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CO 2 ^ ^ os .. <^y ^ ^ . m NVIN0SHillAIS^S3 I 8VH 8 Il’^LI B RAR I ES^ SMITHSON IAN INSTITUTION NOliniliSNI NVINOSHillAIS V z r* z r~ 2 _ r- > o >v r: ycr5a>v^ O m O m x^ost^^ ^ m >^os*^ ^ rn SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION^NOliniliSNI^NVINOSHimS^ S3 I 8 V8 8 IT '"lI B R AR I ES SMITHSONIAf ^., _ ^ z\ CO z 2 NVIN0SHilWs‘^S3 1 HVB 8 H^LI B RAR I ES*^SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NOIinillSNI_NVINOSHillflll <0 _ X c/> . = 2 2 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NOliniliSNl NVIN0SHilWs‘^S3 I 8 VM 8 ll^LI B R AR I ES^SMITHSONIAh > ^ _ to _ — to = _ to o; -H r /ffirffwA -t A-itfros < a: m f r ■ ’i S (■, i': i Strictly Business — Your Business INFORMATION FOR CONDUCTING BUSINESS WITH YOUR SOCIETY TO ENSURE GOOD SERVICE. IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE ITEM, SEND EACH ITEM TO THE CORRECT PERSON. ALWAYS GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. MEMBERSHIP Send check payable to AVSA for new or renewable membership to AVSA Office, P. O. Box 3609, Beaiimont, TX 77704 - phone 409-839- 4725. Life - $200; Commercial USA - $25, Commercial International - $27; Individual- $15.00, USA only. All other countries $17.00. Remit in U.S. Dollars with draft or check on a New York, USA Bank. See Membership Application on page 1. AFFILIATES: Chapter - $15.00; Council, State or Region - $30. Please complete the form received with your renewal notice and return to AVSA office with affiliate dues check.. MEMBERSHIP AND PROMOTION: Send ideas, offers to help, requests for assistance to Anne Tinari, 2325 Valley Rd., Box 190, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006. AFFILIATES: For information on shows, awards, how to organize a chapter or membership questions, write Irene Merrell, W 283 Hillendale Dr., Oconomowoc, WI 53066. AVSA OFFICE: Nancy Lawrence, Office Manager, P. O. Box 3609, Beaumont, TX 77704, 409-839-4725; FAX 409-839-4329. Hours: Mon¬ day - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. CST. BEST VARIETIES: HONOR ROLL COMPILER: Royd Lawson, 1100 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91006. LIBRARY: Order AVSA slide programs and packets from AVSA Office, P. O. Box 3609, Beaumont, TX 77704. List in July issue. If you have ideas for a library program or slides to donate, write Ralph Breden, 127 Via Los Altos, Redondo Beach, C A 90277. MAGAZINE: Copyrighted 1992, The African Violet Society of America, Inc, all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All articles are property of AVSA and must notbe reprinted without editor's per¬ mission. EDITOR: Jane Birge, P. O. Box 1401, Beatimont, TX 77704, Office, 409-835-6008; FAX 409-^9-4329. ARTICLES by Members & Columnists: Send to Editor. COMING EVENT NOHCES: Send to Editor. *Please Note: Deadlines - Articles, Columnists & Com¬ ing Events: Jan. issue - Oct. 1; Mar. issue - Dec. 1; May issue - Feb. 1; July issue - Apr. 1; Sept, issue - June 1; Nov. issue - Aug. 1. _ ADVERTISING MANAGER: Advertising rates & copy info: Meredith Hall, 922 E. 14th St., Houston, TX 77009, 713-869-0102. BINDERS FOR AVMs: $14.50 each or 2 for $28.00. SLIP CASE BOXES FOR AVMs: $12.50 each or 2 for $24.00. BOOSTER FUND: Send contributions to Ruth Warren, P. O. Box 3664, Fall River, MA 02722. BOYCE EDENS RESEARCH FUND: Send contributions (club or individual) to Marlene Buck, P. O. Box 38, Oreland, PA 19075. BUILDING FUND: Send contributions to Anne Jantzen, 2725 Ka¬ trina Way, Moimtain View, CA 94040. COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES: David Buttram, P. O. Box 193, Inde¬ pendence, MO 64051. COMMERCIAL SALES & EXHIBITS: For information on convat- tion enfries or sales room, contact J. R. Pittman, 12406 Alexandria, San Antonio, TX 78233. CONVENTION AWARDS: Jan. issue. Send suggestions or contri¬ butions for convention awards to Esther Edwards Wells, 948 Fair Oaks Court, Liberty, MO 64068 by Sept. 1. CONVENTION PROGRAM: Jan. issue. Send special requests for workshop programs; suggest names of interesting speakers to DoDe Whitaker, Convention Director, 2085 Leeward Lane, Merritt Island, FL 32953. If interested in sponsoring a national convention in your area, contact Convention EXrector. FUTURE CONVENTION DATES: Columbus, Ohio - April 20 - 26, 1992; Lancaster, Pennsylvania - April 19-24, 1993; Denver, Colorado - May 23 - 28, 1994; St. Louis, Missouri - May 22-27, 1995; Atlanta, Georgia - May 23-27, 19% CULTURE FOLDERS (postpaid): (Quantity Price per 100 100 to 400 $7.50 500 to 900 $5.50 1000 and over $4.25 SHORT VERSION OF CULTURE FOLDER (postpaid): Quantity Price per 1,000 1,000 to 4,000 $17.50 5,000 to 9,000 $15.00 10,000 and over $14.00 HANDBOOK FOR AFRICAN VIOLET GROWERS, EXHIB¬ ITORS AND JUDGES: You Ccin now order the May 1990 revised pages to insert in 1986 edition for $3.50. If you do not have the 1986 edition, order the revised book for $9.95 (postage paid). JUDGES DUPLICATE CARD: Send self-addressed stamped enve¬ lope to Bill Foster, 3610 Gray Dr., Mesquite, TX 75150. JUDGING SCHOOL: To register a judging school, send request to Elinor Skelton, 3910 Larchwood Rd., Falls Church, VA 22041. ADVERTISING Deadlines: Jan. issue - Nov. 1; Mar. issue - Jan. 1; May issue - Mar. 1; Jiriy issue - May 1; Sept, issue - July 1; Nov. issue - Sept. 1. ONLY currently paid Commer¬ cial Members may advertise. SHOW TALK (Winners) i Send to Darryl Hoover, 912 S. Highland Ave., Fullerton, CA 92632 BACK ISSUES: Complete your set now. Request price list of available issues from ^aumont office. CHANGE OF ADDRESS; Send new address atleast 30 days before it is to take effect, along with old address, to AVSA office. FAILURE TO RECEIVE: Notify AVSA office in Beaumont. QUESHON BOX: Jim Smith, 489 Linwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14209. MASTER VARIETY LIST; Number 5 (1990) $12.95 postpaid. Describes all varieties registered to December 1990 - all recognized species, and non-registered cultivars introduced from July 1983 to December 1 990. MVL is looseleaf and requires BINDER Order both from Beaumont office. MVL BINDER: 3-ring, two pockets, deep burgundy - $6.95 MVL SUPPLEMENTS: will be published in the AVM. Send any correction and/or description of new cultivars with hybridizer's name to Lynn Lombard, Master Variety List Chairman, 1407 Calle Espana, San Dimas, CA 91773. Back supplements (1984 to 1989) available from AVSA Office for $1.50 each. MVL COMPUTER DISKETTES: 1990 MVL - $25.00. Updates (when available) - $25.00. For computer compatibility require¬ ments, please write Beaumont office. MEMBERSHIP CARDS: Sent to Associate Members and New Members, only. Members renewing, receive card on white protec¬ tive cover of AVM. MINIATURE & SEMIMINIATURE VARIETY LIST; Available at AVSA Office, P. O. Box 3609, Beaumont, TX 77704. Price, $4.00 postpaid. SUPPLEMENTS FOR MINI LIST: $1.50 each. OFnCIAL CORRESPONDENCE: AVSA Secretary, Mrs. Janet T. Riemer, 256 Peimington-Harbourton Rd., Pennington, NJ 08534. PLANT REGISTRAHON: Iris Keating, 149 Loretto Court, Qare- mont, CA 91711. RESEARCH: Send suggested projects for scientific research, or names of interested, qualified potential research personnel to Frank Tinari, 2325 Valley Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006. SHOW ENTRY TAGS: 100 - $6.00 ppd. Order from AVSA Office. The African Violet Magazine (ISSN 0002-0265) is published six (6) times a year January, March, May, July, September, November. Second class postage is paid by The African Violet Society of America, Inc., a nonprofit orgaitization, at 2375 North Street, Beaumont, TX 77702 and at ad^tional mailing offices. Subscription $15.00 per year which is included in membership dues. Copyright 1992 The African Violet Society of America, Inc POSTMASTER: Please send change of address form 3579 to African Violet Magazine, P. O. Box 3609, Beaumont, TX 77704. MAGAZINE c^lrican^^lclet VoL 45 Number 1 January /February 1992 Every attempt is made to keep articles technically correct. Since the growing of fine African violets can be achieved in many ways, the methods and opinions expressed by writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of AVSA. ON THE COVER — The Alps, (Japanese), best in class at the 1991 AVSA Convention/Show in Santa Clara, CA, grown by Barbara Elkin, Auburn, CA. (Cover photo by Ernest Braun, Photographer, San Francisco) TABLE OF CONTENTS REGULAR FEATURES 3. From the President’s Desk - Charles Dollar 4. Newsline: AVSA Office - Nancy Lawrence 5. Jane's Journal - Jane Birge 6. AVSA Booster Fund - Ruth Warren 7. Creating ... with Fredette - Irene Fredette 9. Coming Events 11. Beginners Column - Joyce & Kent Stork 16. Affiliate 'appenings - Lyndall Owens 19. AVSA Building Fund - Anne Jantzen 21 . Boyce Edens Research Fund - Marlene Buck 23. Registration Report - Iris Keating 26. Shows & Judges - Bill Foster 29. Question Box - Jim Smith 32. AVSA Affiliates - Irene Merrell 43. mini-tidbits - Florence Naylor 49. A Family Portrait - Georgene Albrecht PERTAINING TO VIOLETS 14. Humility - Debbie Griffith 18. Send Your Choices - Floyd Lawson 20. A Race ... Mary Gall 44. A Partial Glossary - Pauline Bartholomew 47. African Violets Under Lights - Marie Bums CONVENTION 27. Needed - Your Slides 31. Ground Transportation 36. Room Sharing 36. Tinari Award Supplement: 1. Convention Show Schedule 6. Design Division Reservations 7. Calls for Meetings 7. Registration for fudging School 8. Hotel Reservations 9. Convention Registration 11. Come Join Us 12. Attn: Judges 12. Attn: Judges Clerks 12. Hybridizers = /. R. Pittman 12. Hosts & Hostesses 13. Convention Agenda 37. Convention Tours 41. 1992 Convention Awards SOCIETY BUSINESS 21. Attn: Affiliates - Mildred Schroeder 33. Introducing Your AVSA Nominees ... 51. Proposed Amendments to AVSA Bylaws MISCELLANEOUS 6. In Memory 6. Help Wanted 22. AVSA Emblems, etc. 67. 1991 Cumulative Index - Bob Green Application for yembership Recommended bv: Membership # African Violet Society of America, Inc. P. O. Box 3609, Beaumont, TX 77704 Pate — — Membership runs one year from date paid and includes 6 Issues of the African Violet Magazine. Check ment^ership desired. Individual Membership USA ($15.00) Associate Member USA C$6.75-No magazine) International Membership ($17.00) Name International Associate ($7.75-No magazine) ___Commercial USA ($25.00) Inf.l ($27.00) Address___ _ _ Affiliated Chapter USA ($15.00) Int^l. ($17.00) Affiliated State, Regional and Council ($30.00) - - life ($200.00) Library ($15,00) State _ Dues Enclosed Make checks payable to AVSA Inc. INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: _ ^New Member please remit in US$ with a draft or check on a New York, USA bank _ Zip, .Renewal AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 1 The Official Puhlicathn of The African Vblet Society of America, Inc,, a nonprofit organization OmCERSi A. CHARLES BOLLAR, President ra2030P. O. Box4«09 Cmdnnati, OH 45244 MRS. J. R. PITTMAN, 1st Vice President 12406 Alexandria San Antonio, TX 782® L. T. OZIO, JR., 2nd Vice President 1009 Ditdi Ave. Morgan City, LA 70380 ESTHER EDWARDS WELLS, 3rd Vice President 948 Fair Gate Court, Liberty, MO 64068 MRS, JANET T. RIEMER, Secretaiy 256 Perm.-Harbourton Rd. Pennington, NJ 08534 WYNNE VOORHEES, Treasurer 857 Fillmore Ave. New Orleans, LA 70124 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT MARY BOLAND 6415 Wilcox Court Alexandria, VA 22310 EDITOR EMERITUS MRS. GRACE FOOTE 211 Alien Place, Port Arthur, TX 77642 STAFF JANE BIRGE, Editor P.O. Box 1401, Beaumont, TX 77704 MRS. MEREDITH HALL, Adv. M^. 922 East 14A St., Houston, TX 77009 NANCY LAWRENCE, Office Manager P. O. Box 3609, Beaumont, TX 77704 JANE REXILIUS, Publications Chairman 5©4 Yarwdl, Houston, TX 770% COLUMNISTS: David Butiram, Kent & Joyce Stork, Charles Bolar, Ralph Breden, Anne Jantzen, Irene Meirell, Florence Nay¬ lor, Ruth Warren, Bill Foster, Jim Smith, Nancy Lawrence, Georgene Albrecht, Mar¬ lene Buck, Iris Keating, Irene Fredette. BEST VARIETIES, HONOR ROLL: Floyd Lawson, 1100 W. Huntington ft., Arcadia, CA 91006 TALLY TIME: Anna Jean Landgren, 2450 Iroquois Rd., Wilmette, IL 60091 PUBLISHER: Publishing Today, P. O. Box 1401,Beaumont, TX 77704 A 66. African Queen 55. African Violets by Grace 56. AFs Violets 54. A-MI Violettes 55. American Gloxinia & Gesneriad Society 55. AV Enterprises Press B 66. Bay Valley Violets 65. Big Sky Violets 59. Bowman's African Violets C 64. Cape Cod Violetry 55. Chatter 56. Cobblestone Violets 61. Country Road Violets 55. The Cryptanthus Society F 59. Fischer 58. Floral Design Concepts H 61. Hortense's African Violets 58. Hydro Farm I 61. Indoor Gardening Supplies 65. Innis Violets J 56. JF Industries 56. Jud/s Violets L 63. Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses M 54. Mary's Violet Joy O 55. ttchid Society P 62. Plant Collectibles 59. Planters International 65. Porcelain Jewelry R 57. R & M Marketing 65. Rice's Hybrid Violets 66. Rob's Mini-o-lets S 57. Schultz 58. Shirley's House of Violets 54. Sonja's Violets 56. Sudbuiy T 62. Teas Nursery Back Cover - Tinari Greenhouses 65. Tiny Blossoms Nursery 54. Travis' Violets V 60. The Violet Express Inside Back Cover — The Violet House 65. Violets By Appointment 62. Violets from the Starrs 57. Violets Galore 65. Violets Plus 57. Volkmann Brothers ADVERTISER'S INDEX Trouble with an advertiser? Write your AV Advertising Manager giving complete details. While AVSA cannot assume responsibility for advertisers, we try to help resolve the problem. If an advertiser is found irresponsible, they will be refused future ads. 2 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 From the President’s Desk Dear AVSA Members, The holidays are over and new challenges will be forthcoming for 1992. Without them, life would be very boring. The AVSA board and mysdfwish you all the health and prosperity that the new year can bring. We at AVSA are starting out with a very interesting and exciting year. The exciting part is that we have a new columnist on the breeding of African violets. Most of you are familiar with the name Irene Fredette, a very special woman, and we are fortunate and honored to have her column, "'Creating with Fredette," in our AVM. Along with our own outstanding AVSA national convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Columbus, Ohio, the AmeriFlora '92 will also be available for you to attend. I was there in October and visited the promotional office where they had a large miniature layout of all the locations of the exhibitors. They also have a bus for groups to tour the work in progress. It is going to be gorgeous. The day I was there, they launched a replica of one of the vessels that Columbus sailed in when he discovered America. It was a very fascinating event. AmeriFlora '92 will be a magnificent display and a must if you can possibly attend. Ava and I ended up buying season passes, at senior rates, as it is larger, they say, than Disneyland. Do come early and stay late as your special room rate will remain the same. The executive committee had their mid-term meeting in Beaumont, Texas, taking care of business, as usual, for the betterment of AVSA and to present to the board, the new motions for their approval. IT HAPPENED! We had the dedication of our new AVSA office. As they say in Texas, "Thanks, y'all." If it wasn't for your donations, it would never have been. The dedication was performed by the local Chamber of Commerce and the ribbon cutting ceremony was by the Honorable Beaumont Mayor, Evelyn Lord, an AVSA member, and yours truly. The refreshments were provided and donated by L. T. Ozio, Jr., AV SA Second Vice President, and his wife, Yvonne. Thank you both. Of course, everyone came from far and near to attend— members, past presidents, and, of course, the office personnel and the executive board. All in all, it was a wonderful occasion. Best wishes to all of you. AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 3 NewsUite; AVSA Beaumont Office ^ Nane^Lammtcet, office Manager 1 AmeriFlora '92 and The African Violet Society of America (AVSA) Convention - 1991 Columbus, Ohio The year 1992 marks the l(X)th year since the discovery of the African violet and the 500th year of the discovery of America. A celebration c'est magnifique to honor both discoveries will begin April 20, in Columbus, Ohio. AVSA will celebrate with its 46th annual convention and show, April 20 - April 26. In addition to the opportunity to view more than 1,000 of the most beautiful African violets in the world, participants will see (and be able to buy for the first time in history) the YELLOW Afri¬ can violet. For information on how to attend the convention and show, see the pink pages in this magazine. AmeriFlora '92, the first International Floral and Garden Exhibition ever to occur in the United States, will run from April 20 to October 12. Balconies, bridges and walkways will wind through a floral paradise featuring cut, and potted flowers, tropical and subtropical plants from all over the world. If you don't feel like walking, you can ride a sky train through the gardens. We're talking — a 160-acre Ameri¬ Flora outdoor site. If all of this has not yet titillated your interest, whet your appetite with the thought of exqui¬ site food from all over the world or let the more than 50,000 entertainers lift your spirits or sat¬ isfy your taste for history at the Smithsonian's exhibit on Columbus' voyage. For more infor¬ mation on AmeriFlora '92 call 1-800-BUCKEYE. Come and share this magnificent celebration of the discovery of America, and the African vio¬ let, with us all. WE had a celebration right here in Beaumont, Texas that was very exciting to all who attended — the opening of our national office! The Mayor of Beaumont, the Honorable Eve¬ lyn Lord (a member of AVSA) cut the ribbon along with our President, A. Charles Bollar. All of our Executive Officers attended the opening and the African Violet Society of Beaumont helped to host the ceremonies. Refreshments were provided and elegantly served by our Second Vice President, L. T. Ozio, Jr., and his wife, Yvonne. Mary A. Boland, our Immediate Past Presi¬ dent presented us with a striking, customized AVSA flag, designed by her daughter, An- namarie Mays. We proudly fly the flag over the front door of the office. Incidentally, Mary Bo¬ land and our Treasurer, Wynne Voorhees, de¬ serve a special thank you they were the ones that located the site of our new office, while on a trip to Beaumont. Hortense Pittman, our First Vice President, brought many of her beautiful, prize-winning African violets, which not only enhanced the beauty of our opening, but which also created excitement among the growers who attended. Hortense presented a lovely hybrid to the Mayor, who was ever-so-pleased. Anne Tinari, who is one of the founders of AVSA, and her husband, Frank, presented the office with a plant stand complete with 12 gor¬ geous plants — nine of the recent Concerto Series hybrids and three of the prize-winning White and Pink Cameo hybrids. We are espe¬ cially grateful to Anne Tinari, who is absolutely the greatest promoter of AVSA of all time. Commercials who ship: Very often members and non-members contact the office to ask for names of our commercial members who ship within the USA and internationally. We know of a few, but would like to comprise an accurate list. If you ship, please notify us and give the following information: Name, address and phone number Ship USA Ship International Ship both What countries Sell retail Sell retail & wholesale Sell wholesale only Provide catalog or list At what cost We will give this information to members who request it. 4 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 Jane’s Journal Jane Birge, Editor I wish all of you could have been here in beautiful Beaumonh Texas for the official rib¬ bon cutting for the new permanent home for AVSA. Without all of you, none of this would have been possible. It was great having all of the executive committee here, but we also had special guests such as Cathleen Graves from as far away as Tacoma, Washington! A good rep¬ resentation was here from our neighboring state, Louisiana, and even David Buttram made it all the way from Independence, Missouri. Ron and Ann Miller of Centerville, Ohio, showed up, as well as lots of faithful AVSA members from throughout Texas. It was grand fun, with Mayor Evelyn Lord doing the honors and taking home some violets, and everyone enjoyed the ^'incredible edibles" pro¬ vided by L. T. and Yvonne Ozio. A delightful cable was received from Joan Halford of South Africa wishing us all well. Thank you, Joan. My flag collection is still growing with re¬ cent gifts from Kazuo Horikoshi sending me the beautiful Japanese flag; Mary Gall not let¬ ting the state of Kansas go by unrepresented; David Buttram carrying the flag of Missouri to the dedication ceremonies; and Phyllis Harris and the Sundowners AVS sending the flag from the great state of Louisiana. In the last issue of the AVM, someone asked for a source to purchase Bridal Lace, the plant that was on the cover of the May/June 1991 AVM. Well, I heard from a lot of people telling me where you can purchase the plant — they are: Violets by Appointment, 45 Third Street, West Sayville, NY 1 1796; Bay Valley Violets, P. O. Box 1052, Midland, MI 4864 M 052; Violet Express, 1441 Everett Road, Eagle River, WI 54521; Big Sky Violets, 10678 Schoolhouse Lane, Moiese, MT 59824; Zaca Vista Nursery, 1190 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang, CA 93463; Cape Cod Violetry, 28 Minot St., Falmouth, MA 02540 and Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses, 14 Mutchler St., Dolgeville, NY 13329. I was also informed of an AVID supplier: BFG Supply Co., P. O. Box 479, Burton, OH 44021. Barbara Goodsell sent me an interesting Associated Press article from the Chicago T ribune, that she thought might be of interest to our readers ... it seems "Drug Enforcement Administration agents have been working on 'Operation Green Merchant' and have subpoe¬ naed dozens of garden-supply houses for the names of anyone who has bought so much as a fluorescent lamp or a box of plant food." Appar¬ ently, the growing of marijuana indoors is per¬ ceived as a cottage industry and they are going after it. The agency hopes to use information from garden suppliers to get search warrants against some customers. Garden suppliers are furious. Gold Coast Hydroponics has chal¬ lenged the subpoenas. The case is being heard in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I want you all to look for a special Woman's Day issue to be released this spring, that will focus on plant societies. I recently worked with one of the writers to ensure AVSA would be properly represented. Also, if you live in Texas, look for a recent issue of Texas Gardener, in which Nancy Lawrence, AVSA office manager, helped the writer with information. Happy new year to you all and I hope to see you at the 1992 AVSA Convention/ Show in Columbus, Ohio — I can't wait. AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 5 In Memory EVA LISSETTA YOST 11-10-24 - 8-18-91 Eva died on August 18, 1991, after an ex¬ tended illness. She was a member and past president of Capital City African Violet Club of Sacramento, CA, for four terms (1982, 1983, 1985 & 1986). She was also an AVSA Judge. Eva generously shared her knowledge of violets with new growers and we who knew and loved her will miss her. Ruby Roloff President, Capital City AVS ELIZABETH ''BESS" WEBER Elizabeth "Bess" Weber died in Minneapolis, MN on August 19, 1991, after a short illness. She is survived by her husband, Norman. Her special interests were gardening and music. She was a member of the New York Metropolitan Opera Guild. Her yard reflected her love of flowers. She was a member of AVSA, AVS of Minnesota and the Mrs. Gregg AVC. Bess was a warm and gentle woman. We miss her. Margaret Maresh Secretary, Mrs. Gregg AVC HELP WANTED Help wanted: Your library committee chairman solicits your assistance during our Columbus, Ohio convention. If you have any expertise in photography and would like a preview of the show room before it is officially opened, please con¬ tact Library Committee Chairman, Ralph Breden. Also, if you have a minicam and possess the talent of using it, as well as editing video tape, you will be especially wel¬ comed to participate in a proposed library project. Ralph is waiting to hear from you. He can be reached at 127 Via Los Altos, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, (310-373- 6797). AVSA Booster Fund Ruth Warren P. O. Box 3664 Fall River, MA 02722 The response to the funding for the com¬ puter and printer for the AVSA office has been gratifying. We are now at the $2,000.00 mark and we are very grateful for the excellent efforts from so many of our affiliates, councils, indi¬ viduals and clubs. Our sincere hope is that with the continued support, we will be able to an¬ nounce in the next edition of the AVM that our goal has been reached. You will be able to share in this successful endeavor with your consid¬ eration, contribution and support. Sugarloaf Mountain AVS . . . . . .....10.00 Milwaukee AVS . 10.00 Bluff aty AVC in honor of Charles Phillips . 25.00 AVC of Horida . . . . . . . . . . . ..25.00 High Hopes AVC of South Atlanta . 25.00 Bellflower AVS . . . . . 20.00 AVS of San Francisco . 25.00 Bright Petals AVS . 25.00 AVS of South Bay . . . . . . . 100.00 Alabama AV Judges Council in memory of Vince Vincent . .25.00 Gregory Sedgwick . . ..5.00 North Texas AV Council . 25.00 AVS of Greater KC . . ......15.00 AVS of Yucca VaUey . . . . . . ...25.00 Tampa AVS..... . 50.00 Adelaide Kory in memory of Cecelia Gonnoud . 10.00 Wynne J. Voorhees . . . . . . . . 100.00 Tustana AVS . ........20.00 Don Thornburg . 10.00 Union County Chapter AVS . . . ...25.00 Thimble Islands AVS . 25.00 First AVS of Spartanburg . . . . 15.00 Le Chateau AVC . . 5.00 Ardath Miller . . 10.00 Tara AVC . . . ..25.00 Northwest AVC . 10.00 Chenango AVS.. . . . 10.00 Beaumont AVS in memory of Mary Pigg & Connie Barbay . 