newsContents
It is spring; we are all enjoying wonderful shows, beautiful plants and learning techniques to make our plant all that we would like it to be…a winner. Congratulations to those who contributed to making these shows such a success. Fellow members and the public, who come to admire, appreciate your hard work and dedication. Thank you for your contribution to spreading the word of our wonderful hobby…orchids!
Many have just returned home from travels where we have been tempted and have bought new plants to add to our collections and share with other growers. To bring those plants back to our collection, we jump through many hoops. There are a number of requirements which may be difficult to understand. It requires much patience on our part, the orchid hobbyist, to ensure that our chosen orchids arrive safely into our home-growing environment. To that end, I ask that every society president and newsletter editor take the time to read carefully and publish in their society news letter the article from the COC Conservation Representative, Marilyn Light. Her article gives us very clear information and guidance into the world of importation.
You must understand that the Canadian Orchid Congress is a non-profit organization, dedicated to assist the Canadian orchidists to grow their orchids well and to conserve native species. We publicize certain rules (e.g. on importation of orchids) but cannot be held responsible for anyone's non-compliance. The web links are given in the article and can also be found on the COC web site. Please remember that each individual is responsible, by law, for his/her own plant importation. Read this important article and keep it with you for future reference. Put a copy of it in your society's library. It is accurate and a valuable tool for each of us.
COC Insurance…does your society obtain their insurance coverage through the COC? We offer a policy to every member society. Join under the COC insurance umbrella. Contact the COC Treasurer Janette Richardson for information and sign up. You will be glad you did. The more members join in this, the better rate the COC can negotiate for your society. We want the best insurance at the best rate, so we look forward to you joining in, if you haven't already.
Happy Growing as you ready your plants for their summer holiday. Make your plans to attend the COC Annual Meeting in Calgary in the Fall. They are preparing a wonderful Show for us all to enjoy!
Margaret E. Blewett
The annual meeting of the Native Orchid Conference will be held at St. Benedict's Retreat & Conference Centre, 225 Masters Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, July 9-12, 2005. Please e-mail Lorne Heshka at lheshka@mts.net if you would like to receive a Conference flyer. Alternatively, phone Lorne at (204)663-6850.
The tentative agenda includes a whole day devoted to The Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, Platanthera praeclara. A field trip to the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve and other sites in southeastern Manitoba will be held on the following day when we will have an excellent opportunity to see one of Canada's most endangered species. There will be a range of presentations on the third day followed by visits to see other native orchids on the fourth day.
Anyone interested in Canada's native orchids should enjoy this conference.
Cattleyas - by Ken Girard.
Oncidiums - by Gordon Heaps.
Fragrant Orchids by Marilyn Light.
Hardy Orchids and Their Culture by Bill Bischoff
Phragmipediums by Ingrid Ostrander
Lycastes by Ingrid Ostrander
More information on the programs is available on the COC website.
The Foothills Orchid Society will be hosting the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Orchid Congress in conjunction with the Annual Calgary Orchid Show.
For more information:
The coverage of the group insurance is as follows:
General Liability $2,000,000.00 inclusive limit, deductible $500.00. Error & Omissions Liability (Directors & Officers / Wrongful Acts) $1,000,000.00 limit, deductible $500.00.
Library Coverage is $150.00 per $5,000.00 Value (optional extra).
Thirteen societies have taken advantage of this coverage. Unless more societies join, the cost will remain at $2.00 per member per year. If all societies join, the cost of the premium per member per year will be $1.00 or less per year. All COC Representatives should bring this to the attention of their executives. This is very good coverage for very affordable cost.
Edward W. Greenwood (1918-2002) was a Canadian orchidologist who began the Canadian Native Orchid Survey in 1967. He retired to Mexico where he continued working with orchids, accumulating a massive and detailed collection of papers, photographs and slides. This legacy is now housed at the Oakes Ames Orchid Library Archives at Harvard University. Learn more about this unique Canadian and his life interest in orchids at: http://www.huh.harvard.edu/libraries/archives/EDWEB /edweb.html
Gold prizes
Best amateur - http://www.delfinadearaujo.com/
Best institution or non-profit org - http://www.orchidsaustralia.com/
Best professional - http://www.theorchidworks.com/
Silver prizes
http://www.koeltz.com/
http://www.nhos.org/
http://www.riks.be/
Bronze prizes
http://www.rforchids.com/
http://www.british-orchid-council.info/
Because of my trip to the WOC, there was no time to put out a
March newsletter. The May newsletter has the combined content. -
Ed
First published at http://www.orchidsafari.org/ on March 30, 2005
About this time last year, I presented a topic on orchids in horticultural exhibitions http://www.orchidtrek.com/showprep/showprep.html when I provided some details on the next WOC planned for Dijon, France. This was going to be an unique experience where orchids formed the core of what was a big garden show. I have recently returned from the Dijon event and here is my account.
