The Rhododendron Species Foundation
Directors of the Rhododendron Species Foundation met four times within the last few weeks to consider the future of the Foundation. Foremost in their minds was the problem of finding a home for the fine collection of species clones being propagated at the University of British Columbia.
The formation of an endowment fund, based on large gifts has, so far, not materialized. The purchase of suitable property for a species garden, therefore, would have to be based on a contract, with adequate safeguards, for purchase on a long term basis. The Directors are, in fact, negotiating for the purchase of a very desirable property. It is hoped that a full and complete announcement can be made in the next issue of the Bulletin together with a description of the property and announcement of the plans for bringing the species collection to the new Foundation Garden.
An election of officers was held with the following results; Pres. Wales Wood, St. Helens, Ore.; Vice Pres. Clarence Chase, Eugene, Ore.; Sec. Fred Robbins, Puyallup, Wash.; Treas. Ed Seigmund, Eugene, Ore.
Directors re-elected: Cecil Smith, Aurora, Ore.; Edward Dunn, Seattle, Wash.; Dr. Milton Walker, Eugene, Ore.; Harold Clarke, Long Beach, Wash.
New Directors elected: Alfred Martin, Ambler, Pa.; James Blackford, Eugene, Ore.; Ed. Seigmund, Eugene, Ore.; Dr. Carl Phetteplace, Eugene, Ore.
For the benefit of new members of the American Rhododendron Society it should be repeated that the Foundation has no legal connection with the Society. The Directors, as individuals, are members of the Society it is true, but they constitute a small group trying to do a specific job in the rhododendron field which is to collect and preserve typical, and horticulturally desirable, forms of rhododendron species. All rhododendron growers should eventually benefit and so A.R.S. members should watch developments with sympathetic interest.