20.00 Thousand Islands AVS in lieu of speaker's fee to Lynn Lombard . . ..25.00 Vivian Hiltz in honor of Geneva Cruze . . .20.00 6 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 Since this is my maiden voyage at the helm of this column, this issue will find me cruising along the shore and away from deeper waters until I obtain some navigation charts from you, the readers. What would you like to explore? What are your observations and interests? What have you always wanted to know about plant breeding but were afraid to ask? Your letters will be most welcome. Though it may not be possible to answer each one individually, they certainly will be given every consideration and your questions and comments will be used in this column. The response will not be based solely on my own experience, but also on the input from several good friends who are quite knowledgeable in the area of genetics and plant breeding. Over the years, our own Connecticut Agricul¬ ture Experiment Station has provided invalu¬ able assistance, as has the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and a number of experts from several universities. These people have always been generous in spirit, gracious and willing to ex¬ change ideas or lend a helping hand. To them, I owe a debt of gratitude for enlarging my horizons and challenging my curiosity. Many years of Saintpaulia breeding have taught me that the more one learns, the more there is to learn. The beginner can make a ran¬ dom cross with virtually no knowledge other than the simple mechanics of ^'pollen daubing." However, some knowledge of botanical termi¬ nology is helpful to one who intends to progress beyond that first seed pod or two and, eventu¬ ally, to breed plants with specific goals in mind. There is an abundance of literature on plant breeding, but the reader needs to develop a working vocabulary in order to keep from stumbling over various terms. One must also learn to read critically and separate the wheat from the chaff — i.e., fact from fiction and "old wives' tales" from scientific evidence. Generally speaking, there are two types of plant breeders and the distinction is important. Some hybridize just for the fun of it, while others enjoy the pleasure while keeping in mind the more serious purpose of producing improved and/or different varieties. If you are just beginning to breed plants, try to bear in mind that, whereas your initial cross may pro¬ duce some seedlings which you may find ap¬ pealing, it is not prudent to name all the seed¬ lings or to register them en masse. The ideal situation would be to wait for feedback from all points of the compass and a variety of growers before selecting cultivars to be registered. But, obviously, this is not practical and virtually impossible. In her excellent book. Growing To Show, Pauline Bartholomew remarks: "Protect us from the breeders who, no matter how ordinary or duplicate they may be, register every plant that jumps up from the seedbed." She further explains that too many mediocre cultivars be¬ come listed in perpetuity and eventually will make the Master Variety List the size of a big city directory. In evaluating seedling, be selective, critical, and cautious. It is not suggested that AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 7 your plethora of seedlings be discarded because you feel there is nothing among them which is superior. By all means, share them with friends who may derive pleasure from your unnamed seedlings, but do not give each recipient your permission to name the gift or to register it, because such practices tend to lead to "organ¬ ized chaos" in the violet world. Nor should every chimera that you chance upon be bap¬ tized and registered immediately. Let us as¬ sume that a certain popular cultivar frequently sports into a red and white striped blossom. If 10 individuals purchased this chimera at different times and in different places and each buyer named his or her plant, the result is 10 identical plants with 10 different names. No wonder buyers get confused and even irate — especially if one paid $15 and another picked up an iden¬ tical copy for $1.98 at the supermarket. How can the breeder tell if his seedling is superior? No one can possibly see the tens of thousands of listed cultivars and, thus, no real basis for visual comparison is available. But you certainly don't want to introduce a cultivar which is just like its parent or just like another with which you are familiar. A violet by any other name ... may be just a duplicate. If you are into serious breeding, however, keep in mind that sometimes "different" or "improved" is not easily discernible, but it may be just as important as that huge flower or that new shade of coral. What does "different" really mean? Let us touch first upon the concealed differences which are more subtle in nature than the obvious ones. These hidden differ¬ ences will not bring you accolades but they may be of value to growers and other hybridizers and that knowledge alone should make your efforts worthwhile. Years ago, in pursuit of such less obvious goals, I maintained a "Little Shop of Horrors" — all the way up on the top floor and far removed from the regular growing area. The heat under the roof was intolerable without air condition¬ ing, but what a boon it was when selecting those seedlings which retained their variegation in high temperatures. Working with the most heat-resistant produced a strain with highly variegated foliage which laughed when the mercury soared. Another pleasant surprise was the discovery that this strain grew well with much less chlorophyll than I had thought was essential. Once I was satisfied with this project, the area was cleared and the humidity increased with the change of seasons. New seedlings were brought in to be tested for resis¬ tance to mildew. A search of a storage shed yielded just the companion I needed for the ex¬ perimental plants — a piece of cloth which was mildewed and furry with fungus. Many seed¬ lings shuddered in horror and succumbed, but several did not. Obviously, these were resistant to mildew, since they remained unaffected even after prolonged exposure. Did these hardy ones delight the eye with any breath¬ taking or spectacular "difference?" Certainly not! But to me they were special because they had a certain characteristic which would prove to be an asset in subsequent breeding pro¬ grams. The breeder who knows the back¬ ground of his cultivars has a certain advantage and is better able to reduce the incidence of unpleasant surprises which can emanate from parents of unknown origin. When you work with "invisibles," the results may not seem spectacular, but remember that you may be contributing something of value. And the more such contributions, whether overt or covert, the brighter the future for the plant we all love. And now we come to the end of our brief shore line cruise through shallow waters. On our next voyage, we will examine some specific points of interest to you, so please keep in touch. Attention: Affiliates Show writeups will now come under the heading of “Show Talk.” Please send in¬ formation to: Darryl Hoover 912 S. Highland Ave., Apt. C Fullerton, CA 92632 8 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 Coming Events JANUARY 24 & 25 TEXAS —Magic Knight AVS of San Antonio show/sale, "America the Beautiful," Qrossroads Mall. Open to the public, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., both days. Sandy Sanders, show chair; Shirley Sanders, president. FEBRUARY 1&2 FLORIDA — Mid-Polk AVS show/ sale, "Way to Go - Violets," Winter Haven MaU, Winter Haven, regular mall hours. Free admission, public invited. For information: Vena Griffith, show chair, 813-956-4671 or Betty Lombardi, cochair, 813-967-2795. FEBRUARY 7 - 9 FLORIDA — Upper Pinellas AVS show/sale, "Violets Along the Waterfront," Bay Area Outlet Mall, US 19 & 686, aearwater. Sale, Feb. 7, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Feb. 8, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Show opens 1 p.m., Feb. 9, noon - 5 p.m. Phyllis King, show diair, 398-7450; Mollie Howell, president. FEBRUARY 8 & 9 CALIFORNIA — South Coast AVS show/sale, "Violet Fashions," South Coast Botanic Gar¬ den, Palos Verdes. Feb. 8, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Feb. 9, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Jacquie Eisenhut, show chair, 310-325-2993. FEBRUARY 8 & 9 MISSOURI — The AVC of Greater Kansas Qty"s 41st show, "Violets Salute the Olympics," Loose Park Garden, Center, 5100 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO. Both days, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Pat Richards, show chair; Patty Hart, cochair. FEBRUARY 8 & 9 FLORIDA — Treasure Coast AVS of Ft. Pierce, show/sale, "Raggedy Ann in Wonderland," Garden Center, 911 Parkway Dr. Feb. 8, 10 a.m, - 5 p.m.; Feb. 9, noon - 4 p.m. Public invited, free admission. For more information: Huddy Pailthorp, show chair, 407-461- 8970. FEBRUARY 13 - 16 ILLINOIS — Glenview/North Shore AVS sale, 0"Hare Expo Center, Rosement. Feb. 13, 14, 15, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Feb. 16, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Diere are parking and admission charges. FEBRUARY 22 & 23 LOUISIANA — Rayne AVS' 12th annual show/ sale, "Violet Rayne Beau," St. Joseph Family Center, 406 S. Adams Ave., Rayne. Feb. 22, 1 - 3 p.m.; Feb. 23, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Free admission. FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 1 KANSAS — The Wichita AV Study Qub show sale, "Thirty Years and Still Grow¬ ing," Botanica, 701 N. Amidon, Wichita. Feb. 28, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Mar. 1, 1 - 4 p.m. Free admission. Helen Barret, show chair, 6700 Farmview Lane, Wichita 67206. FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 1 CALIFORNIA — The San Francisco Orchid Society's 40th anniversary show, "Pacific Orchid Exposition," Fort Mason Center, San Frandsco. FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 1 FLORIDA — African Violet Association of Gardeners show/ sale, "Discover¬ ies," Winter Park Mall, 17-92 off Lee Road Exit of 1-4, Winter Park. Plant sales, Feb. 28, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; show/ plant sale, Feb. 29, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Mar. 1, show/plant sale, 12:30 - 5 p.m. Bob Green, show diak, 407-631-1106. FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 1 FLORIDA — Tampa AVS show, "Violets in the Sunshine State," Eastlake Square Mall, 5701 East Hillsborough Ave., Tampa. Feb. 28 & 29, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Mar. 1, noon - 5 p.m. For more information: Joanne Martinez, chair, 809 Taray DeAvila, Tampa (813- 963-7424). Free admission. FEBRUARY 29 & MARCH 1 CALIFORNIA — San Diego Daytime AVS show/sale, "Violet Safari," Balboa Park, Room 101 of the Casa del Prado, San Diego. Free admission. Feb. 29, noon - 5 p.m.; Mar. 1, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Show diairs: Anne Stewart (422-6841) and Beverly Decker (442-7484). MARCH 6 & 7 TEXAS — ■ Spring Branch AVC of Houston's 14th annual show/sale. Fair Haven United Methodist Church, 1330 Gessner (at Long Point). Mar. 6, 2 - 6 p.m.; Mar. 7, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Free admission. Ellen Moskal, show chair. For more information: Judy Carter, 713-492-2034. MARCH 6 & 7 LOUISIANA — - Violets on Die Bayou show/sale. Southland Mall, Houma. Public invited, free admission. Mall hours, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Anaise LeBlanc, show chair, 3525 Hwy. 1, Napoleon ville 70390, 504-369- 7526. MARCH 7 & 8 LOUISIANA — The Baton Rouge AVS show/sale, "Dining with Violets," Merchants Landing Flea Market, 9800 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge. Mar. 7,1-7 p.m.; Mar. 8, 11 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. Free to the public. For more information: Fran Spear, 504-665-3686. MARCH 7 & 8 TEXAS — Corpus Christi AVS' 22nd annual show/sale. Corpus Qiristi Garden Center, 5325 Greely Dr. ^en to the public, no charge. Mar. 7, 1 - 5 p.m.; Mar. 8, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. MARCH 7 & 8 ALABAMA — Capital City AVS show/ sale, "Light up Broadway with Violets," Southern Homes and Gardens, Highway 231 North (Wetumpka Highway) Montgomery. Public invited, free admission and parking. Mar. 7, 2 - 5 p.m.; Mar. 8, 1 - 5 p.m. For more information: Sue Mouring, show chair, 262-1 831 or Doris TiU, president, 264-6509. MARCH 14 & 15 NEW YORK — Sweet Water AVS show/sale, "Violets Around the Oock," West Sayville Fire Department, Montauk Higjiway, West Sayville. Mar. 14, 2 - 5 p.m.; Mar. 15, noon - 5 p.m. Admission: donation. Eileen Montgomery and Denise Monteleone, cochairs. For more information: 516-589-2724. MARCH 18 - 22 TENNESSEE — The Dixie AVS 1992 convention, "Rollin' on the River with Violets," Memphis Airport Hotel (formerly the Memphis Airport Hilton), 2240 Democrat Road, Memphis. Showroom open, Satur¬ day, Mar. 21. Sales room open each day. A judges school and workshops on trailers, desigji, and the Optimara greenhouses will be offered. Host for the convention is the AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 9 Volunteer State AV Council. Additional mformation: Mary Loewer, Council President, 18 Galway St., Wynne, AR 72396, 501-^238^3382. MARCH 20 & 21 FLORIDA — Central Honda AVS show, "A/'iolets are Magic," BeardaU Senior &nter, Orlando. MARCH 20 & 21 NEW JERSEY — Union County Chapter's 38th show/ sale, "Violets in Storybook Lane," All Saints Episcopal Church, 599 Park A¥e,, Scotch Plains. Mar. 20, 6 “ 9 p.m.; Mar. 21, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free admission and parking. Show cochairs: Chris Brenner, 908-254-8520; and Faith Perrin, 201-^5-0529. MARCH 21 & 22 TEXAS — First AiKtin AVS show/ sale, "Amazing Discoveries," Austin Area Garden Center, Zilker Botanical Garden, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., both days. Free admission. For more information: Mary fcall, show chair, 512-453-2732. MARCH 21 & 22 CALIFORNIA -- San Mateo AVS show/sale, Howard Johnson Hotel, 485 Veterans Blvd. (101 Freeway and Whipple), Redwood Qty. Mar. 21, 2 - 6 p.m.; Mar. 22, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free admission, public welcome. For more information: 415-593-2998. MARCH 26 - 28 TEXAS — First AVS of Dallas show/ sale, '“Violet Spring Symphony," Ridiardson ^uare Mall, Plano and Beltlme, Richardson. Sale, Mar. 26, 27, 28; show. Mar. 27 & 28, 10 a.m, - 9 p.m. For more mformation: Grace Davis, 214-278-0389. MARCH 27 & 28 VIRGINIA — Richmond AVS show/ sale, "Rediscover Violets," Azalea Mall, Mar. 27, 2 - 9 p.m.; Mar. 28, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more mformation: 804-222-0947. APRIL 2 - 4 TEXAS Alpha AVS of Dallas show/sale, "Poetry in Bloom," Valley View Mall, 2IM0 Valley View Mall at L.B.J. Sale: Apr. 2,3,4; show, Apr. 3 & 4, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. For more mformation: Grace Davis, 214-278-(B89. APRIL 3 & 4 NEBRASKA Lincoln AVS show/sale, "100 Years of African Violets," East Park Plaza, 66tti and "O" streets, Lincoln. Apr. 3, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Apr. 4, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Ann Sweeney, show chair, 402-476-1316; Kerry Matlgan, cochair, 4ffi-486-17CB; Anna Marie Bretthorst, president. APRIL 3 & 4 NEW JERSEY Bergen County AVS show/sale, "Easter Parade," Old North Reformed Church, Washington and Madison avenues, Dumont. Apr, 3, 3 - 9 p.m. Apr. 4, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Free admission, non-members are invited to enter their violets. Entries are Thurs., Apr. 2, noon - 8 p.m. Show dtair, Lorraine Dwyer; cochair, Barbara Church. APRIL 4 & 5 CALIFORNIA ■— ttange County AVS show/sale, 'Violets Go To The Cats," Buena Park MaU. Apr. 4, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m,; Apr. 5, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. C^en to the public. Dorothy Kosowsky and Ed Hoefer, show cochairs. APRIL 4 & 5 NEW YORK — Long Island AVS' 38th annual show, "Colour our World," RoAville Centre Rec¬ reation & Community Center, 111 Oceanside Road, Rockville Centre. Apr. 4, 2 - 6 p.m.; Apr. 5, noon - 5 p.m. Show cochairs, Dolores O'Sullivan, 246-28 Deepdale Ave., Douglaston 11362, and Betty Raskopf, 3355 Bunker Ave., Wantagh 11793. APRIL 4 & 5 FLORIDA AVS of Pensacola's 16tti annual show/sale, "A Century of African Violets," Bayview Community Center, 19th Ave. and Lloyd St,, Pensacola. Apr. 4, 2 - 7 p.m. Apr. 5, noon - 5 p.m. Free admission. For more mformation: Barbara Goebel, show chair, 433-W05. APRIL 10 - 12 INDIANA — The Indiana State AMon Violet Society 1992 convention /show. Holiday Inn East, comer of 21st St. and Shadeland Ave., IndianapoUs. Reg¬ istration: Apr. 10, 6 - 9 p.m.; Apr. 11,8” 10 a.m. Show hours: Apr. 1 1, 3:30 - 9 p.m.; Apr. 12, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. For mformation and/or registration, contact: Carol or Larry Verrill, 10364 Orchard Park West Drive, Indianapolis 46280, 317-844- 26B. APRIL 11 & 12 CANADA ™ Edmonton AVS show/ sale, 'Violets Through Time and Space," Muttart Conser¬ vatory. For more information: Lil Bowes, show chair, 17321 60 ave, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6M-1E9. APRIL 23 - 26 MISSOURI — The second annual St Louis Flower Show, "The SeCTet Garden," Queeny ^unty Park, St Louis. Four days of display gardens, judged flower arrangements, boutiques, a spedal speaker series, unique social events and educational opportunities for all ages. Sponsored by the Junior Lea^e of St. Louis, all proceeds vrill be used to support community educational and charitable projects. Ticket prices are $7 for adults, © for children. For more iitiormation: 314-997-3407. MAY 2 & 3 WISCONSIN — Oshkosh Violet Sodet/s 12th annual show/sale, center court of Park Plaza Mall, downtown C^hkosh. Free admission, public welcome. May 2, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; May 3, noon - 4:30 p.m. For mformation: Kevin De^er, 414-426-3764. MAY 2 & 3 PENNSYLVANIA — AVS of PhiladelpMa show/sale, "A Century of Violets," Plymouth Meeting Mall, upper level, Germantown Pike and PA Turnpike (Exit 25), Plymouth Meeting. Open to ttie public. May 2, 1 " 9 p.m.; May 3, noon - 4 p.m. Ray Rogers, dtair. For more mformation: 215-836-5467, MAY 2 & 3 UTAH — Utah AVS' 40th annual show/ sale, "Discover the World of Violets," Garden Center Building, 1602 East 21 South, Salt Lake City. May 2, 1:30 p.m, - 6 p.m.; May 3, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Public invited, free admission. Imogene Hamilton, president, 381 West 400 North #10, Bountiful 84010. 801-295-9269. JUDGING SCHOOLS FEBRUARY 15 CALIFORNIA — The AVSA Judges Council of Northern California wiE be sponsoring an AVSA approved Judging School at the San Frandsco County Fair Building, 9th Avenue at Lincoln Way. Anne Jantzen will be the teacher. Cost is $5 for the audit of lecture, $10 indudes the test. Send dieAs by Feb. 1 to Gary R. Beck, 1155 Pine St, #4, San Frandsra 94109. For more information, call 415-771-2342. FEBRUARY 1 TEXAS — Magic Knight AVS, San Antonio, TX will hold an AVSA approved Judging &hool at Coker United Methodist Qnirch. Alma S. Hummer, Sunflower Lane, San Antonio 78213 is the local chair¬ man. Frances Young, 6109 Shadow Mountain Dr., Austin 78731 will be the teacher. 10 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 BEGINNERS COLUMN Kent and Joyce Stork P. O. Box 398 Arlington, NE 68002 Buying Violets That Suit You Good Investments — Winter is a great time of year to settle in with the African Violet Magazine ads and mail order lists from commercial growers of African vio¬ lets. It's a great time to dream about what pur¬ chases to make next. But how can anyone tell whether the plants listed are going to be really good? How do you choose? How do you avoid wasting money? Some growers give up and just order every¬ thing. If you have the money^ this can be great fun! Some growers give up and buy nothing until they see it growing in someone else's collection. That is not as much fun. There is a certain excitement in waiting for the first blos¬ soms to form on new varieties that have been ordered sight unseen. Smart growers learn how to read between the lines of printed descriptions and choose what they believe will be the best choices for their own particular collections. This is a fun chal¬ lenge and it doesn't have to require much money, especially if you are patient enough to grow your new plants from leaf cuttings. UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE There are a number of terms which African violet growers routinely use, which probably make no sense at all to a beginner. We'll explain some of the most common here, but for more detail, buy a Handbook for African Violet Growers, Exhibitors, and Judges which is listed inside the front cover of this magazine. It contains com¬ prehensive descriptions of leaf and blossom t3^s, as well as terms applied to the colors of foliage and blossom. It's one of the most useful books you'll ever buy on the subject of violets! The following are some common terms with their definitions: Variegated - This describes foliage that has white or creamy (sometimes more golden or rosy in tone) markings on the surface of the leaves. "Tommie Lou" is frequently used to describe the pattern of variegation that edges the perimeter of the leaf. "Lilian Jarrett" is a variegation pattern that runs from the center spine of the leaf toward the edges. "Champion" variegation is less distinct and appears as a mottling of light and dark greens across the leaf. This is also known as crown variegation be¬ cause it usually is most pronounced on the center leaves of a plant, with the outer more mature leaves developing a more even green coloring. Fantasy - This describes a blossom color pat¬ tern of flecks, spots, or streaks of one color across a different underlying color. The "fan¬ tasy" hybrids tend to be a little less stable than solid color blossoms; that is, they sometimes bloom without the markings or sometimes only half of the plant will show the pattern of mark- AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febmary 1992 11 ings. Leaf cuttings will occasionally produce plants that do not bloom true, or in the same pattern as the parent plant. Red - This is a real misnomer. For years, hybridizers have been trying to achieve fire engine red. When the plum-magenta shades were first developed, they were called "red." Later on, the newer burgundy and maroon shades were also called "red." Today there are a few hybrids with a deep reddish coral tone that are called "red," too. If a variety is a fairly new release, "red" probably means a burgundy or a near-red shade. If it is an older variety, it may be a reddish purple or deep fuchsia. Geneva edge - This is recognized as the dis¬ tinct white outlining around the blossom's pri¬ mary color. If the outlining color is not white, the blossom will be described as "edged in ... ." Chimera - This is a rare form of plant that is characterized by a double set of genes. There are two distinct plants, genetically, inside a single plant. African violet chimeras bloom with a pin- wheel pattern; that is, each petal is striped with a distinctive second color. Chimeras do not come true from leaf cuttings, and plantlets therefore tend to be more expensive. This uniqueness can be well worth the extra cost. Single, double, semidouble - This describes the number of petals on the blossom. Have you seen triple layers? So have we, but the descrip¬ tion stops at double. Semidouble blossoms do not have a full second row of petals, but have a tufted petal in the center of the blossom. Many persons equate the description "single" with the tendency of the blossom to drop off the stem before drying up. Most of the newer singles being released, however, are "sticktites" that do not drop. Miniature, semiminiature, standard - This is the overall size of the plant. Minis should grow no larger than six inches across, while semim¬ inis may grow to a diameter of eight inches. Microminiatures have recently been devel¬ oped, but no specific size is guaranteed. They are expected to grow and bloom at a smaller size than miniatures. Standard plants grow larger than eight inches. They may be "compact" and not grow larger than about 12 inches in diame¬ ter. TTiey may be "large" and grow easily to 20 or more inches. MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION TO YOUR COLLECTION Hybridizers have to consider different needs as they develop new varieties, because their customers are not all seeking the same type of plant. Persons who exhibit African violets in com¬ petition, seek plants that develop perfect sym¬ metry of leaf pattern, bloom heavily, travel well to shows, and fit into specific color classes in a show. They oftentimes do not mind those par¬ ticular varieties that do not really perform well, until reaching nearly 20" in diameter. Persons who sell violets to the public (like grocery stores and florists) want plants that grow quickly, and thus economically, and have sturdy blossoms that don't wilt in tough condi¬ tions. When growing space is a consideration, these people want varieties that will put up a good head of bloom on plants that are not really large. Persons who collect violets for their own pleasure, want plants that have interesting blossoms and foliage and that bloom fre¬ quently. Advertisers in the African Violet Magazine, are trpng to appeal to all of these people. While they are trying to market all of the varieties they list, they do try to give clues that will help you sort through the descriptions for what you are seeking. They try to use the word "show" when de¬ scribing plants that will be most suitable for exhibitors. That "show" word can also indicate that the plant grows a bit larger than average standard-sized plants. Fortunately, there are a limited number of African violet cultivars that do fit the needs of all types of growers. These are plants that propagate easily, grow symmetrically, bloom fairly heavily when reasonably young, and yet 12 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Februaiy 1992 can be grown into large, spectacular specimens for shows. The best way to identify these is to speah to commercial growers or hybridizers, whether by phone or in person. (Most of those who are actively hybridizing violets are very busy people, and may not have the time to respond to letters that need detailed replies.) They will happily recommend the varieties they believe are the best. SOME PITFALLS Novelty-blossoming varieties — those that have unpredictable or unusual color pattern — are often attractive to collectors. Utey can b^ disappointing, however, because the cultivars may not be as sturdy, free-blooming, or as apt to propagate true as the less-novel types. Award winners or other varieties pictured in the AVM are always more appealing to buyers. Often, these are wonderful plants, but there are no automatic guarantees. They also tend to be in short supply because of the huge demand gen¬ erated by publicity. Watching for the annual listing of the Best Varieties or the Honor Roll may also guide you in choosing good varieties. The Best Varieties lists the favorite plants of members across the country. It may have some old and impossible- tO“find hybrids as well as some that are only found in certain regions of the countiy. The Honor Roll recognizes varieties that have won awards in shows. This is a great help for persons who wish to exhibit, but it may be less helpful for collectors. A POSSIBLE SOLUTION Since there is obviously no simple way to find the perfect plants for your own pleasure, you must be ready to make a few mistakes. Do try ordering plants from one or two companies. If you are satisfied, order from them again. You may wish to trust the company to make one or two choices for you, in addition to the other plants you order. Often the grower will send you a real gem that would otlierwise have gone unnoticed. Remember that some violet cultivars do bet¬ ter in specific climates. If you live in the deep (hot) south, you may need to be cautious about plants hybridized in northern climates, and vice versa. It is wise to note the name of the hybridizer, and order only a fem^ of his/her plants at first. If those plants do well, then look for more varieties from the same hybridizer. Finally, when tiying out a new plant, give it some time. Don't decide too quickly that it is "great" or "no good." It takes time to develop a friendship, and some plants are not as likeable when immature as they will be later. Some colors or growth