Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS Bulletins. People
bring them to the society meetings all the time but I never really thought
I'd read old magazines. What a blast!

The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues (1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses. You actually had to write a
letter or call people to order something. We take this for granted today.
I seldom read an ad today that doesn't have a reference to the web to see
more about the product.

The second thing that I noticed was how many vendors that no longer are in
business 30 years later. I guess people retire and their business just
fades away from memory. I'm sure there is an interesting story behind each
one of these advertizers that are no longer around. I only recognize about
10% of the companies that advertised. I have a stack from 1962 that I'm
sure are going to even worse for this.

It seems that more species were sold in 1974 than are advertized today. My
speculation is that 30 years ago duplication of plants was by division, so
awarded plants were just not available like today. The hybrids that were
available aren't varieties that I recognize. There seems to be a big
demand for cymbidiums which you seldom see advertized today.

Prices are interesting, too. It seems funny to see plants for $2 each and
some awarded ones for hundreds of dollars.

The articles seem to be focused more on problems and culture. I'm finding
them interesting and fun to read. Wouldn't it be nice if someone compiled a
"Best of AOS Bulletin" book comprised of the best articles of the past 50
years? I'd buy it.

If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up and
take a look. They do make fun reading.

Gene Schurg wrote:

Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS Bulletins..........
The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues (1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses...............
The second thing that I noticed was how many vendors that no longer are in
business 30 years later.................
...................It seems funny to see plants for $2 each and
some awarded ones for hundreds of dollars.
.............
If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up and
take a look. They do make fun reading.


I started getting the AOS Bulletins in 1976. I was finally out of
college and had a job so I could afford to join the AOS and be
tempted by the ads. I still have every one of them stored away. It
seemed like a good idea at first but now I'm not so sure. When I
moved into this house in 1980, they fit nicely in a medium sized
box. When/if I move again, I don't think they will be coming with me.
I still own some of those $2 plants, mostly from vendors that are
long gone. (maybe they should have charged a little more??) I loved
the good ol' Beall Company. They had some nice plants that were in
my price range at the time. Three Cymbidiums from them still going
strong and several others.

Steve

One of the companies of note that advertised back then was Jones & Scully.
I used to love poring through their catalog.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Steve" wrote in message
...


Gene Schurg wrote:

Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS
Bulletins..........
The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues
(1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses...............
The second thing that I noticed was how many vendors that no longer are
in
business 30 years later.................
...................It seems funny to see plants for $2 each and
some awarded ones for hundreds of dollars.
.............
If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up
and
take a look. They do make fun reading.


I started getting the AOS Bulletins in 1976. I was finally out of
college and had a job so I could afford to join the AOS and be
tempted by the ads. I still have every one of them stored away. It
seemed like a good idea at first but now I'm not so sure. When I
moved into this house in 1980, they fit nicely in a medium sized
box. When/if I move again, I don't think they will be coming with me.
I still own some of those $2 plants, mostly from vendors that are
long gone. (maybe they should have charged a little more??) I loved
the good ol' Beall Company. They had some nice plants that were in
my price range at the time. Three Cymbidiums from them still going
strong and several others.

Steve

One of the companies of note that advertised back then was Jones & Scully.
I used to love poring through their catalog.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Steve" wrote in message
...


Gene Schurg wrote:

Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS
Bulletins..........
The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues
(1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses...............
The second thing that I noticed was how many vendors that no longer are
in
business 30 years later.................
...................It seems funny to see plants for $2 each and
some awarded ones for hundreds of dollars.
.............
If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up
and
take a look. They do make fun reading.


I started getting the AOS Bulletins in 1976. I was finally out of
college and had a job so I could afford to join the AOS and be
tempted by the ads. I still have every one of them stored away. It
seemed like a good idea at first but now I'm not so sure. When I
moved into this house in 1980, they fit nicely in a medium sized
box. When/if I move again, I don't think they will be coming with me.
I still own some of those $2 plants, mostly from vendors that are
long gone. (maybe they should have charged a little more??) I loved
the good ol' Beall Company. They had some nice plants that were in
my price range at the time. Three Cymbidiums from them still going
strong and several others.

Steve

The second thing that I noticed was how many vendors that no longer are in
business 30 years later.

We were one of those vendors who advertised in both the AOS Bulletin and Orchid
Digest in the 80's. When we first started the commercial end of the business we
had an active paph hybridizing program with about 25 crosses using mostly
multi-flowering species or primary hybrids.

Unfortunately we made a poor business decision and abandoned our breeding
program and concentrated on importing asian species and buying plants from
wholesale sources.

Back then it took a long time to get a business established and when it seemed
that we were finally making progress my partner disagreed on the direction we
should take and the business was closed down.

The house where our greenhouse was located was sold after my partner's father
died. The greenhouse is now gone without a trace. The only thing left is the
small storage shed and the work room we built.

The name of the company was "Crystal Orchids" and it was located in
Harleysville Pa.

The second thing that I noticed was how many vendors that no longer are in
business 30 years later.

We were one of those vendors who advertised in both the AOS Bulletin and Orchid
Digest in the 80's. When we first started the commercial end of the business we
had an active paph hybridizing program with about 25 crosses using mostly
multi-flowering species or primary hybrids.