After we completed our Early Bird registration in September 2004, we had to select a hotel. Dijon is not a large city (pop. about 250,000) but my husband and I wanted to be conveniently located to the show and to sightseeing in the historic city centre. There were a couple of hotels located across from the Palais des Congrès where the show would be staged. Organizers stated that there would be a shuttle provided between major hotels and the show but which hotels would these be? I asked but was only told about the city bus service.
Dijon has an airport but we would be flying into Charles de Gaulle Airport (Paris) and hoped to take the TGV (high speed train) from Paris to Dijon. We selected an inexpensive hotel opposite the train station. This location was just over one mile (2 km) from the show but close to historic city center. As it turned out, 2-star Hotel Campanile was an excellent choice. Rooms were small but comfortable and very quiet. There were tea/coffee-making facilities and some delicious cookies provided daily. The restaurant was excellent.
Before we left Canada, we checked local weather (it had been unseasonably cold in France and snowing days before we arrived), and the train schedules. This is where we learned that a train strike was pending, apparently beginning the night we arrived! We told several fellow travellers to be prepared! We arrived in Paris before noon and completed our trip to Dijon before the strike (8 pm March 9 to 8 am March 11). What we did not know was that the same strike would affect city bus service the next day.
March 9 - Cool, overcast - Upon arrival, we checked into our hotel, had a local drink, kir (white wine and blackcurrant liqueur), then set off for the WOC to get registered. We walked over to the nearby Place D'Arcy where there was a tourist information centre, picked up city maps, etc, and purchased a 10-trip city bus ticket which was very economical. The bus delivered us to the WOC in less than 10 minutes where had our conference kits shortly afterward, chatted with a few acquaintances, checked out the conference facilities then returned for an early (for Europe) supper and a good sleep.
March 10 - No buses! Cool, overcast - We walked over for the afternoon opening and reception. Along the way, we noted where the Gastronomic evening event (March 12) would be held in the Cellier de Clairvaux. This ancient structure was undergoing foundation renovation so it was challenging to see exactly how one could enter. The address given was 27 Boulevard de la Trémouille but this seemed to be the entrance to apartments next door! Our observations were later to prove useful.
We first visited the show that had only just recently been
judged. Staff were still exchanging paper documents for ribbons
and medal designations. The space was huge and filled with large
and small displays of orchids, greenery, and on a second level,
sales booths. We took the opportunity to photograph displays as
there would little time later on. The Orchid Society of Great
Britain exhibit contained two large Coelogyne cristata in
full blooming splendor. Another exhibit had a mass of reed-stem
Epidendrums. The Eric Young Foundation (Jersey) had a typical
display of gorgeous Cymbidiums. The most effective displays were
simple and well lit. One of the most effective was a
topiary-style bear in a polar landscape and edged with white
Phalaenopsis. It was exhibited by Mosaiculture, Montreal,
Canada!
Some exhibits were rich in variety of species and hybrids
whereas others displayed many examples of the same kind of
orchid. The overall impression was brightly lit places within a
less bright, humid surround. The sound of cascading water
dominated the scene that first day. The Grand Champion Display
was staged by Vacherot & Lecoufle (France). The Grand
Champion and Gold Medal-winning orchid was Calanthe
seiboldii `Wossen' AM/RHS - Franz Glanz. The Reserve Champion
was Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum var. esquirolei -
KJ Orchids.
My favourite species was Ida lutescens. Many of the winners have been listed at http://www.orchidsaustralia.com/woc2005_gold.html Orchids Australia website was judged Best Society/Organization website.
Later that day was the opening reception. There was wine, lots of fine Burgundy wine, cheese, hors d'oeuvres, tasty Bayonne ham, and great company. We received two souvenir wine goblets and tasted the evening away.
March 11 - Cloudy, milder - First official conference day with plenary speakers, a more `official' opening (sparkling Kir Royale and hors d'oeuvres) over the noon hour at the City Hall (buses provided there and back) and more lectures in the pm. Our first formal wine tasting experience was of Maconnais and La Cote Chalonnais wines. This was also our only night off so we joined two colleagues for a tasty dinner.
March 12 - Damp, cloudy - Visitors were flocking to the show. It was almost impossible to move between the exhibits. We attended lectures all day. I won a silent auction item which was three bottles of wine. The second wine tasting featured La Cote de Beaune. The evening activity was a gastronomic feast held in the Cellier de Clairvaux. There was no organized transport so I walked the kilometre. Part way along, I met a South African delegate and we endeavored to locate the entrance to the Cellier. After several false starts, we gained entry and were greeted in a vaulted hall. We were served cold cuts, escargots (snails) in puff pastry, deboned frog legs in a tomato-based sauce, a generous slice (or two) of roast Charolais beef, a selection of tasty French cheeses, a fabulous blackcurrant dessert, and more wine. After two ably led wine tastings, I was becoming more familiar with the appellations. My husband was thoroughly enjoying it too!
