A different Valentine's Gift!

[Maggi Young]

Mercy!  The galanthophiles are a finnicky bunch! There : I've moved those posts here. 

[Martin Baxendale]

The contagion has been stopped 

[Gerry Webster]

Aren't you generalising there a little Gerry, and maybe been a little unfair? Isn't what they teach history? They must surely have had an interest in their given scientific subject and the history that goes with it.

I wrote 'most' not 'all'.

In the most literal sense, yes, but  in the  life sciences it is usually relatively recent history.

I certainly don't blame the younger ones. In academic science today there is no money, promotion or recognition to be gained from a knowledge of, or interest in,  the history of one's subject. Nor does it contribute to  one's ability to do good research. A trivial example - a few years ago one of my students was severely criticised by his examiner - a distinguished FRS - for including in his thesis (at my suggestion) a brief account of the history of his topic. Fortunately for him, this student subsequently forgot all about history & went on to have a successful career in academic research.   

[Jo]

I stopped keeping fish for that very reason. My fish were going missing and I didn't know where to. Thought it was either cats or someone was taking them. Then one night I got up in the very early hours of the morning to use the toilet when it was still pitch black and noticed the back security light was on. When I looked out there was a heron in the pond helping itself to my prize fish! Gutted. It was a good Friday mind. And if people tell you that herons needs a good run to take off don't believe them, they can take off like a harrier jet!

I would have thought a ' gutted' fish was a prime target for being eaten 

[Giles]

Tom was on the radio talking about the snowdrop yesterday:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=midweek

[brianw]

We now know what the winning biders motive for buying is. I wonder about the many losers motives. Often the last minute or so shows frantic biding, automatic or otherwise. This one reached a limit apparently.
It is quiet annoying when you get outbid in the last few seconds and you really want what is being auctioned. I lost a wrongly identified victorian painting of the road junction in front of my house in the last 5 seconds of bidding. Not checked out all the neighbours yet to see who bought it.

[Tim Harberd]

Hi Brian,
   I too wonder about the other stories that ‘fell’ along the way. At least one other person thought an un-named snowdrop bulb was worth over a thousand pounds!
   Tom has certainly found an interesting way of giving his new cultivars a back story.. I wonder what next Valentines Day will bring! We might not even have to wait that long!!.....   Anyone got an un-named Christmas flowering bulb?

Tim DH

[Maggi Young]

The  idea of buying the right to name a plant is not new - in the rose world this has been a feature for decades - and around forty years ago the minimum rate was about 5 thousand pounds.
That's a lot of money!
I do not know what the current situation  for this.

There have always been a large number of new roses coming on the market and it seems people were not slow to cotton on to the chance to buy the chance to name one for a special person.

[Alan_b]

Do you know any examples of 'sponsored' rose names, Maggi?  I am curious to know if any stood the test of time and are still available.

[Maggi Young]

No idea Alan. I only know the practice existed from rose growing family connections.  I do know that generally speaking the "life" of a rose variety tends to be be pretty short.  The number of names  lasting through the years and remaining  in commerce is  small compared to  the number "released" each year. Any study of old catalogues would show that, I'm sure.

[Martin Baxendale]

There was  a period, mainly from the middle of the last century on, when new plant varieties, especially shrubs, were being named (paid for obviously) after big commercial brands - e.g. the deciduous azalea 'Persil'.

Rhododendron 'Persil' being , of course, a brilliant white.

[Martin Baxendale]

Still widely available.

[Maggi Young]

Still widely available.

One that has washed its face economically then? 

[johnw]

There was  a period, mainly from the middle of the last century on, when new plant varieties, especially shrubs, were being named (paid for obviously) after big commercial brands - e.g. the deciduous azalea 'Persil'. Rhododendron 'Persil' being , of course, a brilliant white.

Martin  - I had forgotten about Persil, it routinely appeared on the winner's table here back in the 70's and 80's.  A fine azalea it is.

johnw

[johnralphcarpenter]

So it's not named after the French for parsley?