patterns may not be desirable until seasonal temperatures change. Some¬ times an ugly duckling grows into a beautiful swan. Tiy new varieties. You will have fun. Best Interpretive Plant Arrangement at a recent Des Itelnes, lA show was “The Old West” by Janice Tyler. AFRICAN VIOLET MAG AZINE January/Febmary 1992 13 HUMILITY Debbie Griffith 1212 S. Pierson Court Lukewood, CO 80232 In the 15 years since an aunt ga¥e me my first tray of African ¥iolet starter plants, F ve learned a lot, or so I thought. This year I discovered just how much I hadn't learned. The year began rather hectically. We moved into a new home in January, just two months prior to the annual Rocky Mountain African Violet Council show. As I was setting up my new plant room, I remember thinking how good the plants were looking. Even a gesneriad that had never bloomed previously, showed a multitude of blossoms after four days in a dark, cool anteroom prior to finding a permanent place in the plant room. Hey, maybe there were possibilities for the show. As January passed into February, the plants were really responding in a positive manner to their new surroundings: a plant room where I was able to achieve the unheard-ofrin-Colorado humidity level of 70%. I had disbudded every¬ thing prior to the move and the plants seemed to be right on schedule for the March show, March arrived and I was worse than an expec¬ tant mother. I "hovered" over those plants, cajoling, threatening, pruning— all in anticipa¬ tion of the show. Finally, show week arrived. I had my entry sheet and tags in hand and began the process of deciding who looked good enough for show. When I finished, I had over 30 entries that I considered "good enough" for the stiff competition in our show. As I drove to the Denver Botanic Gardens, I remember thinking, "Gee, the roads are certainly rough," fearing the bumps in the road would dislodge those sin- ningia blossoms and violet singles that I worked so hard at achieving. Entries was lengthy, as we usually have several growers who enter large numbers of plants. At last that process was over and I could go home and relax. The fate of my plants was out of my hands and into those of the judges. Saturday arrived and I returned early to help judge in the show. As we have a fairly large show, there was no time to think about my own entries. After the judging was complete and we judges had been excused, I made the rounds to see how my plants had done: I was very pleased. When everything had been counted, I had five best in class plants and was sweep- stakes runner-up. This was my best show ever, and I was on cloud nine. I had this show thing down pat. At the close of the show, I rounded up plants, disbudded everything there in the showroom and packed them to go home. Looking back now, seven months later, I see that post-show time as my downfall. My nor¬ mal process after a show is to disbud plants, spray all the show plants, isolate them for sev¬ eral wreks, repot in fresh soil and then return them to the plant stands. Since our show was only one month prior to the AVSA convention, I had several plants that I decided to take on to Santa Clara. I followed my normal procrfures on the remainder of the show plants and by mid- April, returned them to the plant room. The AVSA convention was great. My entries all won blue ribbons and I made the rounds of the sales room. Since I am a firm believer in supporting AVSA commercials, I did my share. Purchases packed, I returned to Colorado, anxious to get the new plants situated. How¬ ever' anxious though, I didn't throw caution to the wind, and isolated everything. Three weeks later our. family left for a vacation in colonial Williamsburg. Our neighbor had volunteered to tend the plants and animals in our absence. Back from vacation, I noticed frouble in the plant room. Many of the new plants I had bought at convention were showing problems. On closer inspection I noticed many of my other 14 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febmaiy 1992 plants were showing signs of trouble: tight centers, pronounced hairs on the leaves. Oh no, cyclamen rrdte? Only once before in my grow¬ ing career had I experienced cyclamen mite and it wiped out my collection. With a large trash bag in hand, I began removing plants over 60 large standards when all told. I put down leaves and trashed the plants. Suddenly, my normally crowded shelves were showing bare spots. However, I refused to toss the many new con¬ vention plants and instead, sprayed them and removed all the centers. I took three of the standard plants to our local extension service to have them tested for mites. They couldn't de¬ tect any rrdtes, but I wasn't convinced, particu¬ larly since over the next month I threw out another 30+ plants that were showing similar S5nnptoms. June and July were not fun in the plant room. Nothing looked good. I began repotting and discovered soil mealy bug. Since I know better than to ask "what next," I didn't, but things go progressively worse. The temperatures outside and in my plant room soared. One day while watering, I noticed the temperature in the plant room was 91®! I don't do well in heat and the plants didn't either. There were still signs of cyclamen mite, but the soil mealy bug seemed to be in check after repotting, using diatoma- ceous earth. In August, air conditioning was installed and the house once again became more tolerable. The plant room cooled down, but still the plants looked lousy. Then for the next several weeks we had company and I really didn't have time to dwell on the plants. September came, the company left and I was determined to either cure or kill these plants. I continued repotting and then discovered thrips. (See what I mean about never asking "what next?") For the record, when someone recommends that you spray the entire plant when thrips are discovered, I'm here to tell you thaf s true. These thrips were dancing on the leaves, running through the soil everywhere. Okay, this is war!! I've had enough, you guys. Either shape up or out you go! In the past, I have used Orthene powder successfully in eradicat¬ ing thrips. No time to waste: I disbudded the few plants that were blooming, sprayed and declared war. Now, I have to tell you that repotting 350+ plants is not my idea of a good time. Repotting is necessary to produce a beau¬ tiful plant and I was trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel through the despair of all these violet ailments. I even considered throw¬ ing out the entire collection and not starting over. After a week of repotting, during which I had a lot of time to consider all the problems I'd encountered since January, I came to ^veral conclusions. Despite all my experience, I had become careless. One additional problem I dis¬ covered while trying to determine if my origi¬ nal problem was indeed cyclamen mite, was that my water pH at the new place was way out of whack — 7.4. No wonder these plants looked sick — between cyclamen mite, soil mealy bug, thrips and pH imbalance, I was lucky to still have one plant. Upon moving into the new place, I had not taken the necessary cleanliness precautions. When I set up the plant stands in the new location, I didn't clean them. In addi¬ tion, I normally use No-Pest Strips on the plant stands, and I had not done that after the move. Another procedure that I didn't follow was a periodic spraying I use Raid House & Gar¬ den spray as a general preventive. It's October now, and I have been humbled my this experience. No matter how long we've grown African violets, sometimes it helps to return to the basics. All the plants are repotted in fresh new soil. The No-Pest Strips are in place. I have thoroughly cleaned the plant stands, lights, fixtures — everything. I am still doing follow-up spraying for thrips as I do this procedure for one month. I have read and re¬ read articles about mites, soil mealy bug and pH. And, for the first time in months. I'm begin¬ ning to think ahead to the March 1992 show. H-m-m... AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 15 Affiliate ’appenings Lyndall Owens P. O. Box 288 Beaumont, TX 77704 (Editor's Note: After writing the "Affiliate 'appenings" column for the African Violet Magazine, for over thirteen years, we say farewell to Lyndall. She and her husband, Arthur, are going to be doing some traveling and possibly relocating "up north." Thank you, Lyndall, for a job well done! Have a wonderful time. Beginning in the March/ April 1992 issue of the AVM, the column, "Show Talk," will begin with Darryl Hoover, 912 S. Highland Ave., Apt. C, Fullerton, CA 92632, doing the show writeups. Please make a note of his address for all of your spring shows.) OSHKOSH VS, WI — ^Tictiire Perfect Violets," Pat Robinson, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Optimara Ohio, Frances Young, Happif Cricket, Betsy Fox; best in show, S. Rupkola, Kevin Degner; best trailer. Happy Trails, Cathy Heider; best semi. Wee Be, design sweepstakes, Pat Robin¬ son. MEMPHIS AVS, TN — 'Wiolets in Fantasyland," Peggy Adamson, president. Winners: Best in show. Petite Jewel, 2nd best in show, Angel Lace, best miniature. Petite Jewel, best semi, Angel Lace, horticulture sweepstakes, Katherine Steele; best trailer. Dazzle Trail, best gesneriad, Episck Fanny Haague, best design, design sweepstakes, show sweepstakes, Peggy Adamson; best variegated standard. Wrangler's Pink Patches, Iona Pair. AV COUNCIL OF FLORIDA — "Ports of Call," Linda Marshall, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Fredette's Risen Star, High Tone Mama, Peach Brandy, 2nd best in show. High Tone Mama, show sweepstakes (20 blue ribbons), Phyliss King; best in show, Georgia Lover, best design, "^Venetian Waters," Rita Hilton; 2nd best AVSA collection. Wee Hummer, Beginner's Luck, Ruby Slippers, best trailer, Adeara, Leticia Potter; best miniature, Mickey Mouse, best semi. Dolled Up, Chris Collier; best gesneriad, E. Tea Bells, Ed Stem; 2nd best in design, "Shanghai, Qiina," design sweepstakes. Bob Green. MID-AMERICA AVS, KS — "Giving Thanks With Violets," Pat Richards, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Ms Pretty Pink, Mary D, Aubergine, best in show. Maverick's Tight Jeans, 2nd best in show. Little Pro, best semi. Little Pro, horticulture sweepstakes, Pat Richards; 2nd best AVSA collection, Rob's Silver Spook, Rob's Vanilla Pink, Rob's Shadow Magic, Esther Edwards Wells; best desi^, "A Thank You Note," design sweepstakes, Sylvia Prince; best trailer. Wee Bells, best gesneriad, Nautilocalyx pemphidias, Molly Blacketer; best miniature. Snuggles Bear, Sue Hill. NUTMEG STATE AVS, CT — "Nutmeg State Fair," Richard Bower, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Camelot Pink, Ness' Viking Maiden, Ballet Anna, best in show. Firelight, 2nd best in show, Ness' Viking Maiden, Ann Butler; 2nd best AVSA collection, Becky, Party Animal, Spacedust, best design, best miniature, Optimara Rose Quartz, horticulture sweepstakes, Edna Rourke; best semi. Snuggles Little Dreamer, Charlene Boyce; best gesneriad, Chirita Sinensis, Vivian Hilti; best in show (under 12"), Kiwi Dazzle, Joyce Dickey. SHO-ME AVC, KS — "Wiolets: Sunrise to Simset," Pat Richards, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection. Crystal- hire, Ms Pretty Pink, Bisque Risque, best in show, Suncoast Circus Candy, best design, "Painted Sunset," best miniature. Ballet Snowcone, best semi, Winnergreen, best gesneriad, Sinningia Hirsuta, horticulture sweepstakes, Pat Richards; 2nd best AVSA collection, Optimara Sequoia, Optimara Oklahoma, Optirmra Michigan, Francis Beaver; 2nd best in show. Just Whisper, Sue Knobbe; best trailer. Pixie Blue Variegated, Doris Brown; design sweepstakes, Sylvia Prince; horticulture runner-up, Johnnie Proctor. THOUSAND OAKS AVS, CA — 'Xe Olde Candy Shoppe of Violets," Barbara Burde, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Fredette's Moonflower, Nortex's Snowkist Haven, Yasuyo, best in show. Sea Princess, 2nd best m show, Yasuyo, best miniature, Optimara Little Crystal, best semi. Sea Princess, Carroll Gealy; 2nd best AVSA collection, Bertha, Mary D, Fredette's Moonflower, Marla Henderson; best design, "Candy Kisses," Barbara Burde; best trailer, S. Pendula var. Kizarae, Virginia Ellis; best gesneriad, E. Sunny, Charline Sims. OHIO STATE AVS, "Carousel of Violets," Jan Carr, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection. Wrangler's Dixie Celebratbn, Sapphire Halo, Pink Enchantment, best in show. Wrangler's Dixie Celebratbn, 2nd best in show. Sapphire Halo, best miniature. Petite Jewel, Anne Thomas; 2nd best AVSA collection. Autumn Lace, Anna Kreeck, Apache Land, 16 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 Mary Martm; best design, "Rose Pony," sweepstakes design, Cathy Black; best trailer. Fancy Trail, horticulture sweepstakes, Emilie Savage; best semi. Swing Along, Judy Wegner; best gesneriad, Aeschynanthus Tricolor, Viola Tucker. FANCY BLOOMERS, CA — "A Harvest of Violets," Marie Beeman & Byron Borek, cochairs. Winners: Best AVSA collection. Garnet Halo, China Pink, Adam, best in show. Precious Pink, 2nd best in show. Garnet Halo, best trailer. Honeymoon Trail, best miniature, Precbus Pink, horticulture sweepstakes, Marie Beeman; 2nd best AVSA collection. Coral Kiss, Fire Mountain, Granger's Wonderland, Byron Borek; best design, "Nature's Small Rewards," design swe^stakes, Becky Jackson; best gesneriad, Epis- cia Kiwi, Ken Dean. AVS OF DENVER, CHAPTER I, CO — "Treasures in Bloom," Carol DeNileon, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Dumplin', Phantom Flash, Optimara Trinidad, Carol DeNileon; best in show, Foxwood Trail, 2nd best in show. Tomahawk, best design, "Golden Autumn," best trailer, Foxwood Tail, horticulture sweepstakes, Nelly Levine; best gesneriad, Episcia Blue Nile, Judie Lelanne. AVS OF NORTH JERSEY, NJ — "Violets in the Garden State," Becky Johnson, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection. Majesty, Dance Time, Devil May Care, best in show. Dance Time, best miniature, Wichita Baby, horticul” tural sweepstakes (50 blue ribbons), Toni Rogan; 2nd best AVSA collection, Picasso, Ness' Silver Cypress, Lady Diana, best gesneriad, E. Moss Agate, design sweepstakes, Becl^ Johnson; best semi. Sugar Bear Blues, best trailer, Rob's Stickey Wicket, Bob Kurzynski. SOCIETE des SAINTPAULIA de MONTREAL, QUEBEC "Violettes au Printemps," Normand Miron, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection. Sapphire Halo, De~ celles Triomphe, Picasso, 2nd best in show, Decelles Trbmphe, best semi. Beginner's Luck, Therese Decelles; 2nd best AVSA collection. Little Pro, Beginner's Luck, ACA's Merry Mary, Yvon Decelles; best in show. High Country, Clement Shown, loft to right: Long Island AVS show chair, Piano Lohan, holding 3rd best In show. Coral Kiss; Dorothy Vogt, holding her best In show, Paisley Print; and Marie Caruso, cochair, holding 2nd best in show, Kiwi Dazzle. AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 1 7 Perreault; best design, "Jardin Printanier/" best gesneriad, Episcia Cleopatra, Anne Herbatuc^ best trails. Ramblin' Silver, Amand Lemay; best miniature, Rob's Soliloquy, Monique Pigeon. BELLFLOWER A VS, CA — "A Celebration of Violets/" Yvette Homan, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection. Mini Papa, KM Karla, Snuggles, best in show, TraU Along, 2nd best in show. Mini PaPa, best trailer. Trail Along, best miniature, Rob's Magnetic Field, best semi, Miwf PaPa, best geaieriad, Petrocosmea Flaccida, Yvette Homan; best design, "Retirement/" Heather Propotnik; horticulture sweepstakes, Edward Hc«fer; design sweepstakes, Sheri Solan. MISSOURI VALLEY AV COUNCIL ""Violets Around Nebraska,"" Kent & Joyce Stork, cochairs. Winners: Best AVSA collection. Phantom Flash, Tomahawk, Flash Fire, best in show. Flash Fire, 2nd best in show. Phantom Flash, horticulture sweepstakes, Kent Stork; 2nd best AVSA collection. Aubergine, Granger's Desert Dawn, Splendiferous, Pat Richards; best design, ""Nebraska City,"" Jeanne Gotten; b«t trailer. Dancin' Trail, best semi, Rob's Megan Lynn, Ann Sweeney; best miniature, Everdim, Jan Tyler; best gesneriad, Aeschyrmnthus Lobbknas Varigata, Doris Brown; design sweepstakes, Ethel Campbell. HEART OF DIXIE, AL — "Africa - Violets" Eden," Kitsy Bevins, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Texas Dy¬ namo, RJmpsodk Nancy, Optimara louismna II, Keith Judy; 2nd best AVSA collection, Kathe Denise, Chiffon Print, Gda Pink, 2nd best in show, Kathe Denise, best trailer. Lambs Ears, best gesneriad, Episcia Kee~Wee, horticulture sweepstakes, Vince Vincent; best in show, Willadean, Lo^ Collins; best design, "Diamond m the Rough/" Shentl Brice; b«t miniature. Moon Bright, David Hayes. A V STUDY CLUB OF HOUSTON, TX — ""Violets Are Ne\w/" Betty Moss, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, Hortense Pittman, Petite Cher, Optimara Little Moonstone, best miniature, Hortense Pittman, best semi. Lipstick & Lace, horticulture sweepstakes, Betty Moss; 2nd best AVSA collection, Joelk, Mary Craig, 'Ma Gigi, b«t in show. Party Print, 2nd best in show, Homybun Trail, best trailer, Hon- eybun TraU, Gem Goins; best desi^, "Holiday Makes Headline,"" Mae Dennison; best gesneriad, Nautilomlyx Pemphidius, Laura Liggett; design sweq^stAes, Jane Rex- ilius. NEW YORK STATE AVS - "Celebrating with Violets,"" Kay Rotando, chair. Winners: Best AVSA collection, De- celles Triomphe, Phantom Flash, Mapsodk Claudm, best in show, Deceiks Triomphe, b^t semi. Snuggles Rising Star, horticulture sweepstakes, Therese Deceiks; 2nd best AVSA collection, Precbus Pink, Little Pro, Beginner's Luck, 2nd best in show, Deceiks Romance, Yvon Decelles; best design, Carolyn Klein; best trailer, Karen Linda, Charles Laws; best miniature. Midget Lilian, Douglas Burdick best g^neriad, Columnea Early Bird, Lyon Greenhouses; design sweepstakes, Joan Stuckey. Send Your Choices Flo^d Lawson 1100 W. Huntington Dr., #21 Arcadia, CA 91107 E vety year our best growers and hybridizers advise teginrdng^ and even experienced, grow¬ ers to check the Best Varieties List for the surest and most consistent plants to add to their col¬ lections. The advice is good, because the Best Variety List is the compilation of those varieties which have performed across the nation^ in the many different growing conditions, and with many different approaches to growing. The Best Variety List is YOUR list of those plants which have done the best for YOU. The list only works, however^ when we hear from the great¬ est number of 'YOUs" throughout AVSA. Here is your opportunity to make your voice heard. Which are your favorites? Which would you encourage others to buy and grow? Each vote is important; each tally is a word of encour¬ agement to others searching for that one perfect plant to enjoy and/or to show. ‘ Between now and April 1, 1992, every member of AVSA should take time to sit down and make a list of 25 of your favorite plants. If you are a new grower, maybe your list will be shorter; but send it anyway. We would like to have euety member's opinion. The lists may be sent singly, or as a part of an affiliate's sum¬ mary. Indeed, one good technique is to make compiling the list a part of one of your sched¬ uled meetings. If you do decide to make only one list for the club, list all plants voted on and how many votes each received. Al^ enclose the total number of members voting, as well as the name of the affiliate. TTianks to all of you for your help in making this valuable tool a reality. Please send your list to: Hoyd Lawson 1100 W. Huntington Dr., #21 Arcadia, CA 91107 18 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE Januaiy/Februa^ 1992 AVSA Building Fund Anne Jantzen 2725 Katrina Way Mountain View, CA 94040 Chances are you or a member of your affiliate has used the services of the AVSA office. If you haven't, chances are someone in your affiliate will need their services in the future. If so, we want to be ready to give you the best service possible. But providing the best service takes commit¬ ment from both the AVSA office staff and the entire AVSA membership. The office staff is constantly providing their commitment as they care each year for hundreds of individual ques¬ tions, orders and requests. Won't you please make an investment in the future service of AVSA by contributing to the AVSA Building Fund? Thank you for your support. Contributions from July 26 - August 29, 1991 August, 1991 Michael Jackson in lieu of speaker's fee from the Montgomery AVS, AL . . ..25.00 Milwaukee AVS . . . . . . . . . 10.00 Don Thornburg, CA . . . . . . . 15.00 Faye Shirley, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00 Aim Miller travel expenses from Violets & Friends AVQOH . . . . . . . . . . . 15.00 North Texas AV Judges Council in memory of former member, Rosemary Robinson . . . . . . . . . 10.00 North Texas AV Judges Council in memory of J. G. Fitzgerald, father of member Virginia Linson . . . . 10.00 Martha Turner in memory of J. G. Fitzgerald, father of Virginia linson . . . . . 20.00 AVS of South Bay, CA . . . . . . . . . 100.00 Gregory Sedgwick . . . . . . . 5.00 Lake Shore AVS, IL in memory of Earl Snyder . . . . ..................25.00 Total for the month - $255.00 TOTAL OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS- $74393.24 Contributions from August 30 - September 28, 1991 September, 1991 Don Thornburg CA . . . . . 15.00 Lyim Lombard, CA speaker's fee from AVS Montrose . . . . 25.00 Capital Qty AVS, CA in memory of Eva Yost, four- time president and friend to all of us . . . .....25.00 Ruby Roloff, CA in memory of dear friend, Eva Yost . . . 15.00 Union County Chapter AVSA, NJ . . . . 50.00 First AVS of Spartanburg, SC . . 10.00 Capital Qty AVS, AL in lieu of speaker's fee to Michael Jackson . .25.00 Celine and Wchard Oiase, CA in memory of Esther Daigle . . . . ..25.00 Baton Rouge AVS $1.50+ per member . . . . . 35.00 Orange County AVS in memory of member Bessie McNair, aunt of Ed Hoefer . . . . . . . . 15.00 Edward Hoefer in memory of aunt, Bessie McNair . . . . 15.00 First AVS of Wichita Falls, TK in honor of a job well done . . . . . . 10.00 Chula Vista AVS, CA in memory of Audrey Buchanan of Patches & Pots, El Cajon, CA . . . . . . 10.00 Carole Scelsi, CA in memory of Audrey Buchanan of Patches & Pots, El Cajon, CA . 10.00 Pee Dee AVS, SC . . . . . . . . 10.00 Affiliates of the A VC of Southern California outside sign for our new home . . 200.00 Total for the month - $495.00 TOTAL OF ALL CONTRIBUTIONS - $74,988.24 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 19 A Race with Tropical Rainbelt Deforestation Mary Gall 3200 W. 82nd Terrace Leawood, KS 66206 In a combined effort funded by an $80,000 National Geographic Society grant the Missouri Botanical Garden and the University of Kansas, researchers are cataloging the richly diverse plant and animal life in the rain forests of the Amazon. In addition, the Missouri Botanical Garden currently has research projects in eight South American countries and five African countries, including Tanzania. The botanists have gathered 120,000 specimens each year which are sent to Missouri for further study and identification. Among the endangered and newly discovered species is Gloxinia dodsonii. Scientists estimate that of the world's five to 30 million species, only 1 .4 million of them have been named. More than half of the world spe¬ cies are contained in the tropical rain forests which cover only seven percent of the land. Twenty-five to 50 percent of these species could disappear in the next 30 years. EACH YEAR AN AREA THE SIZE OF ILLINOIS IS DE¬ STROYED! Jon Lovett, assistant curator of the Missouri Botanical Garden is studying the rain forest of Tanzania. Jon was in Tanzania at 6,500 feet in the Uluguru Range of mountains, clinging to a sheer rock face when he suddenly "came nose- to-leaf on the mountainside with a plant that grows on our windowsill at home. My find was one of the rarer African violets, the distinctively white-and-purple flowered Saintpaulia goet- zeanna." In Tanzania, the government is committed to conservation of the upland forests for purposes of water conservation so that the African violets in those areas are not as endangered. However, the Saintpaulia species in the lowland forests are at risk because these areas are being cleared at an alarming rate due to the population and the need for firewood, timber, and farmland. "African Violet Action Fund" In recent correspondence, Jon Lovett writes "For some years now I have been thinking about writing i African violet fanciers and growers to see it we could start a fund to help protect African violets in the wild. For example, a new forest national park has been proposed for the northern Uzungwa Mountains - home of a southern population of Saintpaulia ionantha — perhaps we could help the Tanzanian govern¬ ment set up this park? Another idea is to pro¬ duce a poster for local schools on the impor¬ tance of forest conservation and featuring the African violet. I would very much appreciate your views on whether or not we could estab¬ lish an "African Violet Action Fund," and if so, how do you think is best way of going about this?" Protected areas across the entire rain forest belt would certainly help stop the destruction. Research into the plant and animal species and their interdep)endence is essential. Another important aspect of conservation is discovering new food products and prescription medica¬ tions that can be made from the plants, and other methods of producing jobs from the LIVING FOREST. All it takes is money, right? So to the growers of our marvelous Gesneriad Family, what are your ideas for raising the needed funds to save the Tropical Rain Forests? Ask your local Afri¬ can violet or gesneriad societies to discuss the issues. Write to a gesneriad society with your ideas, or if you wish, send your thoughts to me. Worldwide effort will be required to save the habitat of the Gesneriad Family. YOU have the 20 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febmary 1992; opportunity to help make a tremendous impact on our world! References Boyd Gibbons^ "Missouri's Garden of Consequence/' National GeograpMcr August 1990. John Lovett^ "Tracing the Roots of the World's Fa¥orite Houseplant/' International Wildlife, March- Aprit 1989. Jerri Niebaiim^ "Keys to the Kingdom/' Kansas Alumni Magazine, June, 1990. Peter T. White, "Tropical Rain Forests: Nature's Dwindling Treasures/' National Geographic, January, 1983. Attention: Affiliates Mildred Schroeder Each year one of the most popular points of interest at The African Violet Society of America's national convention/ show room is the exhibit of Affiliate Publications. AVSA members from many states and other countries pore over the entries, hoping to take home new ideas for their clubs. Sharing your club's year¬ book, magazine or newsletter should make your members proud. Sharing is the name of the game with African violet hobbyists. Now is the time for you to prepare to make your entry for the Columbus (OH) convention in 1992. Please send three copies of your club's yearbook to the African Violet Judges' Council of Northern California, Enid Wood, Chairman, 45 Hallmark Circle, Menlo Park, CA 94025- 6682. Your entry must be send to the chairman by February 1, 1992. It is necessary for you to send copies of your dub year newsletters or magazines to the Central Texas Judges Council, Ray Pittman, Chairman, 12406 Alexandria, San Antonio, TX 78233. Please observe the deadline of February 1, 1992. Good luck and thanks for sharing your pub¬ lication with other African violet enthusiasts. Boyce Edens Research Fund Marlene Buck P.O. Box 38 Oreland, PA 19075 ^appy Jear frknds! M the top of your [ht cy” resolutions for 1992 — Tut a note to yourself ^0 send a donation for research to Sometime in 1992 Contributors Please Note: When making a donation be sure to include the way you want your dub's name listed in the AVM. Also, be sure and list the correct city and state where your dub is located. Donations received from July 20, 1991, through September 20, 1991: AVS of Philadelphia ....................................................25.00 Milwaukee AVS, WI .................................................... 