March 13 - Sunny, mild - Dijon is jam-packed with visitor cars and the show is packed as well. The Orchid Specialist Group held a general meeting which was attended by some 100 members and observers. Our last wine tasting featured La Cote de Nuits. We had received medallions for ticketed activities such as the Medieval Soiree. One side featured the conference logo and named the event while the reverse side featured an interesting scene. A Medieval Concert was held that evening in a hall with fabulous acoustics. The exceptional instrumental and choir group `Laostic' was led by a very enthusiastic conductor and we were treated to a heady evening of traditional music and song. I photographed some of the instruments including: `sousbasse' and `contrebasse' flutes. There were some horn flutes (gemshorns) in a case together with a curious curved `cromorne' instrument.
March 14 - Sunny, mild - We visited the show one last time. At the Closing, we learned that the 20th WOC will be held in Singapore in 2011. The closing banquet was at Chateau du Clos de Vougeot. This fabulous site was ideal for the evening event. The food and wine were great and the company very pleasant.
March 15 - Sunny, very mild. Sightseeing all day. We toured the old city centre where we saw evidence of early Roman life, 14th century buildings, and many churches. The facades are beautifully preserved and carefully conserved for future generations. Here and there was evidence of Roman bricks that had been used to construct part of ancient walls. We saw Maison aux trois pignons located on rue de la Liberté. It was built in 1450 and has been restored three times, most recently in 1972. There are many historic homes (called `hotels') that have been restored and preserved including the Hôtel Aubriot on rue des Forges. Only recently, the 13th century facade was discovered beneath a thick layer of mortar and stucco. In the Hôtel Chambellan, built by Dijon mayor Henri Chambellan at the end of the 1400's, we discovered an elegant spiral staircase. The roof of the Hôtel de Vogue is decorated in 14th century-style enamelled tiles, a technique that originated in Belgium. This building was built at the beginning of the 17th century. Within the courtyard of the Maison Milsand, we discovered a trove of delights. There were three tall statues, an old stone sink, and next to this was an explanatory exhibit on the colorful tiles!
March 16 - Partly cloudy. We say goodbye to Dijon, a clean, friendly and most welcoming city and depart for Paris.
March 17 - Sunny, mild - The weather was perfect for a visit to the Paris Botanical Garden where we saw a Neem Tree (Melia azedarach)! I must admit that I did not know that I was photographing this notable tree. How convenient! The garden is undergoing major restoration but still it was a very pleasant and restful place amidst the hustle and bustle of Paris. I can just imagine what it must be like when plants are in full fragrant bloom. Our reality check came on March 18 when we left mild weather to return to Canadian snow (now fast melting in spring sunshine). I am looking forward to the next WOC which will be in Miami Beach in 2008.
Marilyn HS Light
Mr. Albert Withers, earlier owner of one of western Canada's largest orchid nurseries, namely "Burnaby Orchids" in B.C. was dealing in cut flower sales. In 1952 this nursery, in association with some Californians, was growing the remarkably large number of 35,000 orchid plants in about 12 enormous greenhouses.
Of these orchids, surely 30,000 were Cattleyas, of which about 20,000 had been imported by Mr. Withers from the jungles of South America.
It was there, under Vancouver's leaden skies, surrounded by the heavy snow barriers of January 1952, where I was to look after thousands of gigantic wooden baskets filled with Cattleya percivaliana. Over top of these plants, there were garlands of incandescent lights and it was one of my daily duties to sweep the snow from the roofs of the greenhouses, so that every night, these roofs could be covered with heavy mats of straw.
The temperatures in all those greenhouses were kept at the warmth which was the natural requirement of those orchids according to Mr. Withers. So, the oil furnaces were going day and night (during those years, oil really was cheap!).
The relatively small flowers, with a not too pleasant scent, were shipped out by plane in small glass vials at $1.25 a piece to Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.
I learned a lot from my boss, a Briton by birth; he only avoided direct answers when I asked him, WHERE in South America he had found all those plants. His regular answer was: "Perhaps one day I go back there and I'll take you along, so that you can see for yourself where and how the Cattleyas grow wild". Well, Mr. Withers never did return to South America and it would be another twelve years before I travelled to Venezuela for the first time.
This gigantic land displayed its extreme contrasts to the traveller, even while we were still in the air: vast prairies and similarly vast jungles and mountains, mostly without human habitation. Then the taxis huge North American monster cars with rather brave drivers who took us from Maracaibo to Caracas in a death defying race. This capital's centre part is super modern while in the poorer outlying areas, only the Buicks, Chryslers and Packards (most with traffic-caused abrasions) that were parked in front of absolute hovels, bear witness to their owner's status. A good apartment may be too expensive to rent or own, but cars and gasoline are cheap and after all, Venezuela is an oil-rich country.