Unfortunately we made a poor business decision and abandoned our breeding
program and concentrated on importing asian species and buying plants from
wholesale sources.

Back then it took a long time to get a business established and when it seemed
that we were finally making progress my partner disagreed on the direction we
should take and the business was closed down.

The house where our greenhouse was located was sold after my partner's father
died. The greenhouse is now gone without a trace. The only thing left is the
small storage shed and the work room we built.

The name of the company was "Crystal Orchids" and it was located in
Harleysville Pa.

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 03:06:38 GMT, "Gene Schurg"
wrote:

The second thing that I noticed was how many vendors that no longer are in
business 30 years later. I guess people retire and their business just
fades away from memory.

A number of growers were severely impacted by the Benomyl problem that
occurred about 25 yrs ago. I think Jones and Scully fell in this
group. As Ray noted, they had great catalogs. Also hurricane Andrew
was hard on Florida growers.

deg

Ah, Jones and Scully. I only ever got to visit them once, in '85.
Wonderful people, very nice. I remember buying a nice Bro. sanguinea alba,
which were all the rage back then, and an alba Encyclia tampense- a very
large one.

It must have been 1992, as my then-girlfriend was very
unsympathetic, when I saw the owners on CNN, having been wiped out by the
hurricane. I don't know what impact the Benomyl had, but the storm must
have did them in. I seem to recall some rumors about a large propane
heating tank coming unsecured, and crushing a lot of stuff. I also seem to
remember some rumors about the Benomyl settlement coming in, so they quit
after that.

I also miss Beall's, like Gene expressed. They sure did have some
nice phals. One problem was that the "bonus plant" with orders was always
some cool-growing species that expired horribly some months after it
arrived, even in Pennsylvania.

The company that got me started in 1982- Jungle Gems- used to
advertise all the time in the AOS Bulletin. At that time, they had been
open 11 years, if I recall correctly. The last time I visited must have
been in the late 1980's, maybe the very early 1990's, and Dr. Williamson
moved on to other things shortly afterwards. Later, in a communication, he
noted that JG's had never made a profit, but the deficit was not a large
one, and he said that several students had made it through college on
their wages. He was nearing- if not in- retirement from the NIH by that
point in time; I think the entire lab was just because he liked orchids so
much. I understand what was the lab is now a pizza place.

Ah, the good old days. :-)

No e-mail to the address in the header. It's a spam trap.

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS Bulletins. People
bring them to the society meetings all the time but I never really thought
I'd read old magazines. What a blast!

The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues
(1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses. You actually had to write
a
letter or call people to order something. We take this for granted today.
I seldom read an ad today that doesn't have a reference to the web to see
more about the product.



I picked up a bunch of old magazines called 'The Paphiopedilum World'
published in Southern California, but with a world wide distribution. It
went out of business in the late 70s. I too was struck not only by the need
to phone or write to everyone for information, but that THEY WROTE BACK!
What a concept! Also there were several articles about how people traded
paphs across international borders with aplomb, CITES had either just been
enacted or was about to be enacted. Made me very jealous.




It seems that more species were sold in 1974 than are advertized today.

I noticed the same thing, but even in the short time I've been growing
orchids. Used to be I'd look at the ads in the back of the mag and I had no
idea what these species names were! I had to look up each and everyone.
Now there are almost *no* species vendors. Just Countryside, and Andy's.


My
speculation is that 30 years ago duplication of plants was by division, so
awarded plants were just not available like today.

Very true. Flasking happened in the mid 50s, no? Mericloning even later.

The articles seem to be focused more on problems and culture. I'm finding
them interesting and fun to read. Wouldn't it be nice if someone compiled
a
"Best of AOS Bulletin" book comprised of the best articles of the past 50
years? I'd buy it.


That was one of the intents for the web page, making a 'Best Of' section.
Whether it was to be a Members Only section of what. They never got too far
along that discussion.



If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up
and
take a look. They do make fun reading.


I agree. They are a great learning tool.

K Barrett

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS Bulletins. People
bring them to the society meetings all the time but I never really thought
I'd read old magazines. What a blast!

The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues
(1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses. You actually had to write
a
letter or call people to order something. We take this for granted today.
I seldom read an ad today that doesn't have a reference to the web to see
more about the product.



I picked up a bunch of old magazines called 'The Paphiopedilum World'
published in Southern California, but with a world wide distribution. It
went out of business in the late 70s. I too was struck not only by the need
to phone or write to everyone for information, but that THEY WROTE BACK!
What a concept! Also there were several articles about how people traded
paphs across international borders with aplomb, CITES had either just been
enacted or was about to be enacted. Made me very jealous.




It seems that more species were sold in 1974 than are advertized today.

I noticed the same thing, but even in the short time I've been growing
orchids. Used to be I'd look at the ads in the back of the mag and I had no
idea what these species names were! I had to look up each and everyone.
Now there are almost *no* species vendors. Just Countryside, and Andy's.


My
speculation is that 30 years ago duplication of plants was by division, so
awarded plants were just not available like today.