10.00 NASA AVS, Houston, TX ......................................... ..10.00 Myra Benton, Andalusia, AL in memory of Vince Vincent ..................................... 10.00 San Fernando Valley AVS, Panorama, CA in memory of Cedlia Gonnoud ................................ 10.00 Gregory B. Sedgwick, Alexandria, VA ....................... 5.00 Covington AVS, Andalusia, AL in memory of Vincent Vincent .................................15.00 Wichita AV Study Qub, KS in memory of our dub's pr«ident, Luey Fry ........20.00 Tustana AVS, Costa Mesa, CA in honor of Bessie McNair ......................................... 10.00 Tustana AVS, Costa Mesa, CA ..................................20.00 First AVS of Spartanburg, SC .................................... lO.CW Baton Rouge AVS, LA ............................................ .....25.00 San Fernando Valley AVS, Panorama, CA in memory of Irene Them........ .............................. ..,.10.00 Pee Dee AVS, Horence, SC in memory of Retired Colonel Walter Qyde Lowry, Jr., brother of our president, Laura Trifilett .................10.00 Violets & Friends AVC, Piqua, OH ............................5.00 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febmary 1992 21 • • • Great Discoveries for 1992 or someone else. AVSA Charm (203) Gold Plate - $14.75 (224) Silver Plate - $12.75 Presidents Charm (204) Gold Plate -$21.00 (225) Silver Plate - $18.50 Member Pin (201) Gold Plate -$14.75 (222) Silver Plate - $12.75 rasi rrosiosnis rin or iio lacK (221/207) Gold Plate - $21.00 (233/209) Silver Plate - $18.50 Judge’s Pin or Tie Tack (234/236) Gold Plate - $10.00 (235/239) Silver Plate - $8.00 Judge’s Guard Pin (210) Gold Plate - $12.00 (231 ) Silver Plate - $9.50 #237 • Gold Filled Life Member Pin $25.00 #238 - Sterling Silver Life Member Pin $20.00 Judge’s Charm (208) Gold Plate - $10.00 (229) Silver Plate - $8.00 WEAR OUR EMBLEMS AND WATCHES WITH PRIDE AND HELP PROMOTE AVSA. GIVE A GIFT TODAY! #199 Regular Quartz, Large (AVSA logo & dark brown band) $30.00 #198 Regular Quartz, Small (AVSA logo & dark brown band) $30.00 22 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 Registration Report Iris Keating 149Loretto Court Claremont, CA 91711 A name reservation costs $1 and is valid for two years, after which time it may be extended two years for an additional $1. Registration of the plant is $5 unless completed within the res- ervation period, in which case the balance is then $4. REGISTRATIONS Violets on the Bayou AVS - NapoleonviOe, LA ^LOUISE CONSTANT (7542) 8/7/91 (Violets on the Bayou AVS/Domiano) Semidouble dark pink two-tone star/darker edge. Dark green, quilted, wavy/ red back. Standard pointed, ruffled. Standard *OUI DO (7547) 8/21/91 (B. Elkin) Single chi¬ mera white star/pale pink stripe. Light- medium green, plain, pointed. Miniature *OUI YVONNE (7548) 8/21/91 (B. Elkin) Single chimera ivoiy star/pale rose stripe. Dark green, plain, pointed, hairy. Miniature *QUIET DREAMS (7549) 8/21/91 (B. ElMn) Semidouble white star/lavender markings. TL variegated medium green and white, pointed. Miniature ^WAYWARD TRAIL (7550) 8/21/91 (B. Elkin) Semidouble chimera pink pansy /dark laven¬ der stripe, lavender fantasy. Medium-dark green, pointed, quilted, wavy /pink-red back. Standard trailer Frank Tinari - Huntingdon Valley, PA ♦CENTENNIAL. CELEBRATION (7543) 8/ 16/91 (F. Tinari) Single-semidouble fuchsia- mauve ruffled. Medium green, ovate, quilted, glossy, serrated /red back. Standard **** Barbara Elkin - Auburn, CA ♦BRYTE DAYDREAMS (7544) 8/21/91 (B. Elkin) Semidouble chimera bright pink star/ lavender stripe, purple fantasy, white wavy edge. Dark green, quilted, wavy. Standard ♦BRYTE RAIN DANCE (7545) 8/21/91 (B. Elkin) Double dark orchid star/lighter mark¬ ings, tMn dark purple edge. Dark green, plain, pointed. Standard ♦MTE BLOOMERS (7546) 8/21/91 (B. Elkin) Double dark fuchsia shaded star/darker tips, dark rose ruffled edge. Medium green. ♦SI-SI-* Nancy Johnston - Bakersfield, CA ♦BARBARA SAWER (7551) 9/13/91 (N. Johnston) Double medium blue frilled. TL variegated dark green and rose, ovate, glossy, wavy/ red back. Standard m** Marie Bums - Baltimore, MD ♦CAROUSEL LADY (7552) 9/19/91 (M. Bums) Single chimera burgundy sticktite star /bright rose stripe. Dark ^een, ovate, quilted, glossy /burgundy back. Large ♦PARTY PRINT (7553) 9/19/91 (M. Bums) Semidouble-double pink ruffled star/laven¬ der-blue fantasy. Medium-dark green, heart- shaped, quilted, glossy/maroon back. Large ♦RAIN MAN (7554) 9/19/91 (M. Bums) Semi- AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 23 double-double dark blue large star/ wide white-green edge. Dark green, quilted, glossy/ maroon back. Large ^Catherine Carter - Jacksonville, FL AMETHYST CONFETTI (7555) 9/20/91 (C. Carter) Single-semidouble chimera purple wasp/ wide stripe. Medium green, heart- shaped, pointed, hairy, glossy. Miniature **** NAME RESERVATIONS Ralph Robinson - Tonawanda, NY (Each of the following is preceded by the name Rob's) * Angelie * Crazy Kilt * Cream Soda Denim Demon * Lucky Stroke * Moon Critter **■ Pink Fizz * Positively Peachy * Sonic Boon * Sunspot Barbara Elkin - Auburn, CA (3uiet Laughter Nancy Johnston - Bakersfield, CA Corn's a Poppin' * Strawberry Girl REGISTRATION CORRECTION ’^BLUE BUFF (7515) 4/1/91 (Eyerdom) - Please change to BLUE PUFF Update Your Judges Handbook — Order the 1990 Revised pages today! Cost - $3.50 postpaid If you have the 1986 Handbook with the yellow cover, you need the 1990 Revised pages. Send $3.50 to the AVSA Office. Ahhh ... The Gardens AmeriFlora '92 The spirit of AmeriFlora '92 blooms all around you in brilliant reds and purples, restful greens, refreshing pinks and blues. From the astronishing formal display surrounding the soaring NavStar sculpture, to the perfumed splendor of the Rose Garden, you'll be con¬ stantly amazed at the bounties of the land and the ingenuity of the people. Some gardens have a special message: the International Children's Garden, planted with "seeds of peace" from children around the world; even the BPS Victory Garden will grow (and broadcast!) at AmeriFlora '92. Many gardens are far more than plants and flowers: some foreign countries will predsent whole small worlds, including entertainment, restaurants and shops, all in stunning garden settings. Serious floral enthusiasts won't want to miss The Grand International Horticultural Exhi¬ bition and Competition, April 20 to May 3, 1992 at AmeriFlora '92. This major interna¬ tional professional event, judged by a panel of the world's most respected authorities, gives you a rare glimpse of remarkable achievements in the horticultural world. All the World's a Stage More than 50,000 superb entertainers are part of this non-stop six month show! You'll see and hear classics of American and International entertainment jazz and country, Sousa and S3mriphonies, ballet, folk dancing, theater — there's always something to love on the Ameri¬ Flora '92's five indoor and outdoor stages. But you don't have to stop and sit down to enjoy the show: clowns, musicians and "za¬ nies" stroll throughout AmeriFlora '92, provid¬ ing perfect impromptu personal performances ... just about anytime! 24 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 25 SHOWS AND JUDGES Bill Foster 3610 Gray Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 How did 1992 get here so quickly? Hope you all had a nice holiday season and that you will have the best New Year ever. It is already time to start making all your arrangements for the AVSA Convention in Columbus, Ohio. Our Ohio members really have a lot of interesting things planned for us. Be sure and work on those special collections and you may win a little extra spending money. Please , add to the judges list from the September African Violet Magazine, these two judges that were inadvertently omitted: Mrs. Newman (Dolores) Gibbs, 608 Lame, San Mar¬ cos, TX 78666, and Ellen M. Moskal, 6619 Eastwood, Houston, TX 77021. Both these women are advanced judges and we apologize for the omission. We have a few more corrections for the AVSA Handbook, so please update as follows: Page 39 - in the last paragraph under Classi¬ fication Committee, after the word "disqualify" change the word "entries" to "exhibits" and after the word "an/" change the word "entry"" to "exhibit." The sentence will now read, "While judges are not permitted to disqualify exhibits, they can eliminate from consideration for an award any exhibit not confomnng hi the scheduled This state¬ ment will now agree with rule #3 on page 49. Judges have nothing to do with "entries" but they do judge "exhibits." Page 44 - under the Sample &!hedule, on Class 1, add a second sentence to read, "Three species, regardless of type, may be entered as a collection." Also add this as the second sentence under AVSA Collection Awards on page 47 and on page 62 change the first sentence of the second paragraph, under "Classification" to read, "Three species, regardl&s of type, may be entered in the collection classes." A few years ago, when numbers were assigned and collections were allowed, it was published that three spe¬ cies, regardless of type, could be entered in a collection. We just failed to clarify it in the AVSA Handbook. Page 61 - on the last sentence on the page, please insert the word "pot" after 8". Page 79 - under RULES FOR DISPLAY TABLES SECTION, please delete one of the "specimen" in the second sentence on item #1. Also, correct the spelling of the first "semimini¬ ature" on the last sentence of item #1. ATTENTION TEACHERS! When you are asked to teach a school, be sure to send two sets of your questions and answers, at least four weeks before the school, to: Mrs. Frances Young, 6109 Shadow Mountain Drive, Austin, TX 78731. Be sure to list the page numbers where your an¬ swer are to be found. One copy of your exam and the answers will be returned marked "approved" or corrections will be requested so the exam can be approved. I promised you I would discuss some more of the questions that came up at the Santa Clara convention, so here they are: Question: Should the use of large pan pots be considered as a leaf support and should points be deducted? Try to stick to the rule of the pot being one third the size of the plant. Deduct points accord- ingly if it is determined the plant is merpotted. In judging several shows, it has been ob¬ served that Student Judges were not allowed to voice their opinion. Please clarify what Student 26 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 Judges are entitled to? On page 85 of The Hand¬ book, under Tact and Kindness, it states that judging is teamwork. Experienced judges should not try to dominate the panel. Experienced judges should remember that they are "teaching" the students how to judge and should allow them an opinion. Because of thdr eagerness to learn, student judges are often more aware of new rules or rule changes than expe¬ rienced judges! Is it mandatory to include the steps of propa¬ gation in every educational exhibit? No. Many think that they should try to use all the suggestions shown on the SSA score sheet. A special exhibit on species or lighting, etc., may be used. You must also include AVSA information to earn full points to¬ ward the SSA. If judges are deducting points because every aspect of growing, propagating, and maintain¬ ing Africanviolets are not covered in an exhibit, they are in error. I receive a lot of correspondence and I, hope¬ fully, send a personal reply. If anyone has sent a "concern" and not received a reply, please resubmit your letter. Chances are it was lost in the mail. If you wish to judge or clerk at the AVSA Convention, be sure to submit the form early. Good luck with your spring shows and I will see you in Columbus! What More Could You Ask For? How about exquisite food from all around the world? Share an evening with the Irish Rovers in their own Unicom Pub. Or enjoy the boisterous fun of Bavarian Fest- Haus ... or dinner with a lagoon view at Hawaii Kai. How about a busy, bustling Olde World Bazaar, so you can take home samples of your favorite AmeriFlora '92 experiences! Or ... but maybe we shouldn't tell everything. Needed ... YOUR Santa Clara convention slides (or color prints)!! If you have color slides or prints of tours, workshops, banquets, meetings, registration or the beautiful show and convention, please share them! The slides are needed to continue our traditional Thursday night slide show of the previous convention. The slides, if selected, will be used at the 1992 AVSA Convention in Columbus, Ohio. Slides not selected will be returned to the sender. The slides used in the presen¬ tation cannot be returned as they become part of the AVSA collection. Please send your slides to: Jim Whitaker 2085 Leeward Lane Merritt Island, FL 32953 Best in show at a recent Sugarloaf Mountain VS (MD) show was Diane Good’s Tomahawk. The theme for the show was “Reigning Vioiets.” AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 27 28 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 James Smith 489 Linwood Avenue Buffalo, NY 14209 Question; Is there a way to keep the soil from leaching out from the bottom of the pots? I use broken pieces of potteiy for drainage and to prevent the soil from leaching. The pottery doesn't leave much room for soil depth. Answer; If your soil is made from materials that promote good drainage, the pottery or similar materials are not necessary. I use a ny¬ lon screen, cut in circles to fit the bottom of the pots, to prevent the soil from leaching. Using this screen will prevent soil from escaping. I have also noticed that it promotes good cap¬ illary action, by helping water reach all areas of the bottom of the pot. Root formation is much better. The screen material must be made from nylon and not metal, such as aluminum. Aluminum, or any other metal, will eventually rust. This screen material is usually sold by the roll and can be found in most department or hardware stores. It is used to replace window screens. The screens can be reused as long as they are soaked in bleach. Question; I have noticed that few commercial advertisers in the AVM sell soil. Is there any way to get a list of commercial growers who sell soil? Answer: I would be glad to create a list of soils available if any one would send to me the following information: your name, address and telephone number, the type of soil mix you sell (soilless, or those made from natural soil, etc.), and a detailed price list. When I have a list compiled, I will let everyone know when it is available. Looking through the AVM, I only found three commercials that advertised soil. There are those of us who don't have the time to mix, or the place to store large quantities of soil. To buy from a reputable African violet grower, would be convenient. So, what do you say, commercials? Send me your names. Meanwhile, if you would like to mix your own, refer to my column in the No- vember/December 1991 issue of the AVM. Question; I have a friend who is very con¬ cerned that I plan to leave my fluorescent lights on a timer while I go on vacation. He is afraid of a possible fire. Have you ever heard of any house fires being caused by fluorescent lights? Answer; Since I wrote to you, I mentioned your question to several people who have used fluorescent lights for years. None of them have had an actual fire; however, one did experience a dose encounter with a near disaster because of an overheated time dock. It seems that he had more lights attached to it than it could safely handle. The time dock became hot and started to melt. If the time dock had been on a carpeted floor or near drapes, a fire could have occurred. Fortunately, the problem was noticed and quickly corrected. It is very important to use a good time dock that can handle the required electricity needed to operate your light setup. If you are unsure, contact a licensed electrician and have your light setup inspected. It is better to be »fe than sorry. Question; I have one violet that I obtained out of four that has not bloomed in a year since their purchase. It looks rather healthy and robust. I AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febmary 1992 29 fertilize it less frequently than my flowering violets. It is under fluorescent lights for 16 - 24 hours a day. The air feels to be drier than Afri* can violets would like^ but the plant has never shown any signs of any environmental distress. The difference between this plant and my oth¬ ers is this one has leaves that appear to be reaching upwards. There are four rows of leaves growing from the central crown. The plant is bushy. It seems that little change has occurred over the last year with the plant. No leaves have dried, fallen down, or otherwise grown. Is there anything I should do to change the plant's environment? Answer: Three things that I noticed in your letter that could cause you some problems: 1 . You mentioned that you fertilize the "prob¬ lem" plant less frequently. Why? All plants require a consistent feeding program. Use 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. of a balanced fertilizer per gallon each time you water. Start feeding as you do the other plants. When was the last time this plant was repotted? Standards should be repotted a minimum of twice a year to maintain good growth. Miniatures require repotting at least three times during the year. 2. Unless you are growing to show, fluores¬ cent lights should bum a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 12 hours a day. Too much light may cause foliage to bunch up and/or become dis¬ torted, or turn light as if to bleach out. 3. Try to increase your humidity. Since I don't have a description of your light setup, a sugges¬ tion for correction would be difficult. My plant stands have large trays (lined with mats) into which I pour water. This helps to maintain good humidity. The plants each have their own sau¬ cer so the extra water is not a problem. The only problem that I have to watch out for is mildew. Mildew is kept in check by using Funginex or Physan 20 according to label directions, and by using a fan in the area where the plants are kept. You must have good air circulation around your plants to keep mildew in check. From my experience, it doesn't matter what the variety is as they all, for the most part, require the same growing conditions and care. Question: My husband recently set up some grow lights with timers. I purchased some starter plants (still planted in vermiculite/per- lite) and the centers of all these plants are start¬ ing to grow very tight. I don't seem to see any bugs. Some of the plants look so tight that they don't look as if they could be separated. The larger ones are potted in ceramic self- watering pots. I use a fertilizer at the rate of one part fertilizer to three parts water. Any suggestion as to what I am doing wrong, would be appre¬ ciated. Answer: Some reasons why the centers tighten are too much light, too much fertilizer, or a mite infestation. Mites are not easily seen without the aid of a microscope or magnifying glass. If the centers are not gray, twisted or deformed, then perhaps your problem may be that your plants are receiving too much light. You didn't mention how long you leave your lights on. As I mentioned in the previous ques¬ tion, the minimum is 10 and the maximum is 12 for most growing conditions. I have noticed that some varieties are more sensitive to a change to new light bulbs than others. When the bulbs are new, the light intensity is stronger for the first month and the plants have to adjust. I would suggest to decrease the amount of exposure from 8 to 9 hours and gradually in¬ crease to 10. Under my conditions, I bum the lights for 9 hours a day and increase to 12 for the eight weeks prior to show. As far as your fertilizer usage is concerned, I hope you are using 1/4 teaspoon of fertilizer to a gallon of warm water. Too much fertilizer does cause centers to tighten. While we are on the subject of growing con¬ ditions, many of you have asked me "What are they?" I grow in the basement using fluorescent lights. I use cool- white bulbs. The temperatures range from 65 to 75 degrees in the winter, to 75 to 85 degrees in the summer. The humidity stays around 70%. All year round, I add water to my trays (lined with acrylic mats) which 30 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 provides extra humidity. Each plant is saucer watered. I use a small fan to provide the needed air circulation, which helps keep the mildew in check. My potting soil contains natural soil (not soilless) which I think gives plants some extra "meat and potato^" that can not be obtained from a soilless mix. I use a fertilizer which has the formula of 15-30-15, About once or twice a month, (if the plants are real good), they might get a little fish emulsion as a special treat. I do alternate waterings with a fertilizer that is balanced with a formula of 20-20-20. Super- thrive is added to the water (except when I use fish emulsion) as this tends to give a nice shine to the foliage. Each plant is repotted at least twice a year, once after show, and again around December. It doesntt matter if the plant is in full bloom (when I am ready, they have no choice). My collection is routinely checked for pests and cultural problems each time they are watered, which is a practice that everyone should follow. Maintaining any size collection is a lot of work, but just remember, the result is equal to the amount of effort. Good luck with your spring shows. Everybody needs a violet pal — - “Katya,” an ever-falthful violet fan Joins her owner, Nanette DeVoe of Clinton, Iowa when she's working on her plants. Katya particularly likes to have her fur adorned with a beautiful blossom. Ground transportation between the airport and the Hyatt Regency Columbus is provided by: Airport Shuttle Service 3115 E. 17th Avenue Columbus, OH 43219 614-478-3000 To and from ttie akport Downtown (Hyatt Regency) Regular Schedule - $6.50 Off Schedule -$12,0) Regular scheduled hours Monday through Friday - 8 a.m. - 11:10 p.m. Saturday & Sunday - 10 a.m. - 11:10 p.m. Pick ups before the regular scheduled hours will be at the "off schedule" rate for one person. If more than one- person is in the van, it will be at the regular schedule rate. Airport Shuttle Service leaves every 1/2 hour from the airport at 10 minutes after the hour and 20 minutes before the hour. Pick up is at the lowest level of the airport. Return pick ups from the hotel are by reserva¬ tion only. A two-hour advance notice is recom¬ mended. Round trip tickets only good during regular scheduled hours. Taxi service is also available from the airport The cost of a taxi to the Hyatt Regency Columbus is approximately $12. Discover Columbus in '92 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febraary 1992 31 AVSA AFFILIATES Irene Merrell Affiliate Chairman W283 HiUendale Drive Oconomowoc, W1 53066 As I write this, it is September and the begin¬ ning of the fall shows. When you read this, the holidays will be over and we are on our way to the spring shows. I hope all are successful and you enjoyed being a part of the experience. BEWARE!! Columbus, here we come! I would like to try something at convention this year: a very special time to meet with you so you and I can better understand each other and I can answer your questions about your sched¬ ules, Affiliate problems, memberships, starting new Affiliates, etc. I have set up a time slot for Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. We will call it "Affiliate Rap." The first half hour will be a question and answer period of schedules, AVSA show rules, interpretation, etc., and the second half will be problem solving for Affili¬ ates. We may not have all the answers, but maybe we can come with some new ideas or even old ideas that might help. Sharing is the name of the game. Include us in your conven¬ tion schedule. One of the rules we seem to be misinterpret¬ ing is Rule 5, p 43 - "Containers in the horticul¬ ture divisions (except for classes exhibiting trailers, unusual containers, and gesneriads) must present a uniform appearance, such as covering containers with aluminum foil (dull side out), or using the same color containers." Some schedules give the individual exhibitor an option, white or green pots or aluminum foiled (exhibitors choice?). Some state "white pots or slip covered with white pots of the same size" which would be correct. The club mem¬ bers should choose which one is to be used before the schedule is written and so stated in the schedule or the schedule committee should make the decision. Self-watering (such as Moist-rite, Oyama, etc.), do not need to be cov¬ ered. We try to be as lenient as possible without detracting from the appearance of the show. Our goal should always be to present the most eye-appealing exhibit to the public that we possibly can. If you are growing in green pots and slip covering with white pots, the green edge can be covered with 2-line correction tape. In one club, the classification committee pro¬ vided material to cover the rim. Take a look at this year's show and make a decision for next year. Be sure to read the Shows and Judges Col¬ umn for corrections and changes in the AVSA Handbook. Bring your handbook, up-to-date. Please be aware the exhibits in the AVSA Col¬ lection classes are eligible for all awards in the show, and if a variegated plant has no variega¬ tion, reduce to a red ribbon. NOTICE: The Affiliate Rap - Wednesday - 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Check your convention sched¬ ule, See YOU there! (Anyone not able to attend is invited to send in your ques¬ tions/comments to me so you, too, can join us). Starting immediately, please send show write ups to: "Show Talk" cjo Darryl Hoover, 912 S. Highland Ave., Apt. C, Fullerton, CA 92632. 