Or using the Bible as an excuse to screw us and put their mind at ease? Then it could be both?

Ahh. "All of the above." That's usually the right answer, and I think you're right.

I think too many children saw the bumper sticker "He who dies with most toys, wins",
and never realized it was a JOKE.

Or wouldn't share their toys, but were never scolded for it.

Wait! You mean it was a JOKE? You mean I've been accumulating all this "stuff" for no good reason? AAAAAkkkkkk!!!!

NOW I bet you're sorry you worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week for your whole life!

A friend told me that her grandmother would say this after an excellent meal, or at least a large meal:

"This has been a great sufficiency.
Any more would be a superfluity."

Smart grandmother.

Unfortunately, I never figured that out and I'm almost a hoarder. But mostly junky things, not expensive things!

I don't think hoarders hoard nice things. Although my sister is a shopaholic and she has rooms full of "things." then she gets in a cleaning mood and I can take whatever I want, and I do. Still working on that! So I guess I have a mixture of both.

Gotta stay on topic here!!!

I don't think hoarders hoard nice things. Although my sister is a shopaholic and she has rooms full of "things." then she gets in a cleaning mood and I can take whatever I want, and I do. Still working on that! So I guess I have a mixture of both.

Gotta stay on topic here!!!

Thanks for all your hard work Rick.

Stacy, you are welcome, but I'm having a ball! It's more fun than I've had since I was a Freshman and sent a letter to some researcher who relied to "Dr. Corey"!

But I sure hope that someone in your family has some seeds in a trunk or coffee can somewhere!

Wilhite and Hollar Seeds said "no". Wilhite was a big disappointment, since they are as much "Mr. Melon" as Baker Creek is.

Dr. Carle at Hollar Seeds is a real class act. He gave me some tips about the well-hidden USDA / ARS / NCGRP / PGRCU seed collection in Griffin, Georgia. From there, you have to guess that the good stuff is hidden in "Multistate Research Project S-009". Then of course, they don't want to come right out and TELL you anything about what's in their collection, other than specializing in plants of importance to US agriculture, especially in the Southern region.

"The S-9 germplasm collection has grown to more than 90,000 accessions representing 257 genera and 1,553 taxa of 1,436 species"

So I sent an email to the Research Leader/Coordinator of "USDA, ARS Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit", hoping that he would hand it to a grad student to answer.

GRIN MUST have more than 15 entries in the entire genus Citrullus! And more than four in the species lanatus!

I'll ask someone who KNOWS GRIN how I should have searched.

I'm not really stubborn! I just don't like giving up while any leaves remain unturned.

Go Rick, aka Dr. Corey!!!

Well, you know way more than I do so yea!!! Thank you!!!! I'm glad I posted the question, I almost didn't, but figured it couldn't hurt. I still haven't heard from Baker Creek.

>> I still haven't heard from Baker Creek.

I haven't, either. The last time I had a question for them, I got a really nice, detailed reply, but it did take a week or so.

Also "no answer" so far are:

Texas Watermelon Association
the farm that Jim at SeedMan forwarded a request to
Abbot&Cobb (but they seem to breed mostly grains now)
the Research Leader of the USDA ARS Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit (PGRCU)

Harris Seeds and High Mowing Seeds brought the "no total" to 10.

Harris Seeds - - - - - - - no
High Mowing Seeds - - no, but Christy was very nice.
Hollar Seeds - - no http://www.hollarseeds.com/con... try Griffin GA
Victory Seeds - - - no, but interested in conserving it IF it can be stabilized .
Sustainable Seed Company- - - - - - - No. If you do find that variety, please let us know!
Willhite Melon Seed Farms - - - no http://www.willhiteseed.com/ab...
SandHill - - - - - no
SSE - - - - - - - - no
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange - no
localharvest.org - - no

Hi all, I probably didn't read every word here but I didn't notice that anyone tried to contact: "Michael1time" over at DG who is listed to have seeds of Schochler Watermelon, they are the only person listed under 'has or wants this plant' and that was back in 2009 so not sure where it takes you??

anyway, thought I'd mention that. I'd check with Michael1time but I'm no longer a member over there and don't have a dmail address.

Christine, I saw that too but it is in their want list, they listed it in 2009 Maybe someone could contact them and see if they ever found it?

Thanks for checking Patti! I guess I looked at it wrong.

That's a good idea, Patti. Now all we need is a member from over there...

I did send Michael1time a request on Aug 21, but got no reply. I also Dmailed mgardner with no reply. Patti also Dmailed him and described the DG PlantFiles posting:
http://garden.org/thread/view_...


Baker Creek emailed back: they have not offered it at least since 2005, Randel said.
"Should you find a source of stock seed we probably would be interested in growing it; one of my jobs here is to coordinate our network of contract growers."

Dr. Pederson at USDA / ARS / PGRCU did not have it in their seed bank, but he referred me to Bob Jarret on his team, and Bob suggested I try Dr. Todd Wehner (NCSU – Raleigh) and/or Dr. Jim McCreight (ARS-CA). I have emailed them.

Bob also said:
"I think it would make a useful addition to the USDA collection – so we’d be pleased to add it, if you manage to obtain some seed.
Saw a picture of it on Dave’s Garden website. "

So far:

1. Texas Watermelon Association - - - - ?

2. http://www.localharvest.org/fo... - - - none yet, but we got 19 views

3. Abbot & Cobb http://abbottcobb.com/ - - - - ?

4.. USDA / ARS
Dr. Pederson USDA / ARS / NCGRP / PGRCU - Griffin, Georgia. - - - - - no
Dr. Wehner - (NCSU – Raleigh) - - - - ?
Dr. McCreight - - (ARS-CA, Crop Improvement and Protection Research Research Leader) - - - ?

5. SeedMan - - - - no - - seeds we tested last year from a farm did not germinate."
- - - - 2nd request to Jim: what farm supplied them last year?
- - - - Jim forwarded our request to that farm - - - ?

Baker Creek - - no, but interested
Hollar Seeds - - - no - - http://www.hollarseeds.com/con... - try Griffin GA
Sustainable Seed Company- - - - - - - No. Try USDA. If you do find that variety, please let us know!
Victory Seeds - no, but interested in conserving IF it can be stabilized .
High Mowing Seeds - - no, but Christy was very nice.
Willhite Melon Seed Farms - - no - - http://www.willhiteseed.com/ab...
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange - no
SandHill - - - - - no
SSE - - - - - - - - no
localharvest.org - - no
Harris Seeds - - - - - no

I haven't even gotten an acknowledgement from the Texas people. Time to nudge them again.

Here's one more "no". This is from Dr. Todd Wehner (NCSU – Raleigh)
http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucu...

He points out that funding is still dropping for public research, and that dark rinds are prone to sunburn.

I think the "buzz" is correct that we're losing lots of heirloom genetic diversity and history due to market and economic forces.

- - - - - - -

I am sorry, but I do not have seeds of Schochler. We used to keep up with old cultivars and gene mutants, but funding seems to be going away for public research and extension in agriculture.

The dark watermelon cultivars went out of favor due to the sunburn problem on the top of the fruit. That type was replaced by Charleston Gray, with added resistance to anthracnose and Fusarium.

Buist was the vendor, but not the breeder. It sounds like you have done all of the proper things for searching out the old cultivars, including Seed Savers.

Good luck in your search!
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