soon as possible to avoid disappointment, so it went in
the post today.

But when I got to reading the Journal, I was dismayed to see that
they're discontinuing free seed distribution to overseas members as of
January 1st 2005 ('Going to Seed', p. 131), so I'm already too late. I
am very disappointed. The seed catalogue is something I really look
forward to, usually having drawn up a short-list of seeds to look for,
over the year.

The reason they give, is to reduce the chance of invasive South
African species getting established elsewhere in the world and
damaging local ecosystems, and knowing that they won't be the ones
responsible if it does. Granted, the Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus
edulis) is an invasive menace on the cliffs here in Cornwall, and also
in California so they say. But they've been there for decades,
centuries even. And the Bot.Soc. have been distributing seed for
almost as long. It seems unlikely that anything invasive will get out
that hasn't already done so. Talk about closing the stable door after
the horse has bolted. And anyway, SA seed can be purchased from a
number of suppliers in SA, let alone here. It sounds all a bit PC to
me.

I've always regarded the seed distribution as the icing on the cake.
If I can't have icing, I don't think I'll be buying the cake.

(Rant over!)


*Journal of the SA Bot.Soc.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net