32 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 Introducing your AVSA nominees ... EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE A. Charles Bollar Hortense Pittman ... for President ... for 1 st VP L. T. Ozio, Jr. ... for 2nd VP Esther Edwards Wells ... for 3rd VP Janet Riemer for Secretary Wynne Voorhees ... for Treasurer BOARD OF Georgene Albrecht DIRECTORS Genola B. Cox Janet DuCharme Martha Dyson K. Evelyn Salamanowicz The Nominating Committee will present the following slate for election at the Annual Meet¬ ing during the AVSA Convention in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, April 25, 1992: FOR PRESIDENT — A Charles Bollar of Las Vegas, Nevada, joined AVSA in 1974 and became a member of Granada Hills, Santa Monica, Ventura, Bellflower and San Fernando (CA) affiliates. Charles and his wife, Avanelle, spend a great deal of their time traveling all over the U.S. in their motor coach. They often hold seminars in the coach at motorhome conventions. Charles has served as vice president and president of the Granada Hills AVS, treasurer, vice president, and president of the Southern California Council and as convention chair for the AVSA convention in Los Angeles in 1985. Charles has also served as AVSA first, second, and third vice presidents. Both he and Avanelle are Life Members and act as missionaries for AVSA in their travels throughout the United States. FOR FIRST VICE PRESIDENT — Mrs. J. R. (Hortense) Pittman of San Antonio, Texas, has AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ February 1992 33 been a member of AVSA for over 20 years and is an AVSA senior judge. Hortense attended her first AVSA conven¬ tion in St. Louis in 1977 and has attended every convention since. She and her husband. Sun¬ down, became interested in hybridizing through the late Howard Utz, some 13 years ago and together they own and operate "Hortense' s African Violets." They were awarded the AVSA Bronze Medal for Horticultural Perfection in 1986. She is a director for the Dixie A VS, a past president of the Lone Star AVS, the San Antonio AV Council, the Central Texas Judges Council, and the Magic Knight AVS. She has served as an AVSA director, first, second, and third vice presidents. Other than growing and showing African violets, Hortense and her husband enjoy doing programs on violet culture throughout the country. They judged the first AVSA show in Mexico, where they have conducted a number of workshops. FOR SECOND VICE PRESIDENT -- L. T. Ozio, Jr., of Morgan City, Louisiana, has been growing African violets for over 23 years and has been a member of AVSA since 1973. He and his wife, Yvonne, are very active in their local affiliate, the Atchafalaya VS, of which they are charter members. Both L. T. and Yvonne are Life Members, senior judges, and both are the recipients of the AVSA Honorary One Year Membership. L. T. has served as a member of the AVSA Board of Directors, chair of the Library committee, and as third vice president. He became an AVSA teacher in 1983 and promotes the culture of African violets through programs and work¬ shops at AVSA local and state affiliates, garden clubs, and other plant societies. A member of Dixie AVS, he is a charter member of the Louisiana Council of AV Judges and Growers and served as charter secretary for two consecutive terms. L. T. and Yvonne enjoy traveling. Their first AVSA convention was in Austin, TX in 1 978 and they have attended every convention since. FOR THIRD VICE PRESIDENT — Esther Edwards Wells of Liberty, Missouri, has been a member of AVSA since 1981. She is a member of Mid- America AVS and has served as presi¬ dent, first and second vice president and treas¬ urer. She is currently serving her second term as president of Mid- America. Esther is a charter member of the Missouri Valley AV Council and has served as its first secretary and bylaws chair. Esther has served AVSA as director, third vice president, and Awards committee chair. She was convention chair for the 1989 AVSA convention in Kansas City. Esther holds an M.S. degree in Student Per¬ sonnel Administration from Central Missouri State University and a B.A. in Mathematics and Psychology from William Jewell College. She is married to Charles Wells who assists her with all of her violet projects. She is a member of the Garden Center Association of Kansas City. FOR SECRETARY — Mrs. Donald (Janet) Riemer is from Pennington, New Jersey and has been a member of AVSA since 1964. She has been a member of the Union County Chapter since 1969 and has served in many offices for the club. Janet is a Life Member and a senior judge. She served as show vice chair and entries chair at the Philadelphia AVSA convention in 1 984 . She has been a member of the Tri-State AV Council since 1971 and is a great promotor of the much loved Max Maas hybrids. Janet has served AVSA as director and secre¬ tary. She received the first Hudson Memorial Award for Affiliate Leadership and has re¬ ceived a Continuing Service Award. She is married and presently works in the Special Collections and Archives Department at Rutgers University. FOR TREASURER — Wynne Voorhees of New Orleans, has been a member of AVSA for over 15 years and is a Life Member and senior judge. He is a member of the Jefferson African Violet Association and has served in practically every office in the society. He is also a member 34 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 of the Louisiana Council of Judges and Growers and has served as secretary and program chair for this organization. He has served AVSA as Finance chair. Wynne is presently Assistant Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer in the Corre¬ spondent Banking Division for First National Bank of Commerce. He holds a B.S. in Finance with a minor in Computer Science and a M.B. A. of Business Administration from the University of New Orleans. FOR DIRECTOR Georgene Albrecht of Oakdale, PA, has been a member of AVSA for 17 years and is a student judge. She holds office in The Pittsburgh VS and is a Trustee of The Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center, where she teaches floriculture. Her column, "A Family Portrait," appears in the African Violet Maga¬ zine. Georgene is married, has two grown sons and is an avid gardener. She is a graduate of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and her achieve¬ ments have been commended in the Marquis Who's Who of American Women and World Who's Who of Women, IBC, Cambridge, Eng¬ land. She is currently serving as Education Coordinator for the docent guide program at Phipps Conservatory. FOR DIRECTOR — Genola B. Cox of Eagle River, Wisconsin has been a member of AVSA for eight years and is a Commercial Life Mem¬ ber. She has been growing African violets for over 30 years and opened The Violet Express in 1986. Although there are no AVSA affiliates in her area, Genola gives frequent talks and seminars on the culture of African violets to groups in her vicinity. She is a member of the Wisconsin Council of AVC, the Illinois AVS, Dixie AVS, NYSAVS, and the Mid-Atlantic AVS. Genola attended Lindenwood College and Illinois Wesleyan University, majoring in art, with a minor in music. She is the mother of two married daughters and has four teenage grandchildren. FOR DIRECTOR — Janet DuCharme of Winter Haven, Florida has been a member of AVSA for 13 years. A charter member of Mid- Polk AVS, she has held all offices except vice president. She is an AVSA judge and has served as the Judges chair for the AV Council of Hor- ida, as well as secretary. In 1987, Janet was the Entries chair for the AVSA convention in Orlando at which time entries were done by computer. Subsequently, she assisted with entries at the Dallas, Kansas City and Boston conventions. Janet is a Registered Nurse and is employed at Winter Haven Hospital as the Orthopaedic Nurse Clinician. Bill, her husband, teaches Agriculture and Computer Applications and serves as a Major in the Florida National Guard. FOR DIRECTOR — Martha Dyson of Ber¬ wick, Louisiana, has been a member of AVSA for 15 years and a judge for 10 years. She is a member of the Atchafalaya VS, Dixie AVS and the Lousiana Council of Judges and Growers. Martha has served as president of the Louisiana State Council, as well as her local affiliate. She is the present recording secretary of Dixie AVS and her local club. She is also editor of the Louisiana Council newsletter. Although she grows many standard and miniature violets, she enjoys trailers most of all and has given many workshops of them. She has four children and her husband, James, is co¬ owner of a commercial diving company. FOR DIRECTOR — - K. Evelyn Sala- manowicz of Calgary, Alberta, Canada has been growing African violets about 12 years. Evelyn sets up regular displays in local African violet shows, horticultural shows and civic exhibitions, and avidly promotes the interest in the culture of African violets. She is the president and founder of The Afri¬ can Violet Society of Calgary and has served in every office of this society. She is an AVSA Life Member, a member of the AVS of Canada, an advanced A VS A Judge and a member of AGGS. Evelyn conducts presentations, workshops, lectures and seminars on African violets. She is married to Walter, an AVSA Life Member and judge, and has one daughter, Cynthia, an AVSA student judge. AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 35 Room Sharing Columbus, Ohio Convention, April 20 - 26, 1992 Room sharing has become very successful. Is room sharing for you? Are you interested in making your expenses less by sharing a room with someone? We offer this service to anyone interested. Name _ _ Address _ _ _ _ Phone number _ _ _ _ _ _ $95.00 - Single/Double $105.00 - Triple/Quad plus 15.75% room tax Non-Smoker _____ Smoker _ _ No preference _ _ Age _ Under 25 _ _ 26-50 _ 51 and over Arrival .Date _ Departure Date _ _ Any other considerations? All requests must be made by March 1, 1992, so we may contact all interested ""violet friends'" and meet the deadline for hotel reservations. Please send requests to: Ruth Warren, P. O. Box 3664, Fall River, MA 02722 ph. 508-679-1189. Tinara Greenhouses Offers Award A special award of $25, donated by Tinari Greenhouses, will be presented at the 1992 Columbus Convention to the individual who obtains the most new members of AVSA during 1991. To be eligible for the award, send a complete list of names and addresses of the new members to Esther Edwards Wells, AVSA Awards Chair¬ man, 948 Fair Oaks Court, Liberty, MO 64068, by January 31, 1992. Don't Miss the 1992 Open Forum The 8th annual Open Forum meeting of the AVSA Board of Directors will be held Thursday, April 23, 1992 at the Columbus convention. AmeriFlora '92 Gateway to the World No borders, no bellhops, no bother. Just all of the most marvelous sights the world's nations can concoct! You'd think it was just an ordinary Monte Carlo streetcomer — unless you pass through the door into the spectacular garden of Prince Rainier. Then just stroll right in through the palace door: you're an honored guest of the nation of Monaco. Next, the USSR .. discover new and surpris¬ ing facets of the mysterious Land of the Bear; you'll still have time for tea and scones in the cheery English Tea Garden. Turn the corner and you're in Japan ... or Canada ... or France or .... 36 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 Convention Show Schedule AFRICAN VIOLETS — HERITAGE AND HORIZONS (A Century of Violets 1892 - 1992) April 20 - 26, 1992 Horticulture Division - Amateur Section I - Collections Class 1 . AV S A Collection of three registered varieties all of the same type: standard, mini¬ ature, semiminiature, or trailers, either stan¬ dard, miniature, or semiminiature. 1 a. Holtkamp Memorial Collection of three registered Optimara® and/or Rhap- sodie® plants, all of the same type: standard, miniature, or semiminiature. 1 b. Dale Eyerdom Memorial Collec¬ tion of three registered Granger plants, all of same t5^e: standard, miniature, or semimini¬ ature. Section II - Standard Plants, Single and Semi> double Blossoms 2. Blues and purples 3. Pink, dark pink, rose, and coral 4. Red, wine, fuchsia, and plum 5. Lavender, mauve, and orchid 6. White, cream, and blush 7. Two-tone and multicolor 8. Fantasy and all edged 9. Chimera Section III - Standard Plants, Double Blos¬ soms 10. Dark blue and purple 11. Light to medium blue 12. Light to medium pink 13. Dark pink, rose, and coral 14. Red, wine, fuchsia, and plum 15. Lavender, mauve, and orchid 16. White, cream, and blush 17. Two-tone and multicolor (all shades blue and purple) 18. Two-tone and multicolor (all shades pink and red) 19. Fantasy, chimera, and all edged Section IV - Standard Plants, Single, Semi¬ double, or Double Blossoms, Variegated Foli¬ age 20. Blue, purple, lavender, and orchid 21. Pink, red, fuchsia, coral, and wine 22. White, cream, and blush 23. Two-tone, multicolor, and edged Section V - Miniahure Plants, Single, Semi¬ double, or Double Blossoms 24. Purple and all shades of blue 25. Pink, coral, red, and fuchsia 26. Orchid and lavender 27. White and blush 28. Two-tone, multicolor, fantasy, chi¬ mera, and all edged 29. Purple and all shades of blue, vari¬ egated foliage 30. Pink, coral, red, and fuchsia, vari¬ egated foliage 31 . Orchid, lavender, white, and blush, variegated foliage 32. Two-tone, multicolor, fantasy, chi¬ mera, and all edged, variegated foliage Section VI - Semiminiature Plants, Single, Semidouble, or Double Blossoms 33. Purple and all shades of blue 34. Pink, coral, red, and fuchsia 35. Orchid and lavender 36. White and blush 37. Two-tone, multicolor, fantasy, chi¬ mera, and all edged 38. Purple and all shades of blue, vari¬ egated foliage 39. Pink, coral, red, and fuchsia, vari¬ egated foliage 40. Orchid, lavender, white, and blush, variegated foliage 41. Two-tone, multicolor, fantasy, chi¬ mera, and all edged, variegated foliage Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine 1 Section VII - Trailers and species. Single, Semidouble, or Double blossoms. Any T5rpe Foliage 42. Standard trailers 43. Miniature trailers 44. Semiminiature trailers 45. Saintpaulia species and natural hybrids Section VIII - New Cultivars and Vintage Violets 46. Seedlings 47. Sports or mutants 47 a. Vintage Violets - Standard violets introduced before 1965. (Entry card must show date introduced). 47 b. Vintage Violets - Miniature or semiminiature violets introduced before 1970. (Entry card must show date introduced). Design In 1892 African violets were discovered in the eastern part of Tanzania. They were sent to Germany by Baron Walter von Saint Paul- Illaire where they were given to Dr. Hermann Wendland, Director of Royal Botanic Gardens at Herrenhausen; then to England and eventu¬ ally to Armacost & Royston in California. Section XI - Container Gardens - Miniature gardens with one or more blooming African violet plants and other growing plants. All plants must be planted in the container; no cut plant material permitted; accessories optional. 55. "In the Beginning - Mt. Tongwe" Saintpaulias are found near the summit of Mt. Tongwe in the Usambara Mountains. A natural garden representing African violets growing in their native habitat. Not to exceed 20”. 56. "Tanga Territory" Botanists think that "S. lonantha" originated in the rock faces of the Amboni Caves near Tanga. A dish garden interpreting this location in Africa where the African violet originated. Not to exceed 20”. 57. "Arrival in Germany" A dish gar¬ den featuring some areas of the Royal Botanic Gardens such as winding paths, trees and groups of flowers. Not to exceed 20”. 58. "California, Here We Come" Ar¬ macost & Royston, a commercial floral com¬ pany in California ordered Saintpaulia seeds from Ernst Benary of Erfut, Germany and grew Section IX - African Violet Plant In Unusual Container 48. One African violet plant, either standard, miniature, or semiminiature in con¬ tainer 49. One African violet trailer in con¬ tainer Section X - Gesneriads Other Than African Violets 50. Miniatures (may be displayed in regular pots or growing in clear container, cover permitted) 51. Tuberous-rooted 52. Scaly-rhizomed 53. Fibrous-rooted 54. Gesneriads grown for ornamental foliage Division African violet plants, among others, in their greenhouses. A terrarium depicting a flower garden underglass. Not to exceed 30”. Section XII - Interpretive Plant Arrangements - All entries in this section must consist of one or more blooming African violet plants, removed from their pots. Fresh cut, dried, treated or painted plant material is {permitted. No artifi¬ cial plant material permitted. Accessories, backdrops and bases are optional. To be staged in white niches, 28” high, 24” wide, and 20” deep (side wing is 15” deep). 59. "Marching to Georgia" The first African violet show in the U.S. was held in Atlanta, Georgia, sponsored by H. G. Hastings Company in 1946, out of which evolved The African Violet Society of America, Inc., which held the first AVSA sanctioned show there in 1947. An interpretative plant arrangement fea¬ turing some facet of Atlanta — its past or its present. 60. "Blue Bo/' The most well-known of the first African violet introductions; also, the name of a famous painting by the British artist, Gainsborough. Anything goes in your own artistic endeavor. 61. "In the Pink" 'Pink Beaut/ was our first pink violet. Let your imagination go "pink!" 62. "Over the Rainbow" Multicolors 2 Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine and fantasies brighten our horizons. An ar¬ rangement full of color. 63. "Trail Along" Tinaris were the first to cross a standard African violet on S. Grotei. This hybridization was carried further by Lyndon Lyon with a cross on S. Magungensis. Out of these early efforts, our modem trailers emerged. An arrangement featuring an African violet trailer. Section XIII - Interpretive Flower Arrange¬ ments - A design using fresh cut African violet blossoms* and other fresh cut, dried, treated or painted plant material is permitted. Accesso¬ ries, backdrops and bases are optional. All in¬ terpretive flower arrangements shall be staged in white niches, 22" high, 18" wide, and 16" deep, with 12" side wings, except in classes 67, 70, and 71 . ^(Exception: Class 67, in which fresh- cut or dried blossoms may be used). 64. "Double Dip" African violets with double blossoms appear on the scene. An inter¬ pretive flower arrangement incorporating two containers, or a two-part container. 65. "Tommie Lou" A sport of "White Pride" discovered by. Tommie Lou Oden showed the first lacy green and white variega¬ tion in foliage. A green and white arrangement honoring this beauty. 66. "Stars in Your Eyes" Lyndon Lyon introduced the first star-shaped hybrids from crosses made with "Star Sapphire," a sport of "Blue Boy." An arrangement featuring stars. 67. 'Tinwheels Everywhere" The first pinwheel "Circus Boy" was registered in 1974, but they did not appear on the horizon in quan¬ tity until Granger Gardens brought out their varieties of "Desert Dawn" and "Valencia." A kinetic design using fresh and/or dried blos¬ soms and accessories to create a design which suggests movement or actual motion. 68. "Pot of Gold" A favoirte dream of African violet fanciers has been the "elusive" yellow violets. Nolan Blansit has realized that dream with his yellow hybrids. Fulfill your own dream with your own interpretation. 69. 'Violets in Space" Who knows what the year 2000 will bring! Will violets be grown in outer space to brighten some space station colony? Transport your imagination to the 21st Century. A suspended or hanging interpretation. 70. "Neptune" An underwater design. In ancient mythology, Neptune was the King of the Sea. Some of our earliest violets had names relating to the sea. An arrangement showing some aspects of the sea. 71. "Petite Jewels" Before 1965, the "so-called" miniatures were not very attractive or genetically stable. Our miniatures today are real jewels. A mini arrangement in any colored glass container not to exceed 8" in any direction. To be staged at eye level within a niche 10" high, 10" wide, 10" deep. Special Exhibits Division Section XIV - Education Exhibit tions) 72. Education exhibit (by invitation) 74. Newsletters (16 pages or less) Section XV - Affiliate Publications 75. Magazines (more than 16 pages) 73. Yearbooks (once-a-year publica- Commercial Horticulture Division Section XVI - Specimen Plants A. Collections 76. AVSA Collections 77. Holtkamp Memorial Collections B. New Cultivars (from seed or mutation) 78. Standard African Violets 79. Miniature African Violets 80. Semiminiature African Violets 81. Trailer African Violets (standard, miniature, semiminiature) C. Specimen African Violets 82. Standard, plain green foliage 83. Standard, variegated foliage 84. Miniatures, plain foliage 85. Miniatures, variegated foliage 86. Semiminiatures, plain foliage 87. Semiminiatures, variegated foliage 88. Trailers (standard, miniature, sem¬ iminiature) 89. Saintpaulia species Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine 3 Section XVII - Display Tables 91. Display Tables D. Gesneriads 90. Gesneriads (other than African vio¬ lets) Horticulture Division - Amateur Rules and Regulations 1 . Only amateiir AVSA members in good standing and registered at this convention are eligible to enter exhibits in this division. 2. ENTRIES will be accepted on Wednesday, April 22, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and on Thursday, April 23 from 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 6:00 p.m. If an entry is not entered by the owner, the name of the person making the entry must be on the back of the entry tag. Entries maybe checked out on Saturday, April 25, from 11:00 p.m. (after the show closes) until 1:00 a.m. 3. Only clean, healthy plants which have been in the possession of the exhibitor for at least three months will be accepted. 4. Plants must be correctly named or they will be subject to correction by the classification committee. 5. Double potting, flared-top pots, supports, and collars will not be permitted. Any shape and type of pot (round, square, clay, plastic, Oyamas, "Moist- Rites," etc.) for specimen plants will be accepted. For uniformity, all pots must be covered with aluminum foil, dull side out, except pots containing trailers, trailing species, trailing gesneriads, and gesneriads in protective containers, which may be left uncov¬ ered. 6. An exhibitor may enter only one plant of each variety in classes 2 through 45. 7. An exhibitor may enter plants of the same variety in classes 1, 48, and 49 as those in classes 1 through 45. 8. All plants in classes 1 through 49 must be single¬ crown plants except trailers and some species, which may be multiple-crown. S. Amazon velutina, S. Ama¬ zon grotei, S. Sigi Falls, and S. House of Amani will be accepted in Class 45. 9. Any number of new cultivars may be entered provided they have been originated by the exhibitor from hybridization, from purchased seeds, or from mutation; or the released rights in writing from the hybridizer have been given to the exhibitor for pur¬ chased seedlings. New cultivars may be entered by number or name, and the entry tag must indicate whether it is a new cultivar from seed or mutation. A sport (mutant) may be exhibited as a "Sport of _ ." If a name has been given to the sport, the name in parenthesis may follow, such as "Sport of V alencia' (Dale' s Dream') ." New cultivars must not have been previously shown in an AVSA Conven¬ tion Show. 10. Gesneriads (other than African violets) may be exhibited in protective containers, and neutral- colored mulch may be used on the soil surface. 1 1 . Exhibits will be judged by the merit method of judging. The decisions of the judges will be final. Only qualified AVSA judges will be permitted to serve as judges. 12. Only blue ribbon winners will be eligible to receive awards. 13. Any African violet entered in AVSA Collec¬ tion, Class 1, receiving a blue ribbon, will also be eligible for other awards. 14. All African violets entered in the Holtkamp Memorial Collection, Class la., must be AVSA regis¬ tered Optimara® and/or Rhapsodie® plants and must be different plants of the same type. 15. All African violets entered in the Dale Eyer- dom Memorial Collection, Class lb., must be AVSA registered Granger plants and must be different plants of the same type. 16. Only one collection may be entered by an exhibitor in each class: AVSA Collection Class, Holtkamp Memorial Collection Class and Dale Eyerdom Memorial Collection Class. 17. AVSA will afford all possible protection to exhibits, but will not be responsible for any damages or losses. Design Division Rules and Regulations 1. Both amateur and commercial AVSA members in good standing and registered at this convention are eligible to enter exhibits in this division. 2. ENTRIES will be accepted on Wednesday, April 22, from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. for convention work¬ ers only and on Thursday, April 23 from 9:00 to 1 1 :30 a.m. and 12:30 - 6:00 p.m. Each exhibitor may have only one entry per class. Exhibitors are limited to 6 entries in classes 59 through 71. 4 Supplement to January /February 1992 African Violet Magazine Entries in classes 55 through 58 are unlimited but reservations are required. All entries must be the creation of the exhibitor and must be placed by the exhibitor. Exhibitors will be permitted to work on their designs on Thursday, April 23 until 11:00 P.M., and on Friday, April 26, from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. for change of blossoms only. All exhibitors and their materials must be out of the show room by 8:00 a.m. Friday, April 24. 3. The American flag (or facsimile), artificial material, and live creatures may not be used in any design exhibit. 4. Dried, treated, weathered, and other colored plant materials may be used in aU classes, except Container Gardens. African violet plants and blos¬ soms may not be artificially colored. 5. Draping or altered backgrounds maybe used in all classes except 55 through 58 and 70 and 71. 6. No part of a design may touch or extend beyond the confines of the described niche or space dimen¬ sions. 7. All entries must have a white 3" x 5" card listing the African violet varieties and other plant materials (if known) used. A written subtitle defining the exhibitor's interpretation of the class may also be included on the cards, but it is not a requirement. 8. Exhibits will be judged by the merit method of judging. The decisions of the judges will be final. Only qualified A VS A judges will be permitted to serve as judges. 9. Only blue ribbon winners will be eligible to receive awards. 10. A VS A will afford all possible protection to exhibits, but will not be responsible for any damages or losses. 1 1 . Anyone desiring to reserve space in the design division must send a reservation blank postmarked no sooner than February 15, 1992 and sent no later than March 15, 1992 to Emilie Savage, 39 Mead Drive, Chillicothe, OH 45601. No telephone reservations will be accepted. Exhibitors who wish to cancel res¬ ervations must write to Mrs. Savage or call (614) 775- 0195. Special Exhibits Division Rules and Regulations 1. Only AVSA affiliates in good standing are eligible to enter yearbooks, newsletters and maga¬ zines. 2. Yearbooks must be mailed to the African Violet Judge's Coimcil of Northern California, Enid Wood, Chairman, 45 Hallmark Circle, Menlo Park, CA 94025-6682. Three copies of the yearbook must be in the possession of the judges by February 1, 1992. 3. Newsletters and magazines must be mailed to the Central Texas Judge's Council, Ray Pittman, Chairman, 12406 Alexandria St., San Antonio, TX 78233 by February 1, 1992. A complete club year of the issues must be submitted. Commercial Horticulture Division Rules and Regulations 1. Only commercial AVSA members in good standing and registered at this convention are eli¬ gible to enter either the Specimen Plant Section or the Display Table Section, but not both. They may also enter the Design Division. 