A.P. Whaley Seed Co.

**carolyn137** · February 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogsleap farm

Charlie Rick was my Genetics 101 professor at UCD and was the one that got me interested in plant breeding. I'm thrilled with all of the folks here at Tville and online generally that are interested in making crosses and doing tomato breeding. It is the inspiration for Artisan Seeds - a venue for buying seed tied directly to small scale breeders or more commonly a collaboration of breeders. There will be a royalty paid to breeders based on seed sales - not a new concept, but one not usually available to non-professionals. We are certainly pleased to have Aaron as a partner.

Mark, would that I were maybe 30 years younger and I know I'd be doing some tomato breeding, but I'm not, so all I can do is to sit back and read about and see the work of others.

But I really wanted to mention Dr. Rick again b/c I remember something about my only chat with him.

In 1992 I received from Norbert in France a variety called Botanique Originale and had no idea what it might be. I put out a couple of plants and it was an absolutely beautiful plant the likes of which I'd not seen before. It was a huge plant with blossoms that looked almost like butterflies, with swept back wings, and they were so very delicate. But, as time went on not ONE blossom set fruit.

Since Craig had interviewed Dr. Rick shortly before that I contacted him about this plant. What a really nice man, and he told me it was probably one of the species that was self incompatible and never would set fruits. Well, that's the first time I learned about self incompatibility.

One of the other varieties I got from Norbert was Dourne D' Hiver and I know you were able to wake up some of the seeds I sent you, and I do wonder if you ever got any seeds from those fruits. As I've said before it was one of the most beautiful fruits that I'd ever seen, small ovals with swirls of all different colors but hard as a rock and totally inedible. Which of course is where your interest was in terms of it having either rin or nor genes.

Just curious about what happened. And I think I still have a few more seeds if need be.