Re: Plant Sales

[Neil Frank <nfrank@mindspring.com>]

>From: krombhol@teclink.net (Paul Krombholz)
>Subject: Re: Current problems and plant sales
>I seem to have missed out on the plan for how AGA was going to get in the
>business of selling hard-to-get plants.

The idea was first proposed March of 1998. It occurred around the same time
that the MC was formed ... so it may not have made it into our internet
discussions....It was also around the time that our good intentions of
having a recording secretary did not materialize. I believe it is a good
idea...I got someone to volunteer but it fell thru, due to lack of
followup. The original full proposal will follow in the next message.
>
>If we were to be in the buisness of making available for members
>hard-to-get plants, we would have to have a reliable source, ourselves.
>That means a number of members willing to cultivate them and yank them out
>of their tanks at any time.  We can rule out our depending on a commercial
>supplier, because, if the commercial supplier has these plants reliably,
>who needs us to be the middle man?

Although AGAers could be the suppliers (and perhaps only suppliers) of some
unusual plants, there are so many available commercially that are virtually
unknown to the typical hobbyist.

The largest grower in the US -Florida Aquatic Nurseries (FAN)- produces
over 200 aquarium plants and has access to many more... including rare
crypts. On the contrary, most wholesalers and retail shops only order a few
species. Therefore most unusual and rare plants we see in books appear to
be unavailable. IMHO, the problem is poor communication among the hobbyist,
retail shops, wholesales and growers. AGA can help by getting these plants
in the hands of the specialized hobbyists (AGAers) who in turn will spread
the word. [we also must recognize that this program may benefit the US
members the most, since CANADA and other countries have access to more
plants. However, there WILL be plants that this program can provide
internationally -- together with proper certificates which will NOT be easy
- but I would like to keep this as a followup activity]

 >Some plants, such as stem plants can be easily cut and mailed without
>disturbing the rest.  Others, expeciallly crypts should not be disturbed
>for long periods of time, and when you do disturb them, you have to replant
>them all, and usually have a period of melt down before they get going
>again.
>
>

Shipment and translocation and certainly uprooting of certain plants is
definitely a problem...  This is one reason that hobbyists do not like to
part with some of their crypts. This is also a problem with importation.
When the plants arrive, they look like crap and people don't buy them.  FAN
said that they would be willing to import certain stuff for AGA
"resale"/distribution (even in small quanitities) and recognizing that
imports arrive in mushy condition or only as rhizomes, they would be
willing to grow them out so they have leaves or are in better condition for
us to distribute. We are not talking about competing with retail shops. I
would like the numbers to be kept small and species limited to those that
are "unavailable." 

If getting us incorporated is the only way to do this (and I don't know if
it is), then I say let's make it happen. Distributing rare and unusual
plants by AGA can make a significant contribution to the aquatic plant
hobby. It can hopefully put these plants in a large number of tanks; some
people will share information about cultivation methods. This will
encourage FAN to increase cultivation of certain plants and eventually the
retail shops will demand more interesting and a larger variety of species.

We have a volunteer (David Lass) to make this happen and I would hate to
loose the opportunity again.