2. For dates and times for entering exhibits, please refer to Rule 2 under HORTICULTURE DIVISION AMATEUR. 3. All plants must be correctly named, and all African violets must be single crown plants, except trailers, some species, and trailing gesneriads. 4. In the Specimen Plant Section, exhibitors may enter any number of plants in each class, but only one plant of the same variety in the same class. Exhibitors may enter plants of the same variety in the AVSA Collection, class 76, and Holtkamp Memorial Collec¬ tions, class 77, as are entered in the other classes. Exhibitors may enter either collection class or both. Plants entered in the Holtkamp Memorial Collection class must be AVSA registered Optimara® / Rhap- sodie® plants. 5. Only plants labeled "New Cultivar" in either the Specimen Plant Section or Display Table Section will be considered for AVSA Best New Cultivar Awards. 6. Entries for AVSA Best New Cultivar Awards may be seedlings (plants originally from seed), sports, or mutants originated by the exhibitors or the right and ownership to them released by the hybr¬ idizer, and must not have been previously shown in Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine 5 an AVSA Convention Show. Each entry must be labeled ''New Cultivar." 7. A covered 6' table with three tiers will be fur¬ nished for each exhibitor in the Display Table Sec¬ tion. 8. Each display table shall contain 15 plants (no merchandise). Three, all of the same type, mini¬ atures, semiminiatures, or miniature or semimini¬ ature trailers shall count as a specimen plant and be judged as one unit. The display must be predomi¬ nantly (at least 75%) African violets. Other gesneri- ads may be included in the 15 plants and will be judged. 9. Any plant, up to a maximum of 15 plants, on a display table may be designated as competing for the AVSA Best New Cultivar Awards, either standard, semiminiature, miniature and all types of trailers, either standard, semiminiature or miniature. 10. No other material, such as ivy, maybe used on a display table. 11. Colored lights which distort or enhance the color of the plants will not be permitted. 12. Any shape and type of pot for specimen plants will be permitted except flared top pots. Supports and collars will not be permitted. Pots in the speci¬ men plant section must be covered with aluminum foil, dull side out. Pots in the Display Table Section do not have to be covered and maybe elevated and tilted with individual display pot holders. 13. Prior to judging, signs, cards, or codes identi¬ fying the exhibitor may not be displayed on the display tables. 14. Exhibits will be judged by the merit method of judging. The decision of the judges will be final. Only qualified AVSA judges will be permitted to serve as judges. 15. Only blue ribbon winners will be eligible to receive awards. 16. AVSA will afford all possible protection to exhibits, but will not be responsible for any damages or losses. 17. Commercial Silver Trophies will be awarded as merited to the exhibitors of the Display Tables receiving the first, second and third highest number of points. An Honorable Mention Rosette will be awarded to the exhibitor receiving the fourth highest number of points. 18. A Point-Score Sheet shall be given each Dis¬ play Table Exhibitor to show how trophies are awarded. 19. To reserve a display table or for further infor¬ mation, contact). R. (Sundown) Pittman, 12406 Alex¬ andria St., San Antonio, Texas 78233. Phone (512) 656-0128. Design Division Reservations Name _ Address _ City _ St - Zip _ Phone _ I would like to enter the following design classes: (Limit six, excluding container gardens) 1 _ 4 _ 2 _ 5 _ 3 _ 6 _ Alternate Choices: 1 _ 2 _ 3 _ 1 would like to enter container gardens in the follo^ving classes: 1 _ 2 _ 3 _ Entries will be accepted only if postmarked February 15, 1992 or later. No telephone reser¬ vations will be accepted. Reservations will be on a first come basis. Please give your name, address, and telephone number so if there are cancellations or addi¬ tional openings, exhibitors may be notified. Send reservations BEFORE March 15, 1992, to: Mrs. Emilie Savage, 39 Mead Drive, Chillico- the, OH 45621. Exhibitors who wish to cancel reservations must write Mrs. Savage or call (614- 775-0195. 6 Supplement to January /February 1992 African Violet Magazine The African Violet Society of America, Inc. 46th Annual Convention Call for 1992 Annual Meeting The Annual Meeting of The African V iolet Society of America, Inc., will be held Saturday, April 25, 1992, 3:30 p.m., at The Hyatt Columbus at The Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio, for the purpose of electing officers and transacting business that may properly come before the meeting. Call for 1992 Board of Directors Meetings The African Violet Society of America, Inc. Board of Directors meetings will be held Tuesday, April 21, 1992, 9:00 a.m.; Wednesday, April 22, 1992, 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, April 26, 1992, 10:00 a.m., at The Hyatt Columbus at The Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio, for the purpose of transacting business that may properly come before the meetings. Call for 1992 Open Forum Meeting The eighth annual Open Forum meeting of the Board of Directors of The African Violet Society of America, Inc., will be held Thursday, April 23, 1992, at The Hyatt Columbus at The Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio, 5:00 p.m. At this time, the Board of Directors of AVSA will welcome any and all A VS A members to come and present any suggestions, ideas, questions, etc., which they may have. Registration For Judging School For New Students and Certificate Renewals The Hyatt Regency Columbus at Ohio Center Columbus, Ohio Thursday, April 23, 1992 Teacher: Mary Boland An AVSA judging school will be held on Thursday for AVSA members who wish to take their first judge's test and for AVSA judges who wish to renew their certificates. The lecture will be from 7:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon and must be attended in order to take the exam. The test begins at 2:00 p.m. The registration fee is $7.50. AVSA membership cards must be presented at the door. Proof of three blue ribbons is required for those renewing certificates. Persons testing for the first time do not need to present proof of three blue ribbons. Name _ AVSA Membership # _ Address _ City _ State _ Zip _ Judging status: Student (1st exam) _ Student (renewal) _ Advanced _ Auditing _ Complete this form (or facsimile) and mail with registration fee of $7.50 (make check payable to AVSA) and mail to Mary Boland, 6415 Wilcos Court, Alexandria, VA 22310, by March 22, 1992. The test will be based on the 1986 AVSA Handbook, with its updated pages. This is available from the AVSA Office, P. O. Box 3609, Beaumont, TX 77704. The cost of the handbook is $9.95. The cost of the revised pages is $3.50. Each price includes appropriate postage. Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine 7 Hotel Reservation Hyatt Hotels© of Columbus 1992 A VS A Convention, Show, and Annual Membership Meeting Please mail to: Hyatt Columbus at the Greater Columbus Convention Center 350 North High Street April 20 - 26, 1992 Columbus, Ohio 43215 The African Violet Society of America, Inc. (614) 463-1234 Group Number AV Name Address City _ State _ Zip _ Phone number _ Sharing room with _ Make check or money order payable to The Hyatt Columbus at The Greater Columbus Convention Center. Do not send currency. To confirm your reservations, the hotel accepts only one of the following as means of payment: _ One Night's Deposit Enclosed _ MasterCard _ American Express _ ^VISA _ Diner's Club _ Discover Card Credit Card # Expiration Date Deposit refundable if reservation is cancelled 24 hours prior to arrival (phone - The Hyatt Columbus at The Greater Columbus Convention Center. Phone number: 1-614-463-1234. Room rate: $ 95.00 single / double $105.00 triple / quad 15.75% Occupancy Tax Suite rates available upon request Accommodations requested: _ Single _ Double (two persons) _ Triple (three persons) _ (3uad (four persons) number of persons in room Arrival Date _ (Check in 3:00 p.m.) Departure Date _ (Check out by noon) Bed types available: double, king (upon request) - bed type not guaranteed. Room rates subject to 15.75% sleeping room tax. Reservations must be received by: March 22. 1992. The A VS A reserved room block will be released after this date. 8 Supplement to January/ February 1992 African Violet Magazine AVSA's 46th Annual Convention & Show "AFRICAN VIOLETS - HERITAGE & HORIZONS" — A Century of Violets April 20 - 26, 1992 — Hyatt Columbus at the Greater Columbus (OH) Convention Center REGISTRATION FORM PLEASE MAKE RESERVATIONS BEFORE APRIL 8, 1992 COMPLETE ONE REGISTRATION FORM FOR EACH MEMBER AS WELL AS EACH NON-MEMBER. FoUowing receipt of your Registration, you will receive confirmation from the AVSA Office. Non-members are entitled to participate in all activities except presentations and those requiring a membership card for entry. Current AVSA Membership Card required at Registration. GENERAL INFORMATION: Membership # _ Mr./Mrs./Miss _ _ Last Name First Name Middle Initial Area Code/Phone # Street or P. O. Box Apt. # City/State Zip CIRCLE APPROPRIATE STATUS: (A) Individual Member (B) Life Member (C) Honorary Life Member (D) Associate Member (E) Judge (F) Senior Judge (G) Master Judge (H) Commercial Member (I) Judging School Teacher (J) Bronze Medal Winner (K) Board Member (L) Affiliate President (M) Non-Member (Guest) This is my (#) _ ^Convention. Name to go on badge:. Is there any possibility that you might bring horticultural exhibits? (If yes, entries information will be mailed to you.) Yes _ No In case of emergency, who should be notified? Name Relationship Area Code/Phone # TRAVEL BY: Personal Car Rental Car RV CONVENTION REGISTRATION: AVSA or Associate Member AVSA or Associate Member (after April 8, 1992) Non-Member (Guest) Non-Member (Guest) (after April 8, 1992) Plane Airline:. Other ACCOMMODATIONS: Hyatt Columbus _ Other _ $20.00 $ $35.00 $. $23.00 $. $38.00 $ TOTAL REGISTRATION $ _ MEALS: PERSONS WISHING TO BE SEATED TOGETHER AT MEALS (LIMIT 8 PER TABLE) MUST MAIL REGISTRATIONS IN THE SAME ENVELOPE BEFORE THE APRIL 8 DEADLINE. NO EXCEPTIONS. 1 Fri., Apr. 24 Teachers' Breakfast (Regency breakfast) $11.25 $ 2 Fri., Apr. 24 (Opening Dinner (German Night) $27.00 $. 3 Sat., Apr. 25 Judges' Breakfast (Regency continental) $ 8.50 $ 4 Sat., Apr. 25 Commercial Breakfast (Regency breakfast) $11.25 $. 5 Sat., Apr. 25 Luncheon (Chicken stir fry) $13.75 $ 6 Sat., Apr. 25 Installation Banquet (chicken breast w/stuffed shrimp) $28.00 $ 7 Sim., Apr. 26 Future Conventions Bkfst. (Regency continental) $ 8.50 $ 8 Sun., Apr. 26 Board of Directors Limch (cold plate) $13.75 $. TOTAL MEALS $. Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine 9 TOURS: (*meals included in the price of the tour) 1 Monday, Apr. 20 Historic Columbus & Greek Cathedral $21.50 $ 2 Monday, Apr. 20 Columbus Metrotour * $41.00 $ 3 Tuesday, Apr. 21 Granger Gardens & (^uail Crest Farm* $35.00 $ 4 Tuesday, Apr. 21 Malabar Farm, Malabar Inn & Kingwood Center* $38.00 $ 5 Tuesday, Apr. 21 Potpourri of Special Places* $31.00 $ 6 Wednesday, Apr. 22 Chillicothe, Mound City & Adena* $35.00 $ 7 Wednesday, Apr. 22 Dawes Arboretum, Bryn Mawr, Granville* $41.00 $ 8 Wednesday, Apr. 22 An Evening in The German Village $29.00 $ 9 Thursday, Apr. 23 US Air Force Museum & Patterson AFB $24.00 $ 10 Thursday, Apr. 23 Inniswood Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve $12.00 $ TOTAL TOURS $. PRESENTATIONS: (Please check those presentations which you wish to attend.) Friday, April 24 _ 1. 9:30 a.m.-ll:00 a.m. _ 2. 9:30 a.m.-l 1:00 a.m. _ 3. 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. _ 4. 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. _ 5. 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. _ 6. 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25 ''New Cures on the Horizon" (pests) by Dr. Charles Cole "Winners — You on the Horizon" (horticulture) by Dr. Richard Nicholas "Blue was our Heritage, but is the Rainbow on the Horizon?" by Dr. Jeff Smith "Little Winners on the Horizon" (miniatures) by Patricia Champagne 'Trailing into the Horizon" (trailers) by Jamie Christiansen "Winners — You on the Horizon" (horticulture) by Dr. Richard Nicholas 7. 9:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m. "New Cures on the Horizon" (pests) by Dr. Charles Cole 8. 9:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m. "New Designers View over the Horizon" by Bob Green 9. 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. "Beginners Forum" Moderator: Mary Boland Panel: Dr. Charles Cole, Kent Stork, Anne Tinari PAYMENT: (Make checks payable to COLUMBUS OHIO CONVENTION ACCOUNT) Send payment and completed registration form to: AVSA Office, P. O. Box 3609 Beaumont, TX 77704 ph. (409) 839-4725 Check one: Total Registration $ _ _ Visa # _ Total Meals $ _ Expires _ Total Tours $ _ _ MasterCard # _ TOTAL PAYMENT ENCLOSED $ _ Expires _ NOTE: Cancellations must be received _ Check or Money Order enclosed by April 8, 1992 to be entitled to a refund. _ _ Signature (if using card) 10 Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine Come Join Us Friday and Saturday Night ... At the Columbus Convention Two of the most exciting events at every AVSA Convention are the Friday and Saturday night banquets ... and this year will be no excep¬ tion! Friday night, April 24, will be German Party Night. The special menu, served family style at each table, will include a garden salad with a medly of dressings, sauerbraten (roast beef), bratwurst (pork sausage), and knockwurst, warm German potato salad, warm apple sauce, German noodles, German mustard and a whole lot more. A tray of miniature German pastries will also be included. Adding to your Friday eve¬ ning of great food will also be great entertainment provided by authentic German dancers and musicians ... plus quite a few of the ever popular sing- alongs. Actor-singer Phill Wilson will be the featured entertain¬ ment for the Saturday night, April 25, banquet. Phill's first record, "One Love," was cut during the heyday of rock and roll ... the 50s. He found himself singing in the company of art¬ ists like Neil Sedaka, Rick Nel¬ son, Ann Margaret and Hoyd Kramer. He also toured the U.Ss with the national touring com¬ pany of "Hootenanny." As an actor, he has appeared in over 35 television commer¬ cials and most recently ap¬ peared in the films, "Mischief," with Kelly Preston and Doug McKeon and 'Teachers" with Nick Nolte and Judd Hirsch. The dinner at this banquet will feature "The Favorite Grill," which is a special herbed chicken breast and shrimp stuffed with crabmeat momay . Also included is a marinated salad of Boston lettuce with mari¬ nated broccoli, cauliflower, onions, mush¬ rooms, tomato wedges and a sour cream dress¬ ing, rice, seasoned vegetables, rolls, chocolate chip cheese cake and beverages. The evening will also include live back¬ ground and dinner music. You won't want to miss out on all the fun — so come and join us while you are in Columbus enjoying the spectacular AVSA show, the commercial room and AmeriFlora '92. Hyatt Columbus At The Greater Columbn Convention Center 350 North High Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Phone #: 1-(614) 463-1234 Supplement to January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine H Attention: Judges All Advanced, Senior and Master Judges are eligible to judge in the Columbus show. If you would like to judge, please complete the form below and mail to: Bill Foster, 3610 Gray Dr., Mesquite, TX 75150. These must be postmarked no later than March 1, 1992. If you plan to ex¬ hibit in the show, please indicate which class or classes you plan to enter. Do not serve on en¬ tries, classification or placement if you apply to judge. Please indicate if you are experienced in any of the listed areas. If accepted, you will receive notification of assignment. Applica¬ tions received after March 15, 1992 will be filed in the event of cancellations and/ or vacancies. Name City St Zip j Classes entered Type of Judge: Experience: Advanced Minis/ Semiminis Senior Trailers Master Species AGGS Design Nat'l Council Commercial Attention: Judges Clerks Student and Advanced Judges are invited to serve as clerks for the Columbus Show. Any va¬ cancies may be filled by other members. This means that A VS A members may apply to serve as clerks; however, judges will be given first preference. Any positions remaining will be filled by members in order in which applica¬ tions are received. All clerks will receive a letter of notification, explaining their respective du¬ ties. Mail to: Bill Foster, 3610 Gray Dr., Mes¬ quite, TX 75150. These must be postmarked no later than March 1, 1992. AttnzHybridizers R, Pittman 12406 Alexandria San Antonio, TX 78233 It's later than you think time once again to get the cameras out and take slides of your new cultivars for the Co¬ lumbus (OH) AVSA Convention. I will be doing the program of new cultivars at the Saturday luncheon. This is your opportunity to show off your new introductions to the hundreds of people in attendance. This is a great chance for some free advertising. Please send your slides to me by April 1, 1992, so I can work up the program. I would like a slide of the plant and a close-up of the blossom, if possible. Please include a desaiption of the plant. You may send as many as you like and I will tiy to work them into the program. The convention in Columbus is our time to make "violet history" and show off "African Violets - Heritage and Hori¬ zons" - (A Century of Violets 1892 - 1992). The dates are April 20-26, 1992. Hosts & Hostesses If you would like to help in Columbus by serving as a host or hostess in the show room, please send the information listed below, by March 31, 1992, to: Mrs. Thelma Miller 1771 Kermit Avenue Columbus, OH 43207 Name Name - Street - City - St - Zip - _ Student Judge _ Advanced Judge _ AVSA member Address _ City _ State _ Zip. Phone # _ 12 Supplement to January/ February 1992 African Violet Magazine The African Violet Society of America, Inc. 46th Annual Convention & Show April 20 - 26, 1992 Hyatt Columbus at the Greater Columbus Convention Center 350 North High Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 614-463-1234 THEME: "AFRICAN VIOLETS - HERITAGE AND HORIZONS" A Century of Violets 1892 - 1992 Sponsored by: OHIO STATE AFRICAN VIOLET SOCIETY SUNDAY, April 19, 1992 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m . Convention Registration 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m . Convention Information MONDAY, April 20, 1992 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m . Convention Registration 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m . Convention Information 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m . Tour #1 - Historic Columbus & Greek Cathedral 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m . Tour #2 - Columbus Metrotour 12:00 n to completion . Executive Board - Luncheon meeting TUESDAY, April 21, 1992 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Registration 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Information 8:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m . Tour #3 - Granger Gardens & Quail Crest Farm 8:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m . Tour #4 - Malabar Farm, Malabar Inn & Kingwood Center 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m . Board of Directors Opening Meeting 6:30 p.m. - 10:15 p.m . Tour #5 - Potpourri of Special Places 10:15 p.m . Publications Committee Meeting WEDNESDAY, April 22, 1992 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Registration 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Information 8:15 a.m. -to 4:30 p.m . Tour #6 - Chillicothe and Adena 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m . Tour #7 - Dawes Arboretum, Bryn Mawr and Granville 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . AVSA Information & Sales 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . Convention Committee Meeting 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . Shows & Judges Committee Meeting 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Lancaster Promotional Table 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Building Fund Table 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m . AVSA Information & Sales Supplement to January/ February 1992 African Violet Magazine 13 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m . 1st VP meets with Committee Chairmen 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m . 2nd VP meets with Committee Chairmen 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m . 3rd VP meets with Committee Chairmen 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m . Open Forum 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m . Classification & Entries for convention workers ONLY 6:15 p.m. to 10:00 p.m . . . Tour #8 - An Evening in German Village 8:00 p.m. to completion . Board of Directors Meeting THURSDAY, April 23, 1992 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m . Judging School 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Registration 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Information 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m . Commercial Sales open 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m . Hospitality Room 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . AVSA Information & Sales 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m . Classification & Entries 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m . Tour #9 - The Air Force Museum 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m . Tour #10 - Inniswood Botanical Garden 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Lancaster Promotional Table 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Building Fund Table 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m . Classification & Entries 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m . AVSA Information & Sales 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m . Hospitality Room 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m . Salary Committee Meeting 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m . President's Reception for members of the Board of Directors 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m . Commercial Sales Room open 8:00 p.m. & 9:30 p.m . Social Hour & Slides 11:00 p.m . Design work will close for the night FRIDAY, April 24, 1992 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m . Design Exhibitors will be permitted to work on their designs for replacement of blossoms ONLY, 7:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m . Teachers Breakfast 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Registration 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m . Convention Information 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m . Instructions for those judging and clerking for the show 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m . Commercial Sales open 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . AVSA Information & Sales 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m . Hospitality Room 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m . Presentation 1 "New Cures on the Horizon" (pests) Speaker - Dr. Charles Cole 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m . Presentation 2 "Winners on the Horizon" (horticulture) Speaker - Dr. Richard Nicholas 10:00 a.m. to completion . Judging of the show 14 Supplementto January/February 1992 African Violet Magazine 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Lancaster Promotional Table ' 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m . Presentation 3 "Blue was our Heritage, but is the Rainbow on the Horizon?" Speaker - Dr. Jeff Smith 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m . Presentation 4 "Little Winners on the Horizon" (miniatures) Speaker - Patricia Champagne 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m . AVSA Information & Sales 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m . Hospitality Room 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p,m . Presentation 5 "Trailing into the Horizon" (trailers) Speaker - Jamie Christiansen 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m . Presentation 6 "Winners on the Horizon" (horticulture) Speaker - Dr. Richard Nicholas 4:30 p.m. to completion . Photography - AVM 4:30 p.m. to completion . Photography - Library 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m . Opening Reception (cash bar) 6:30 p.m. to completion . Opening Dinner Amateur Awards to be presented: - Best, 2nd Best, 3rd Best in Show - Best and 2nd Best AVSA Collections - Best, 2nd Best, 3rd Best Granger Collections - Best, 2nd Best, 3rd Best Holtkamp Collections - Best Standard - Best Miniature - Best Semiminiature - Best Trailer - Sweepstakes and Sweepstakes Runner-Up in Horticulture Design Awards to be presented - Best and 2nd Best in Design - Sweepstakes and Sweepstakes Runner-Up in Design Commercial Awards to be presented - Best, 2nd Best, 3rd Best, 4th Best Display Tables - Best, 2nd Best, 3rd Best, 4th Best Horticultural Perfection Display Tables - Best African Violet from Display Tables - Best, 2nd Best, 3rd Best New Cultivars - Best in Commercial Specimen Plants - Best and 2nd Best AVSA Collections - Best, 2nd Best, 3rd Best Holtkamp Collections 9:30 p.m. to 12:00 midnight . Show open to AVSA Convention Registrants Only 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m . Commercial Sales Open SATURDAY, April 25, 1992 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m . Show Room open for photography (Convention Registrants ONLY) Supplement to January /February 1992 African Violet Magazine 15 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m . Commercial Members Breakfast 7:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m . Judges Workshop & Breakfast 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Convention Registration 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Convention Information 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m . Show Room open to Convention Registrants & the public 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m . Commercial Sales open 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . AVSA Information & Sales 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m . Hospitality Room 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . Agriculture Officials available to certify plant materials for transporting into controlled countries and states 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m . Presentation 7 ''New Cures on the Horizon" (pests) Speaker - Dr. Charles Cole 9:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m . Presentation 8 "New Designers View over the Horizon" Speaker - Bob Green 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Lancaster Promotional Table 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m . Building Fund Table 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m . Presentation 9 Beginners Forum Moderator: Mary Boland Panel: Charles Cole, Kent Stork & Anne Tinari 