Very true. Flasking happened in the mid 50s, no? Mericloning even later.

The articles seem to be focused more on problems and culture. I'm finding
them interesting and fun to read. Wouldn't it be nice if someone compiled
a
"Best of AOS Bulletin" book comprised of the best articles of the past 50
years? I'd buy it.


That was one of the intents for the web page, making a 'Best Of' section.
Whether it was to be a Members Only section of what. They never got too far
along that discussion.



If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up
and
take a look. They do make fun reading.


I agree. They are a great learning tool.

K Barrett

Give them to a local AOS Student.

K Barrett

"Steve" wrote in message
...

I started getting the AOS Bulletins in 1976. I was finally out of
college and had a job so I could afford to join the AOS and be
tempted by the ads. I still have every one of them stored away. It
seemed like a good idea at first but now I'm not so sure. When I
moved into this house in 1980, they fit nicely in a medium sized
box. When/if I move again, I don't think they will be coming with me.

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS Bulletins. People
bring them to the society meetings all the time but I never really thought
I'd read old magazines. What a blast!

The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues
(1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses. You actually had to write
a
letter or call people to order something. We take this for granted today.
I seldom read an ad today that doesn't have a reference to the web to see
more about the product.



I picked up a bunch of old magazines called 'The Paphiopedilum World'
published in Southern California, but with a world wide distribution. It
went out of business in the late 70s. I too was struck not only by the need
to phone or write to everyone for information, but that THEY WROTE BACK!
What a concept! Also there were several articles about how people traded
paphs across international borders with aplomb, CITES had either just been
enacted or was about to be enacted. Made me very jealous.




It seems that more species were sold in 1974 than are advertized today.

I noticed the same thing, but even in the short time I've been growing
orchids. Used to be I'd look at the ads in the back of the mag and I had no
idea what these species names were! I had to look up each and everyone.
Now there are almost *no* species vendors. Just Countryside, and Andy's.


My
speculation is that 30 years ago duplication of plants was by division, so
awarded plants were just not available like today.

Very true. Flasking happened in the mid 50s, no? Mericloning even later.

The articles seem to be focused more on problems and culture. I'm finding
them interesting and fun to read. Wouldn't it be nice if someone compiled
a
"Best of AOS Bulletin" book comprised of the best articles of the past 50
years? I'd buy it.


That was one of the intents for the web page, making a 'Best Of' section.
Whether it was to be a Members Only section of what. They never got too far
along that discussion.



If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up
and
take a look. They do make fun reading.


I agree. They are a great learning tool.

K Barrett

Give them to a local AOS Student.

K Barrett

"Steve" wrote in message
...

I started getting the AOS Bulletins in 1976. I was finally out of
college and had a job so I could afford to join the AOS and be
tempted by the ads. I still have every one of them stored away. It
seemed like a good idea at first but now I'm not so sure. When I
moved into this house in 1980, they fit nicely in a medium sized
box. When/if I move again, I don't think they will be coming with me.

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
link.net...
Yesterday I picked up a bunch of old copies of the AOS Bulletins. People
bring them to the society meetings all the time but I never really thought
I'd read old magazines. What a blast!

The first think that jumped out when I was reading 30 year old issues
(1974)
was there was no web sites or email addresses. You actually had to write
a
letter or call people to order something. We take this for granted today.
I seldom read an ad today that doesn't have a reference to the web to see
more about the product.



I picked up a bunch of old magazines called 'The Paphiopedilum World'
published in Southern California, but with a world wide distribution. It
went out of business in the late 70s. I too was struck not only by the need
to phone or write to everyone for information, but that THEY WROTE BACK!
What a concept! Also there were several articles about how people traded
paphs across international borders with aplomb, CITES had either just been
enacted or was about to be enacted. Made me very jealous.




It seems that more species were sold in 1974 than are advertized today.

I noticed the same thing, but even in the short time I've been growing
orchids. Used to be I'd look at the ads in the back of the mag and I had no
idea what these species names were! I had to look up each and everyone.
Now there are almost *no* species vendors. Just Countryside, and Andy's.


My
speculation is that 30 years ago duplication of plants was by division, so
awarded plants were just not available like today.

Very true. Flasking happened in the mid 50s, no? Mericloning even later.

The articles seem to be focused more on problems and culture. I'm finding
them interesting and fun to read. Wouldn't it be nice if someone compiled
a
"Best of AOS Bulletin" book comprised of the best articles of the past 50
years? I'd buy it.


That was one of the intents for the web page, making a 'Best Of' section.
Whether it was to be a Members Only section of what. They never got too far
along that discussion.



If you get a chance to get some old copies of the magazine pick them up
and
take a look. They do make fun reading.


I agree. They are a great learning tool.

K Barrett

Give them to a local AOS Student.

K Barrett

"Steve" wrote in message
...

I started getting the AOS Bulletins in 1976. I was finally out of
college and had a job so I could afford to join the AOS and be
tempted by the ads. I still have every one of them stored away. It
seemed like a good idea at first but now I'm not so sure. When I
moved into this house in 1980, they fit nicely in a medium sized
box. When/if I move again, I don't think they will be coming with me.