"Aaron Hicks" wrote in message
...
Bill is definitely one of the experts when it comes to species.
And, yes- it is harrowing to think that a fellow with his degree of
expertise can't make it.

But let's look at the economics of it all. A major grower (more
properly, an importer) in California related the expenses involved to our
orchid society a couple of years back. Plants grown on a massive scale for
export in Taiwan, Thailand, China, etc. are shipped to the United States,
grown for a few months, packed up in boxes and delivered to big box stores
for sale. The genera represented are vastly different from those twenty
years ago, primarily selected for ease of propagation (odontoglossum
intergenetics are popular), ease of culture, and turnaround time
(phalaenopsis hybrids).

These are grown in countries where the work is frequently
subsidized by government grants in massive greenhouses built at least in
part with public funds. The lab work is performed by individuals earning
$3 a day. Cutting-edge phal hybrids were available on the streets for
about as much as typical hybrids sell for here- the difference being, of
course, that $25 for a laborer there is more than a week's salary.

Meanwhile, veritable institutions such as Stewart's, Jones and
Scully, Beall's... shutter their doors and pass into oblivion. Of course,
J&S predates the current mess, and involves a hurricane and Benomyl, but
I'm just sayin'. I'm sure other growers here can name more big names that
don't come to mind just right now.

I mean, have no pity on domestic orchid growers, please. But when
you're unable to find any flasking labs to process your capsules, and the
biggest selection consists of the same 3 junk hybrids at "Home Depot," and
the new "gotta have it" species is unavailable except as legally
questionable
two-leafs with no roots- well, hey. You get what you pay for.

The email address in the header doesn't work. Same as most of the
old-time orchid growers.

Cheers,

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

And actually you may not get what you pay for. Pat Brennan discussed the
'pay on scan' method of payment that the big box stores use for paying for
any item, plants included. If after 1 year the dead plant is returned, the
vendor gets that dinged from their sales...so they get hit from both sides,
too. Maybe that's the ultimate revenge to Taiwanese taking over the
world...buy 'em, kill 'em and return 'em.

K Barrett