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m . Luncheon Slides of new introductions 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m . Hospitality Room open 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m . AVSA Information & Sales 3:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m . Annual Membership Meeting 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m . PRESIDENT'S RECEPTION & HOSPITALITY HOUR Meet & congratulate the show winners during this reception (non-alcoholic punch provided) (cash bar) 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m . Installation Banquet Awards to be presented: - Tinari Greenhouses Membership Award - Publications Awards - Honorary Society Awards 9:45 p.m. to 11:00 p.m . Show Room open 11:10 p.m . Instructions for entry check out 11:00 p.m. to completion . N. Y. State Meeting SUNDAY, April 26, 1992 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . Commercial Sales break down 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m . Future Conventions Breakfast 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m . Entries check out 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon . Show Room clean up 10:00 a.m. to completion . Board of Directors Meeting 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m . Board of Directors Luncheon ALL AREAS MUST BE CLEARED BY 12:00 NOON 16 Supplement to January/ February 1992 African Violet Magazine Convention Tours Tour#l Monday, April 20, 1992 ^DBOOVER Leave: 8:30 a.m. Return 12:30 p.m. HISTORIC COLUMBUS & THE GREEK CATHEDRAL Tour Columbus with Rich Broderick whose excellent and knowledgeable commentary will entertain and educate you in this beautiful city. See such old neighborhoods as German Village, Victorian Village, and the Brewery District. At the historic Kelton House, you will be greeted by authentically costumed docents who will take you on a tour of this beautiful Victorian mansion. You will also see the beautiful Victo¬ rian Village, the Governor's Mansion and end this exciting tour at the modem, breathtaking Church of the Anunciation. This newly built multi-million dollar Greek Cathedral is filled with Middle East craftsmanship. Return to the hotel on the bus or walk the two short blocks to the hotel. You may want to take in the historic Clock Restaurant, only a few blocks from the Cathedral. The bus driver will be glad to drop you there. Tour #2 Monday, April 20, 1992 Leave: 8:30 a.m. Return: 5:00 p.m. Travel time to first stop - 30 nrdn. COLUMBUS METROTOUR Bulletin: The Panda Bears from China will be in residence! We start this wonderful day with a guided tour of the Columbus Zoo. See the largest chee¬ tah and reptile collection in North America. The Columbus Zoo has one of the most successful breeding programs, in the world, of lowland gorillas. "Ma Colo" and two generations of her descendants will be on view. Next we will visit a most unusual restaurant, Biddies Coach House. This grand old house, decorated with handpainted murals and nu¬ merous antiques, was a stage coach inn back in 1830. We will enjoy a tea basket lunch with soup or salad, finger sandwiches, beverage and des¬ sert. After lunch we will journey to Ohio State University for a guided tour around the cam¬ pus and then, as the grand finale, enter the Wexner Center for the Contemporary Arts. This architecturally controversial building is impressive and will capture your attention. There we will be treated to several interesting exhibits including, "Black and White," which traces haut couture from the 1920s to today. Bring your cameras and wear your walking shoes. Toiur #3 Tuesday, April 21, 1992 Leave: 8:00 a.m. Return: 5:45 p.m. Travel time 2 hours to first stop GRANGER GARDENS & QUAIL CREST FARM Travel to Medina, the home of Eyerdom's Granger Gardens. There you will have an op¬ portunity to see, order or buy the many out¬ standing offspring of Eyerdom creativity. Only half an hour from Medina is a beautiful old bank barn which has been turned into a great restaurant. The Bam, filled with wonderful antiques, quilts, old farm tools and fabulous food which is served family style. Our meal will include a choice of meats, numerous vege¬ tables, bread, beverage and assorted cream AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 37 pies. Also on the ground of The Bam are several gift shops. Stroll around the lake, feed the ducks, view the garden or just relax. Next we will visit Quail Crest Farm where you will see an extraordinary array of herbs (live or dried), over 300 varieties of field and p)ot grown perennials. Visit the gift shops contain¬ ing a wonderful variety of crafts, Ohio baskets, mgs, dolls, specialty cookbooks, stained glass, pewter, garden statuary and terra-cotta plant¬ ers. So, bring your checkbook and a large shop¬ ping bag on this full and exciting day. Tour #4 Tuesday, April 21, 1992 Leave: 8:00 a.m. Return: 5:45 p.m. Travel time to first stop - 1:45 min. MALABAR FARM, MALABAR INN KINGWOOD CENTER Come journey with us to some of the loveliest scenery that you could ever want to see. Gentle, verdant curves, green and restful with rolling hills is the setting for the home of Louis Bromfield's Malabar Farm. This 914-acre state park is a working farm with a small beef and dairy herd. The Bromfield Mansion of 32 beau¬ tifully appointed rooms will be available for us to tour. Lauren Bacall & Humphrey Bogart were married in the garden here. Our delightful lunch of stuffed chicken breast, salad, rolls, vegetables, beverage and carrot cake will be in the historic restored Mal¬ abar Inn. Originally an old stage coach inn built in 1820, this building, with walls two feet thick, is a place not to be missed. After lunch we will travel to Mansfield, Ohio, and there enjoy the Kingwood Center. Its many gardens, wonderful mansion, greenhouses, fragrant and overflowing with color, present a wonderful variety of plants from all over the world. The gardens in April should be filled with a vista of daffodils and tulips. Bring your camera and be prepared for a beautiful day! Tour #5 Tuesday, April 21, 1992 Leave: 6:30 p.m. Return: 10:15 p.m. POTPOURRI OF SPECIAL PLACES The stops on this tour are too interesting to be missed each one unique and wonderful. First we will see the Topiary Park. It contains 55 larger-than-life figures, a dog and a monkey and a small lake with four topiary boats. Make sure you have your camera and lots of film. We will next venture to the exact replica of Christopher Columbus' flagship, the Santa Maria, which will be at the riverfront for your insp)ection. On our way to the Cultural Arts Center we will pass Bicentennial Park, with its beautiful fountain, and bed after bed of flow¬ ers. The Cultural Arts Center, with its Itali- anate-style building, was once the Ohio State Arsenal. It now houses a remarkable beehive of artistic activities and displays and the view from the third floor is breathtaking. The evening will culminate with a special dinner at the Kahiki Pol3mesian Supper Club. The menu includes egg roll, chicken rumaki, shrimp toast, coconut chicken, shrimp lomain, Szechuan spicy beef, fortune cookie and bever¬ age. This is the one tour you won't want to miss! Tour #6 Wednesday, April 22, 1992 Leave: 8:15 a.m. Return: 4:30 p.m. Travel time to first stop 1:15 min HISTORIC CHILLICOTHE, MOUND CITY & ADENA South of Columbus is some of the most his- 38 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 torically interesting land in Ohio. In Ross County, we will see the burial grounds of the pre-historic Hopewell Indians. A National Park Ranger will tell us about this ancient and mys- terious culture which created a busy society with elaborate burial systems and mounds, at the time of the Egyptian pharoahs. Next we will visit "Adena/' the home of Ohio's sixth gover¬ nor, Thomas Worthington. His beautiful home is furnished with antiques of the 1810 period and sits on a lovely Mil overlooking the Scioto River Valley. TMs is an arcMtectural gem not to be missed. Our lunch has been arranged by Emilie Sav¬ age at the CMllicothe Country Club and should prove a totally relaxing time. We will dine on Oriental cMcken salad in patty shells. After lunch we will meet the Director of the Ross County Historical Society who will escort us through CMllicothe to the many important and Mstorical sites. Beautiful homes, restored estates, old-fashioned street lights, brick streets — Middle America at its best. A great day and still, we will get back in time to rest before the evening tour. Tour #7 Wednesday, April 22, 1992 Leave: 8:15 a.m. Return: 5:15 p.m. Travel time to the first stop - 1 hour DAWES ARBORETUM, BRYN MAWR, GRANVILLE Dawes Arboretum is umque. It contains the northern most swamp in the Umted States and one of the best Japanese gardens in the nation — plus, a hedge with letters 145 Mgh and 2,050 feet long. There is a tower from which you may view tMs spectacle. Dawes also features a collection of flowering crabapple trees, beautiful gardens and is a bird sanctuary as well. Inspect the garden center. TMs garden contains an exten¬ sive collection of bonsai and a fine gift whop wMch youTl want to visit. Lunch will be at Bryn Mawr, a restored Victorian mansion which was built in 1853. The colonaded entry, 12-foot ceil¬ ing, marble fireplaces and crystal chandeliers will entrance you — to say notMng of the ele¬ gant food. Lunch will be quiche, beverage and selection of desserts. Following lunch we will visit picturesque GranHlle with time for you to explore tMs tranquil village, complete with a wMte church steeple, charming small shops and the Old Buxton Inn. Browse, shop or stroll and relax. A truly magnificent day! Sausa^Haus und Restaurant Tour #8 Wednesday, April 22, 1992 Leave: 6:15 p.m. Return: 10:00 p.m. AN EVENING IN GERMAN VILLAGE Did you ever have an overwhelming urge to sing jolly German drinking songs and bang your mug on the table and not have to worry about a designated driver or whether anyone else has a designated driver? Well, here it is! We are going to have a rousing good time at one of Columbus' favorite places for good food and a good time. Don't worry, if s really very sedate, and well have our own party room. The menu is to be a German Village Buffet (Schmidf s own bratwurst, smoked Bahama Mamas, German potato salad, hot kraut & pork, coffee, tea, beer, various breads plus roast beef au jus and ending with the unbelievable, fa¬ mous, Schmidf s jumbo cream puff. You won't believe it until you see it (pardon me, eat it)! After this pleasurable experience, you will visit a book store that has grown like Topsy to an unbelievable 27--room storehouse of every beautiful book that you have ever dreamed of finding at a bargain. They have promised to order a whole table of books on African violets. Knowing from experience how few of those are AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febmary 1992 39 in print, it will be interesting to see how well they do. Come along for the fun and great food. Wait until you taste the famous Bahama Mama sausage and the sweet kraut! It'll make you remember Columbus. Add to your antici¬ pation by reading Mary Martin's article, "His¬ toric Columbus Village,' in the September/ October 1991 issue of the African Violet Maga¬ zine. Tour #9 Thursday, April 23, 1992 Leave: 9:30 a.m. Return: 6:00 p.m. Travel time each way - 1:45 min OFF WE GO ... INTO THE WILD BLUE YONDER FLYING HIGH ... INTO THE SUN and our destination will be Fairborn, Ohio, and the Air Force Museum, repository of memories and memorabilia from the history of flight and the U.S. Air Force! Come along for an unforgettable journey into the past of our country and the world of flight. Be prepared to lunch at your leisure in the Museum Cafe, and take in the two marvelous films at your convenience in the IM AX Theater. "The Dream is Alive," (this is a must for all on this tour), will give you the incredible sensation of flight in the space shuttle, while in "To Fly," you will travel past the speed of sound with the Blue Angels and feel the marvelous serenity of a balloon ascent over the glorious peaks of Hawaii. At the museum there are over 200 aircraft for your inspection and artifacts from our earliest flights through space. What a day is in store for you! This is a trip that you won't want to miss. At 9:30 a.m. we'll be boarding and then up and away for landing at the Hyatt by 6:00 p.m. (Movies and lunch are on your own.) fjifi Inniswood II Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve Tour #10 Thursday, April 23, 1992 Leave: 9:00 a.m. Return: 12:45 p.m. Travel time each way - 30 min. INNISWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN AND NATURE PRESERVE Bring your camera and let a friend "shoot" you framed in the moon window of the gazebo or beside its small pool and fountain. This great garden was founded with the gift of a 37-acre estate. Later 54 more acres were added to the initial gift. It is a wonderful bird sanctuary among magnificent beech-maple forests and gardens of extraordinary beauty. The Park District has added a beautiful herb garden partly planned and wholly maintained by the Central Ohio Chapter of the Herb Society of America. The original rock garden was renovated this year. You will delight in the many kinds of wildlife which reside within this lovely garden — in¬ cluding deer who love the buds in the rose garden. Future Convention Dates Columbus, OH - April 20 - 26, 1992 Lancaster, PA - April 19 - 24, 1993 Denver, CO - May 23 - 28, 1994 St. Louis, MO - May 22 - 27, 1995 Atlanta, GA - May 23 - 27, 1996 40 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 1992 Columbus Convention/Show Awards Esther Edwards Wells, Awards Chairman SOCIETY AWARDS Amateur Division Best African Violet - Silver Cup and Rosette 2nd Best African Violet - Award of Merit Ro¬ sette and $15 3rd Best African Violet - Honorable Mention Rosette and $10 Best AVSA Collection - Gold Rosette 2nd Best AVSA Collection - Purple Rosette Best Miniature - Rosette Best Semiminiature - Rosette Best Standard - Rosette Best Trailer - Rosette Best Other Gesneriad - Rosette Sweepstakes in Horticulture - Rosette Sweepstakes Runner-Up in Horticulture - Ro¬ sette Design Division Amateur and Commercial Best Design - Silver Cup and Rosette 2nd Best Design - Rosette Sweepstakes in Design - Rosette Sweepstakes Runner-Up in Design - Rosette Commercial Specimen Plants Best African Violet - Silver Cup and Blue Ro¬ sette Best AVSA Collection - Gold Rosette 2nd Best AVSA Collection - Purple Rosette Commercial Display Tables Best Display Table - Silver 2nd Best Display Table - Silver 3rd Best Display Table - Silver 4th Best Display Table - Honorable Mention Rosette Best Horticultural Perfection - Blue Rosette 2nd Best Horticultural Perfection - Red Rosette 3rd Best Horticultural Perfection - White Ro¬ sette 4th Best Horticultural Perfection - Lavender Rosette Best African Violet - Rosette Best New Cultivar - Blue Rosette 2nd Best New Cultivar - Red Rosette 3rd Best New Cultivar - White Rosette Best New Cultivar from display tables or speci¬ men plants - Plaque Affiliate Yearbooks Best Yearbook - Blue Rosette and $50 2nd Best Yearbook - Red Rosette and $35 3rd Best Yearbook - White Rosette and $25 4th Best Yearbook - Lavender Rosette and $10 Affiliate Newsletters (16 pages or less) Best Newsletter - Blue Rosette and $50 2nd Best Newsletter - Red Rosette and $25 Affiliate Magazines (more than 16 pages) Best Magazine - Blue Rosette and $50 2nd Best Magazine - Red Rosette and $25 SPECIAL AWARDS Amateur Division - Specified Awards Best Granger Collection . . . $300 2nd Best Granger Collection . . . . . . $200 3rd Best Granger Collection . . . . $100 Best Holtkamp Collection . ..$300 2nd Best Holtkamp Collection . $200 3rd Best Holtkamp Collection . .$100 Best Vintage Violet Class 47a . . . $10 Best Vintage Violet Class 47 b . $10 Donated by Friends of Dale Eyerdom Friends of Dale Eyerdom .................Ohio State AVS ..Holtkamp Greenhouses ..Holtkamp Greenhouses ...Holtkamp Greenhouses . . Emilie Savage . Emilie Savage Specific Varieties Donated by Dawn Michelle . . . $25 . Patches & Pots Emilie Savage . . . $10 . Emilie Savage AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 41 Everdina . Happy Cricket . Judy Partain ............... Lucy Locket . Mickey Mouse . Ness' Viking Maiden Ohio Heritage . Petite Jewel. . Precious Pink . Pride of Columbus .... Rob's Fiddle Paddle.. Sugar Bear Blues . Sundown Trail . White Cameo . . . $10 . . . .....Hans & Everdina Inpijn $10 . . . . . Town & Country AVS $10 . . . . . . . . . ..Judy Partain $15 . . . Mary's V iolet Joy $10 . . . . . .....Hans & Everdina Inpijn $10 . . . Midland Violets $25 . . . .......Ruby Cox $10 . . . .....Magic Knight AVS $10 . . J. R. & Hortense Pittman $50 . . . . . J. R, & Hortense Pittman $20 . . . Ralph Robinson $10 . . . Midland Violets $10 . ....J. R. & Hortense Pittman $25 . . . .Tinari Greenhouses OTHER AWARDS $100 donated by Lone Star AV Council $75 donated by Springfield AVC (OH) $50 donated by AVS of Minnesota, Upper Pinel¬ las AVS $30 donated by Ohio State AV Judges Council $25 donated by Alpha AVS, AV Study Club of Houston, AVS of Canton (3), AVS of Phila¬ delphia, Baltimore AVC (2), Central Texas Judges Council, First AVS of Dallas, First AVS of Wichita Falls, First Nighter AVS of Dallas, Metropolitan St. Louis AVC, Mid- America AVS, Missouri Valley AVC, New Jersey Council of AV Judges, Quad City AVS, Spring Branch AVC, Tristate AV Council, David Buttram $20 donated by AVS of Lower Bucks County, Bellflower AVS, Yvonne & L. T. Ozio, Jr. $15 donated by Bluff City AVC, Central Florida AVS, Flowertown Violet Club, New York City AVS, Inc., St. Louis AV Judges' Coun¬ cil, Bill & Paula Foster, Leonard & Elaine Re $10 donated by Amethyst AV Club (2), AV Hobbyists of Sacramento, AVS of Greater Kansas City, AVS of San Francisco, Brew City Violeteers, Cen-Tex Rainbow AVC, Fort Worth AVS, Hoosier AVS, NASA Area AVS, Nite Bloomers AVS, Pied Pipers AVS, Tampa AVS (5), Thousand Oaks AVS, Town & Country AVS, Union County Chapter (2), Unpredictable AV Club, Wis¬ consin Council of AV Clubs, Carroll Gealy, Edward E. Hoefer, Alma S. Hummer, Judy Partain, Sue Ramser, Pat Richards, Libby A. Watkins Rosette donated by AVS of Western New York Commercial Division - Specified Awards - Commercial Specimen Plants Donated by Best Holtkamp Collection..... . $300 . ....Holtkamp Greenhouses 2nd Best Holtkamp Collection . . . $200 . Holtkamp Greenhouses 3rd Best Holtkamp Collection, . . . ...$100 ..........Holtkamp Greenhouses Other Awards - Commercial Specimen Plants $10 donated by Joan Halford, Tri-City AVS, The African Violetry Specified Awards - Commercial Display Tables Best Display Table . . . . . . . . $300 . 2nd Best Display Table . . . $200 . 3rd Best Display Table . . . . . ......$100 . Best African Violet . . . . . $25 .. Best New Cultivar . . . $25 .. 2nd Best New Cultivar . . . . . . . $25 .. 3rd Best New Cultivar . . . $25 .. Best Horticultural Perfection . . . . .....Silver Donated by . .......Columbus AVS . Ohio State AVS . . Cincinnati AVS ..Parmatown AV Club ..Parmatown AV Club ..Parmatown AV Club Town & Country AVS ...New York State AVS 42 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 mini - tidbits Florence Naylor 2647 Harbor Boulevard Ventura^ CA 93001 Happy New Year to you all! It's that time once again to vote for your 25 favorite mini¬ atures and semiminiatures. If you are sending a collective list from one club, please indicate how many people should be included in the vote count, i.e., are their 10 people submitting lists or 25 in your group? Are the votes registered as one vote one person or 3 out of 15? Although this is not essential, it makes the tallying of votes more representa¬ tive. I don't mind having individual lists that can be collected at your meeting and sent together in one envelope. I also welcome individuals sending in their own lists independently, if you don't belong to a club, don't live near an organ¬ ized club, or, missed the meeting when they col¬ lected the lists. Last year we had a good cross section of the country, included in the results. This year. I'd like to hear from every state in the union and any other country that would like to participate. It is a good way to let you know what is most popular among growers everywhere and serves as a guide for the new growers and hobbyists as to what they might expect to per¬ form well for them. Your 25 favorite miniatures and semimini¬ atures can include trailers as well as any single crown plant. The deadline for inclusion in the 1992 survey will be March 31, 1992. Any entries after the deadline will be saved and applied toward the 1993 survey. I have had some interesting responses to the "Picture Library." Yes, I will accept slides as well as any photographs you may wish to con¬ tribute to the library. At this point, I am still trying to organize a suitable format that will be conducive to updat¬ ing and reproduction electronically, so any originals you have will be welcome. The idea will be to convert the photographs and slides of miniatures and semiminiatures into electronic pictures which can be viewed on a computer screen or television monitor. TTiis way, if you have a question as to what a specific variety looks like, you will be able to call up a picture of that plant variety and know whether it looks like anything you have seen. It would be nice to have every existing vari¬ ety included in this "Picture Library." If you raise any of the older varieties, I am particularly interested in preserving pictures of them before they become extinct. When browsing through your collection of photos, if you happen to have one or two that you can spare, please put your name, address, variety name, and hybridizer (if known) on the back and send it or them to me. I will also accept negatives if you wish to keep the original photograph. As noted in my last column, miniatures have existed all along. They occur naturally in species, S. shumensis (single crown) and S. mangungensis var. minima (for trailers). Early varieties were usually singles, which dropped blooms rather quickly and easily. They nor¬ mally had only two blooms to the bloom stalk, which didn't always open at the same time for a show. It was common to have only 3-4 open blooms on a plant for show. Many of the early AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 43 varieties had girl foliage which grows in natural light more easily than tailored foliage in a S3anmetrical pattern. The redeeming quality was interesting blooms that kept people grow¬ ing the minis, as well as size. Some of the traits of the most popular varie¬ ties are stick tight blossoms, lots of blooms per bloom stalk, and synametrical growth habit. We've come a long way from the species, but it would be a shame to not have a record of the many varieties between early varieties and now. A Partial Glossary of African Violet Terms Part II Pauline Bartholomew "Growing To Show" (See November/December 1991 for part one.) PLANT TYPES: The following types of African vio¬ lets are recognized by A VS A and are being bred by hybridizers specifically as one type or another. For instance, a variety listed as single-crown, even though it tends to sucker, can't be grown and entered in a show as a trailer. Miniature: A small-growing single-crown plant with small leaves. In judged shows, the foliage of single-crown miniatures may not measure over 6" in diameter (blossoms extending over the edge of the foliage do not count in this measurement). Semiminiature: A compactly growing single¬ crown plant with small leaves. In judged shows, the foliage of single-crown semim¬ iniatures may not measure over 8" in diame¬ ter (blossoms extending over the edge of the foliage do not count in this measurement). Single-crown: A plant with a single center of growth from which foliage emanates in a rosette form. Standard: A single-crown plant with large leaves and which, at maturity, exceeds 8" in diameter. The MVL lists "standard" as over 8" and "large" as over 16". "Large" is merely an extra dimension of "standard" and is used only for descriptive purposes by hybr¬ idizers. There is no differentiation between the two in judged shows; they are both classified as standards. Trailer: A plant genetically disposed to pro¬ duce multiple crowns. African violet trail¬ ers are classified as miniature, semimini¬ ature or standard. There are two forms of trailers: those with elongated stems that trail down around the pot, and those with short stems whose foliage forms bushy moimds. There are no size limits for trail¬ ers. PROP AG ATE: To produce, or cause to produce, new plants. RELATIVE HUMIDITY: The ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the amount of water vapor actually in the air to the total amount present during saturation at the same temperature. R(X)TED CLUMP: A term used by commercial growers to refer to a group of plantlets attached to the leaf cutting ("mother" leaf). ROSETTE: A cluster of leaves radiating symmetri¬ cally from a central stem. In reference to awards, a ribbon decoration gathered or pleated in a circu¬ lar pattern and usually with one or more stream¬ ers attached. (Continued on page 46) 44 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 NESS' SIZZLIN' PINK Midland Violets Jean Ness Third Best New Introduction Boston - 1 990 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/ Eebmary 1992 45 SEEDLING: A plant grown from seed. After the plant has been propagated vegetatively from a leaf cutting, the resulting plants are no longer re¬ garded as seedlings. Semidouble blossom: See BLOSSOM TYPES Semiminiature: See PLANT TYPES Single blossom: See BLOSSOM TYPES Species: See FAMILY SPHAGNUM MOSS: A long-fibered moss in a less decomposed state than that of sphagnum peat moss. It is often used in its natural, unmilled state as a growing medium for plants such as bromeli- ads. SPORT: A plant that shows a marked change from the parent plant. See MUTATION. Standard: See PLANT TYPES Star: See BLOSSOM TYPES STARTER PLANTS: A term used by commercial growers to refer to immature plants in small (usually 2-1/2") pots. STEM: The main stalk or trunk of a plant. Striped blossom: See BLOSSOM COLORS SUCKER: The beginning of a new plant which forms near the base of a plant or in the lower axils. For judging purposes in an African violet show, a sucker is not counted as such unless it shows four leaves and no sign of a bud. A sucker on a single¬ crown specimen plant disqualifies it from being entered in a show since the plant is no longer considered to have a single-crown. SYSTEMIC: A chemical substance which, when ab¬ sorbed by plant tissue, causes the tissue to be poisonous to certain pests and diseases. Soil drenching is the usual method of induction. SYMMETRY: The degree of a perfect circular pattern of foliage; overlapping of foliage evenly spaced around the main stem of the plant; straight peti¬ oles with each layer of leaves progressively larger than the preceding layer. TISSUE CULTURE (inflorescent culture): Test tube propagation using a culture medium and pro¬ ducing himdreds of plants from a minute piece of plant tissue. Trace elements: See FERTILIZER Trailer: See PLANT TYPES Tuft: See BLOSSOM TYPES VERMICULITE: A sterile, lightweight, brownish, soft-textured, pebbly material. It is manufactured from crushed mica ore expanded to many times its original size through intense heat. VARIETY: Through common usage, the terms "cul- tivar" and "variety" have the same meaning. See FAMILY for reference to species varieties. VARIEGATED FOLIAGE: Foliage in which green (or various shades of green) is combined with white and/or one or more other colors. These colors may include shades of cream, tan, pink, and rose. The different patterns of variegation may appear in random form or along leaf edges. Tommie Lou' (named for one of the earliest, but most distinctive of the variegated foliaged plants) and 'Lilian Jarrett' are types of variegation that tend to retain their coloration and remain stable if proper cultural procedures are followed and proper conditions maintained. The foliage of "crown variegation" varieties turns green as it progresses to the outer layers of the foliage. The variegation is usually restricted to the center, or crown, of the plant. This type of variegation is not stable and may turn all green in hot weather (because of increased release of nitrogen in the soil) or a change in pH. WETTING AGENT: A solution that is mixed with water to reduce the surface tension that causes water to bead . The amounts recommended in this manual are for a concentrated brand; check the labels for recommended amounts. WICKING: Any material used to draw water from a reservoir into the soil of a potted plant. 