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Granny · April 4, 2007

A couple of names to remember:

Gregor Johann Mendel - father of genetics
Luther Burbank - who created:
Fruits

113 plums and prunes
35 fruiting cacti
16 blackberries
13 raspberries
11 quinces
11 plumcots
Ten cherries
Ten strawberries
Ten apples
Eight peaches
Six chestnuts
Five nectarines
Four grapes
Four pears
Three walnuts
Two figs
One almond

Russet Burbank potatoes

Grains, grasses, forage

Nine types

Vegetables

26 types

Ornamentals

91 types

Mendel was a monk. Burbank had only an 8th grade education. Neither of them would have remotely "qualified" for this USDA program.

And Soilsniffer, the United States Department of Agriculture is absolutely intended for Mr. & Mrs. Backyard Gardener. That is why they sponsor the 4H program, the Extension Service and a number of other programs.

As a matter of fact, I suspect that if push comes to shove and somebody really wanted to push the issue, those seeds belong to ALL of us. The USDA certainly can say they are not for sale - they are, after all, public property. If you really wanted to push the issue though, they cannot require a PhD and a research grant.

April 4, 2007	#17
Granny Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 507	A couple of names to remember: Gregor Johann Mendel - father of genetics Luther Burbank - who created: Fruits 113 plums and prunes 35 fruiting cacti 16 blackberries 13 raspberries 11 quinces 11 plumcots Ten cherries Ten strawberries Ten apples Eight peaches Six chestnuts Five nectarines Four grapes Four pears Three walnuts Two figs One almond Russet Burbank potatoes Grains, grasses, forage Nine types Vegetables 26 types Ornamentals 91 types Mendel was a monk. Burbank had only an 8th grade education. Neither of them would have remotely "qualified" for this USDA program. And Soilsniffer, the United States Department of Agriculture is absolutely intended for Mr. & Mrs. Backyard Gardener. That is why they sponsor the 4H program, the Extension Service and a number of other programs. As a matter of fact, I suspect that if push comes to shove and somebody really wanted to push the issue, those seeds belong to ALL of us. The USDA certainly can say they are not for sale - they are, after all, public property. If you really wanted to push the issue though, they cannot require a PhD and a research grant.