46 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 African Violets Under Lights Marie Burns 8624 Delegge Road, Baltimore, MD 21237 The ability of the African violet to bloom well under artificial lighting makes it the most popu¬ lar houseplant today. Violets grown under fluorescent lights are actually superior to their windowsill grown cousins. Since African vio¬ lets are grown for their beautiful and varied blossoms and flowering is triggered by light, it is safe to say that lighting is the most important aspect of violet culture. There are many excellent professionally manufactured light carts and portable fixtures availablut, but your pocketbook can determine your individual set up. A four-foot fluorescent fixture with two tubes is the most readily avail¬ able and economical to use. Try to purchase the ceiling type fixtures which have a five-inch spacing between the tubes. These give a more even distribution of light than the narrower shop-type light. Suspend your fixture 10-12 inches above the foliage of standard size Afri¬ can violets. Provide a few inches of height ad¬ justment if possible. A double tube four-foot fixture will adequately light a four-foot x one- and one-half foot area. If you hang two fixtures side by side you can extend this growing area due to the overlap lighting created. The lights are turned on from 11-14 hours each day. Growth rate and the number of blos¬ soms increase as ddes the light hours. Most growers decrease light during hot summer weather and increase with the beginning of fall. Although you will see a dramatic improvement in your violets, do not be tempted to give more and more light. Cultural problems such as bunching and tight centers will develop if the plants are given too much lighting. It is also impjortant to allow at least eight hours of dark¬ ness. This enables the plants to utilize the food manufactured during the light hours. To further automate your set up, purchase a timer. This will allow you more freedom while providing the plants with consistent illumina¬ tion. It is possible to achieve excellent results us¬ ing various tube combinations. My preference is one cool white tube and one Gro-Lux wide spectrum tube in each fixture. To keep them at peak output, the tubes are wiped clean every two months and replaced every 12-18 months on a rotating basis. Never replace both tubes at the same time since this may bleach the leaves of your violets. If it is necessary to replace both tutes at once, decrease your light hours for a week or two. This will lower the initial light level and accustom the violets to the increased illumination. Every African violet plant is an individual and you must locate the l^st placement for each variety, under lights. If you are observant, the plants will tell you their preference. Violets receiving too much lighting will develop tight centers, brittle foliage and short petioles. The leaves tend to turn down and hug the pot — if s almost as if the plant is trying to remove itself from the light. the other hand, insufficient light will give sparce bloom, spindly growth, long petioles and an overall leggy plant. The light intensity is greatest directly under the center of the tubes and lessens toward either side. You can further control light levels by either raising or lowering the fixture and by increasing or decreasing the light hours. There are a few general rules for plant place¬ ment. Normally, variegated leaf varieties re¬ quire more light, as do most plants with dark leaves and blossoms. The light green leaves with white or light pink flowers seem satisfied grown toward the edges. With a little experi¬ menting, it is possible to locate the correct place for every plant in your collection. Allow a few weeks for each location because results are not instantaneous. Also, for symmetrical plants, it is important to turn your violets, even under fluorescent lighting, since they tend to draw toward the center of the fixture. African violets grown under fluorescent lighting require the same general care and cul¬ ture as those grown in natural light. Now that you are providing ideal light conditions for 11- 14 hours each day, you must adjust the other growing factors such as water and fertilizer to meet the increased demand of the plants. AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 47 48 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 Achimenes 'Desiree' Few gesneriads fill a hanging basket more beautifully than Achimenes. A 12-inch basket brinrmrdng with dozens of huge violet, red, salmon, white or yellow blooms will create a show stopper in any fall flower show. The scaly rhizomes multiply so rapidly that it doesn't take long to have many baskets. They winter well in a cool, dry storage area and will be content in the same soil for two to three years. If storage space is a problem, remove the rhi¬ zomes and store them in plastic bags with barely damp vermiculite away from heat but above 50®. Achimenes are native to the West Indies, areas of Central America and northern South Amer¬ ica. Their popularity flourished from the mid 1800s until the turn of the century. Then around 1940, new hybridization created an ever in¬ creasing interest. Porch plants are very popular now that the country and Victorian themes predominate. The deep violet flowers provide perfect contrast with any light green foliage plants like variegated ivy, Caladium or Begonia. They look wonderful planted with or placed beside Asparagus densiflorus sprengeni plumosus or myersii. From July to September these jewels produce blooms in profusion. All colors compliment Fuchsia triphylla hybrids. In fact, some of the colors have the same tonal value. This past summer, I placed some rhizomes in the same basket with Fuchsia and they did very well; however, I waited too long to plant them and they were too low in the basket. Next year I will start three rhizomes in 2-1/4" pots around March, keep them in my light garden and then transplant them among other plants later when it warms outside. Achimenes 'Purple King' remains a favorite just because it is so very easy to grow and multiply. The front of my house faces north where window boxes provide color above the shade-loving Rhododendrons and Azaleas. These boxes were filled with a maroon Coleus, salmon seed Geranium, variegated Vinca and above- mentioned Achimenes. Just smashing! Pol5nner granules helped hold and release AFmCAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 49 water through another drought. These mois¬ ture retaining products are a must have for planted urns and baskets. Do not use more than the package directions specify. If Achimenes dry out too many times they will lose their lower leaves and go into dormancy. In their natural habitats they are required to adapt for survival. They can be reproduced by tip or leaf cut¬ tings, division of each rhizome by scale or prop- agules which form on the stem during stress. Mine do not seem to set seed but I've seen the seed offered from seed sources. Publications tell us that it is possible to grow a plant from each one of the scales; however, these individual scales grow very small, spindly plants. It seems a better idea to start with just a few whole rhizomes in a four-inch pot which in a year's time will give enough for an eight-inch pot. Now, there are exceptions — some hybrids will not give good increase, others outdo them¬ selves. Just remember that toward the end of their growing cycle they would benefit from extra phosphorus. A good friend gave me two miniatures from Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses, A. Tiny Blue' and Tiny Pink.' They both have very serrated leaves about 1-1/4 inches long and from 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide. The blooms are a full inch wide and they produce about three per leaf node. These are very late in awakening and late to bloom. The reddish stems stay compact as they branch to about 8 inches by October. Before it becomes 50® at night, we bring them into the light garden where they bloom for another month or so. Withhold water from them to start dormancy. To revive any of them, about March, start watching for threadlike growth. Each variety seems to have an individual alarm clock. Re¬ frain from planting them until you see growth because the rhizomes may rot if watered while dormant. I have read that they are very suscep¬ tible to air pollution, yet mine do not seem to be affected by anything but cool air and an occa¬ sional aphid. Pests are not attracted to them. Some varieties may have to be pinched back in order to make a full basket. Root the cuttings right in the same basket and most likely they will have at least one rhizome by the end of season. Achimenes have compact, upright and trail¬ ing growth habit no matter how much or little light they are given. The variety 'Milton' has thick, almost woody stems with one to two inches between each leaf node. Most have single flowers but there are serrddouble and full double blooms, too. The only semidouble to grow well for me is A. violacea 'Semi Plena,' from 1858, which has extra red-purple petals at the corolla. It is also very compact and needs a small pot. My variety that gets the most atten¬ tion from visitors is a Worley hybrid, A. 'De¬ siree,' which has full, salmon red flowers pro¬ duced on dark, foliage having deep red re¬ verses. A huge basket of this plant will "knock the socks off" any Garden Club Federation judge in fall flower shows. The blooms re¬ semble double miniature roses and they hold on for a long time. The plant seems to delay bloom until each stem has four or five blooms ready to open at the same time. There are four to five buds at each leaf axil. It's a real showy plant that the public thinks is an Impatient When you fill out an entry tag, be sure to write the whole name, not just the abbreviation. To put the rhizomes into dormancy, chill the soil slightly, withdraw water, remove all but one inch of the stems and remove any old foliage that is on the soil. After you have checked for pests in the pot, store them in a cool, dry place. Mark them well so that they are not discarded. About fertilization — do not apply your timed-release fertilizer until they have at least two mature leaves. The soil will have enough to start them. When you apply the fertilizer, scratch it into the soil so that the sun does not decompose it. In addition, when you add the polymer moisture granules, mix them evenly in ^e soil, don't scratch them into the surface because this will tend to keep the fine roots near the soil surface. If this is the second year for soil in a basket, take a thin dibble, such as a bamboo 50 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 skewer, and poke the fertilizer down into the dry soil. This does not damage many rhizomes and allows air and water into the soil mass after winter storage. Add a drop of detergent to tepid water when you soak the soil mass for the first time, then rinse. This breaks the surface tension. Try them, youll want more. Park Seed usu- ally offers them in their catalog, but if you want named varieties, please see the list of sources published in my column July/ August 1990. Les Violets Natalia, P. O. Box 208, Beecher Falls, VT 05902, catalog $2,00, should be added to that list. Memory Lane Anne Titian, AVSA Membership and Promo¬ tion Committee Chair, has rekindled some great memories by reading my 'Restoration"" article in the September, 1991, African Violet Magazine. This article was about our new Pitts¬ burgh Violet Society. From the beginning, Frank and Anne Tinari banked a lot of memo¬ ries for The African Violet Society of America, Inc. Some are documented in her book, "Our African Violet Heritage,"" which she graciously sent to the Pittsburgh dub for their library. Thanks, from all of us, everywhere. Anne remembers the AVSA"s ninth conven¬ tion being here in Pittsburgh at the William Penn Hotel. The local sodety, which was rich in membership, hosted a beautiful show where she was on the team that judged the seedlings. A Mr. Johnson was President and the conven¬ tion chairs were Mrs. William Douglas and Mrs. Ross Harness. One of the bus trips was to the nearby Phipps conservatory, where I am a docent. She remembers meeting Mr. Frank Curto, the Director at that time. He was a very famous man because of Ms exposure as a televi¬ sion personality speaking about horticulture and promoting the conservatory. So, here we are, almost 40 years later, adding another chapter. I am pleased to report that the Pittsburgh Violet Sodety is exactly one year old tMs week of September, 1991, and that we have about 21 members. Anne has encouraged us to use every AVSA tool at our disposal, and we will. We have used the slide library, affiliate packages, show packets and, most notable, the African Violet Magazine, Just yesterday, I re¬ ceived a letter from a woman who received the magazine in the Philippines where her hus¬ band was stationed at Clark Base. When it was dosed, they were sent state side to Coraopolis, PA, only a few miles from where we have our local meetings at the Northland Public Library, 7:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. She said I should have published tMs for readers.- If you are traveling in tMs area, join us. A good violet time is guaranteed. Proposed Amendments to AVSA Bylaws The Bylaws Committee has submitted the following amendments to be voted on at the annual business meeting, Saturday, April 25, 1992, in Columbus, OMo. Article IV Section 1 - Insert after "Elected Offi¬ cers"" and before "The"" "The Elected Offi¬ cers of tMs Society shall fulfill the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority of the Society."" Then the sentence would read: Elected Officers: The Elected Officers of this &ciety shall fulfill the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary author¬ ity. The Elected Officers of tMs Society shall be: Rationale: To clarify the intent that the duties of the officers are described in the bylaws and by the parliamentary authority of the Soci¬ ety. Article rv S ection la - Insert between "commit¬ tees"" and "during"": "chairmanships'" Then tMs part of the sentence would read: fill all vacancies in committee chairmanships during Ms/her term: AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/Febmary 1992 51 Rationale: Then the president only appoints the chairmen of committees. Article IV Section la - Strike out ""vice presi¬ dent" between ""designate a" and ""to travel" and insert: "member of the board of directors." Then the sentence would read: The president may designate a member of the board of directors to travel on his/her behalf if he she deems it expedient and in the best interest of the Society. Rationale: There could be a member of the board of directors in the area that could perform the necessary duties of the Society, thereby eliminating travel expense. Article IV Section 2 - Strike out "fifteen (15) nor less than fourteen (14)" and insert ""nine (9). ^Proviso: That the amendment shall not go into effect until the close of the 1992 annual business meeting, and further provided that they shall not affect regional directors already elected. Rationale: To reduce the board of directors to a manageable size. Article V Section 2 - Strike out between "con¬ clusion of the" and '"at which the" "meet¬ ing" and insert "convention." The sentence would then read: The terms of elected offi¬ cers shall be one (1) year or until their suc¬ cessors are elected and each term shall begin at the conclusion of the convention at which the officers are elected. Rationale: This states more clearly that the offi¬ cers assume their duties at the close of the convention. Article V Section 2 - Strike out "51 %" and insert "half." The sentence would then read: In the event of the resignation or death of the president, the first vice-president shall as¬ sume the duties of the president, and should that officer serve more than half of the term it shall be counted as a term. Rationale: Better terminology. Article V Section 5a - Add after "past president shall serve on the committee": "and no two members shall be from the same state" strike out "more than one term" and insert "consecutive terms." Then the sentence would read: "No more than one (1) past president shall serve on the committee and no two members shall be from the same state. No member except the chairman shall serve consecutive terms on the com¬ mittee and the chairman shall not serve consecutive terms as chairman." Rationale: Select a nominating committee from a wider region being assured no two will be from the same state. Clarifying the term of the chairman. Article V Section 5d 2 - Strike out "five (5)" and insert "three (3)." ^Proviso: That the amendment shall not go into effect until the close of the 1992 annual business meeting, and further provided that they shall not affect regional directors already elected. The sentence would then read: Select three (3) nominees for director from the file maintained by the nominating committee chairman, attempting to maintain a geo¬ graphic balance among all directors. Article V Section 5d 3 - Strike out "it is pub¬ lished" and insert "the membership is no¬ tified." Then the sentence would read: Sub¬ mit the slate to the president in sufficient time so that the membership is notified forty-five (45) days prior to the annual business meeting." Rationale: To clarify the intent of the member¬ ship being notified. Article Vn Section 1 - Strike out "fifteen (15)" and insert "nine (9)." ^Proviso: That the amendment shall not go into effect until the close of the 1992 annual business meeting, and further provide that they shall not affect regional directors already elected. The sentence would then read: The board of directors: shall consist of elected officers, the nine (9) directors, the immediate past president, and the chairmen of the stand¬ ing committees. Rationale: To reduce the board of directors to a manageable size. Article vn Section 4 - Becomes "Article VIII" 52 AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January /February 1992 (retitle) "Executive Committee." Strike out between "consists of' and it shall "elected officers and the immediate past president" and insert: "President, first vice president, second vice president, third vice president, secretary, treasurer, immediate past presi¬ dent and the chairman of the finance com¬ mittee." Then Article VIII would read: Executive Committee Section 1 . The Execu¬ tive Committee: shall consist of president, first vice president, second vice president, third vice president, secretary, treasurer, immediate past president, and the chair¬ man of the finance committee; and it shall have the authority to conduct any neces¬ sary business of the Society during the in¬ terim between meetings of the board of directors including authorizing emergency action. Rationale: By naming the members of the Execu¬ tive Committee makes it clear who is on this committee. The chairman of the finance committee was added for additional input on AVSA finances. (Renumbering follow¬ ing articles). Article IX Section Id - Strike out "Boyce Edens Research Fund: shall be responsible for the collection of all donations to this fund and acknowledgements of such donations." Rationale: This committee has the same func¬ tions as Special Committees, Booster Fund and Building Fund. This would change the status of this committee to be the same as the above mentioned committees, a Special Committee. Article IX Section lb - Strike out "Cumulative Index: shall be responsible for compiling an index from the AVM and forwarding same to the editor, meeting publication dead¬ lines. Rationale: This recommended amendment came from the chairman and the bylaws committee recommends the adoption of this amendment. Article IX Section Im - Strike out "Miniature and Semiminiature Cultivars: shall be re¬ sponsible for coordinating with the plant registrar and compiling lists of miniatures and semiminiatures for publications." Rationale: The function of this committee as stated above was transferred to the Master Variety List Committee in a motion adopted at the Santa Clara convention board of directors meeting. (Motion was presented by the chairman.) Article IX Section 2 - Strike out: "appointed" insert "created." Strike out: "during the term" add: "the chairman shall be ap¬ pointed by the president, and the chairman shall appoint his/her committee subject to the approval of the president." Then this sentence will read: Special Committees: may be created by the president with the approval of the Executive Committee. The chairman shall be appointed by the presi¬ dent and the chairman shall appoint his/ her committee subject to the approval of the president. Rationale: This would follow the same proce¬ dure that Standing Committees follow. Article XI - Strike out: "or revised" then the sentence would read: These bylaws may be amended at any annual business meeting or special meeting of the membership by a two-thirds (2/3) vote provided that the changes have been: Rationale: To amend includes from one word added or deleted to a complete revision. Article Xin - Strike out entire article. Rationale: This article is in The African Violet Society of America, Inc. Articles of Incorpo¬ ration. The Bylaws Committee recommends that the committee be authorized to correct numbers, punctuation, cross references, and make such other technical and conforming changes as may be necessary to reflect the intention of the members. That the adopted bylaw amendments be¬ come effective at the close of the 1992 conven¬ tion. AFRICAN VIOLET MAGAZINE January/February 1992 53 Janice Tyler is shown holding best in show, Suncoast Pa isfey Print, at a recent Des Moines, I A show. Janice also won: best interpretive plant arrangement, best trailer. Teeny Bopper, best club collection, best non-blooming gesneriad, E. Spooky, 2nd best AVSA collection, Ontario, Mauna Loa, PauVs Pizzazz, best container gar¬ den, best mini, Luiiaby, and best species, S. tongwensis. The theme for the show was, “Violet Stampede.” ^ SONJA’S VIOLETS P.O. Box 83, Omaha, AR 72662 New Beauties and Oldies by leading Hybridizers. Starter plants - $2.50 each; Leaf specials, my choice, labeled, all different, 20/$15.00 plus $3.50 shipping. Li8t$1 . refundable with order. Free gift with every order. Croteau • Decelles • Tremblay For the first year, a new hybridizer— M. Paul Sansoucy, at: A-MI VIOLEHES Box #630 St-Felix de Valois Quebec, Canada JOK 2M0 ph. 514-889-8673 — Michelyne Frechette will take care of you! $2 refundable International Shipping Quality first at home Mary E. Gall 3200 W. 82nd Terrace Leawood, Kansas 66206 (913) 642-4357 Specializing in Minis & Standards Travis'Niolets, no, BOX 42 OCHUQCKNEE. Gk. 31773 WOW! 3 FREE Violets Phone 1-91 2-574-51 67 (Day) 1-912-574-5236 (Night) Order now before Mar. 1 and get 3 FREE violets of our choice. Miin. order for this special is 1 2 Plants. Order from this ad or any of the 300 varieties in our new 1992 catelog. Send $1.00 refundable on first order. SOME OF THE NEW VARIETIES WE HAVE TO OFFER: 1992 1992 HORTENSE’S HONEYS LYON’S 1. Burgandy Kid 2. Cheers 3. DancinTeen 4. Honey Rnk 5. Hortens© 6. Laughing Teen 7. Lavender Kiss 8. Uttle Keepsake 9. Little Sunset 10. PeadiyKid 11. Pee-Wee Purple 12. PepperminkGirl 13. PetiteTot 14. Sassy Shffley 15. Teen Princess 16. Vagabond TRAILERS 17. Beacon Trail 18. Comet Trail 19. Snowman 1. CounttyOuBt 2. Velvet Halo 3. Smoky Moon 4. Galactic ^lash 5. Spring Mist 6. Passion Purrfect 7. Night Secrets 8. Outrageous 9. Rrtir Rumba 10. Irish Whisper 11. Shades of Autumn 12. Country Moonflght 13. Island Coral 14. Fantasy Mitirer 15. Sweet Stuff 16. Victorian Rose 17. Sprmgthie Rnk 18. Cherry Kiss 19. Wine Coder 20. Victorian Velvet 21 . Raspberry Ruffles Smokey Rose 23. Cinnamon Spice 24. Risptory Dazzle 25. Chasing Sunshine 26. Very Berry 27. Country Sunshine 28. Sugar Sweet 29. Shimmer Frost 30. Peppermint Mss 31 . Victoria Charm 32. Sik-N-Honey 33. Starli^t Fantasy 34. Uttie Beacon 35. Snug^es Uttie Girl 36. Irish Flirt 37. Snuggles Lady Dawn 38. Snuggles Blushing DoH 39. Irish Dimples 40. Snuggles Busy Bee 41. Prancing Pony 42. Snuggles Tiny Baby 43. SrHig^es Rising Ster 44. Snug^es Big Eyes Also Lyon’s 1991 varieties and our own hybrids & other new releases. Please list a few substitutes to help rush orders. 1991 Plants - $3.00 each all others - $2.50 each. Please add $6.00 or 15% whichever is greater for First Class shipping. Shipping starts March 1st, South, April 15th, North - Weather permitting. All orders shipped in order as received. Green House Open 7 days a week, please call first. Commercial Member AVSA, Dixie, GSN, GSAVC, GAVS State Inspected. 54 AFRICAN VIOLET MAG AZINE January/Febmary 1992 African Violets loiow no borders, so why not become a member of the African Violet Society of Canada and receive Chatter, its quarterly publication? A one-year membership is only $10.00 (family $12.00), so don't delay. Please send your check to: Mrs. P.J. Scanlan 1573 Arbordale Ave. Victoria, B.C. V8N 5J1 Cryptanthus •/ » Dazzling Earth Stars are the perfect companion plants for your African Violet collection requiring the same care. Exquisite colors, leaf shapes and patterns of stripes, bars and zig zags year ‘round in every shade of the rainbow. Send first class stamp for cultural information or $3.00 for a sample of our color quarterly Journal. THE CRYPTANTHUS SOCIETY 3629 Bordeaux Court • Arlington Texas 76016 AV WORLD'S BEST SELLER Thanks to "G-T-S" I just won my first Best in Show award! I tell everyone, "If you don't have this book, you aren't growing violets to their full potential." Mrs. M.L. Horne (Includes unique chapter on "Miniaturizing The Miniatures") A step-by- step guide Illustrated— 112 pages 8i X 11 paperback usa/canada -f -| O r* $1.50 p&h +11. yo calif, add 6% sales tax overseas postage: $7.50 air mail, or $2.50 surface AV Enterprises Press P.O. Box 6778- A Oxnard, CA 93030 AVE ^1.95 PER BOOK! 10% discount for 10 or more (save $1.20 ea.) usa/can p&h 75