Mr. Withers might have had a hard time finding his way in the Venezuela of 1964; during his collecting trips thirty years earlier he had found countless masses of C. mossiae (our Easter orchid in Burnaby) right in the outskirts of Caracas. Now, Venezuelan orchidists have to admit that "Of course, this used to be true. Look at that hillside over there; you can still find a few C. mossiae there but now you cannot go in - it is government owned land. The plants that used to grow here have all disappeared under the onslaught of urban growth. Today one must ravel far inland.
It surprised me to hear that there are people in this city who grow in their gardens thousands of the native orchid species like C. mossiae, C. gaskelliana, C. lueddemanniana from the coast and C. percivaliana from the hillsides, for the very large Venezuelan cut flower market. I was privileged to be invited to visit the wonderful collections of Mr. Helmuth Graf, Joseph Ruecker and H. Wendlicher. From these people I also found out where I could still find Cattleyas and other orchids in the wild.
I am in debt to Mr. Ruecker, who not only assisted my safe passage through the check point of a militia post controlling guerrilla activity, but he also pointed me to several areas where could be found my old friend from Canada, C. percivaliana as well as Epi. oerstedtii in a windblown situation among lichen, under cloud-covered skies, forming regular hummocks between rocks.
Throughout all the available orchid literature I had searched unsuccessfully for information about this small species of the C. labiata complex. Only in Julien Costantin's
"Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees" (from 1906) I found a short note about this plant, briefly translated: "…the variety percivaliana grows farther inland, towards the southern Venezuelan cordilleras, at about 1200 m elevation among rocks that are exposed to the burning sun." This confirmed Mr. Ruecker's instructions. Of course, Dunsterville & Garay's book `Venezuela's Orchids Illustrated' was not in my hands at that time.
Another fact, until then unknown to me was that there were white flowered varieties in existence pure alba forms! There was said to be even a semi-alba form, just like the famous C. warscewiczii semi-alba `Frau Melanie Beyrodt'.
None of these albinistic forms had ever been mentioned to be among the thousands of orchids growing in North America. Perhaps these plants had never been shipped abroad. Perhaps they had arrived in the Northern countries and quietly disappeared in a private collection never to be propagated.
Knowing about the existence of such rarities convinced me to move the proverbial "Heaven and Hell" to find them - even to offer some of my other orchid treasures in exchange. It turned out that again Mr. Ruecker was able to arrange it so that one day, I held in my hand three small pseudobulbs of each of these two varieties.
Now what was I to do with them? Should I grow them on and eventually divide them? I did not have a laboratory for sowing orchids. But meristemming had been developed recently and so both little plants went, with a quiet blessing from my heart, to Mr. Leo Holguin, manager of Armacost & Royston in California. That was in 1965.
At the end of March 1979, there arrived in the mail not only a number of small seedlings of those meristem cultures taken from the six original pseudobulbs, but also several slides of the little white Venezuelan princesses.
Today I must express my gratitude to Mr. Albert Withers in Canada, who first introduced me to C. percivaliana, to Mr. Joseph Ruecker in Caracas who first told me about the existence of the "White Ones" and through whose assistance I was able to obtain two small plants, and to Mr. Leo Holguin from California whose perseverance over many years has resulted in the availability of these rarities to many enthusiasts.
One thing is certain: many orchids, their first acquisition and eventual proliferation demands many things, most of all unfaltering patience.
To grow C. percivaliana successfully, provide bright light, intermediate-warm temperatures and regular care. At Burnaby Orchids, we had 80 cm wide plants in huge wooden baskets; they bloomed profusely for the Christmas season owing to benign manipulations of temperatures, watering and feeding.
Note by translator: along with the regular colour forms, there are a number of alba and albinistic forms of C. percivaliana awarded by the AOS.
Taken from the magazine `Die Orchidee", September 1983
Translated by I. Schmidt-Ostrander
I was one of a group of four who bought plants at the WOC using one Canadian import permit. On arriving at Toronto airport all our plants were held as the papers were deemed incorrect.
One of our party had applied for and received an import permit that we all could use. The application stated that we were importing from "countries" but permit was changed to "France".
The problems started at the WOC when the French officials on-site didnt want to see the import permit and just issued our CITES and phyto permits from the many forms we filled out. We just assumed that the officials would issue the papers correctly. Big mistake!!
On arriving in Toronto we found that there were many things wrong: the phyto didnt mention that the plants were free of a potato wart disease. The papers were done in our names not in the name on the import permit. The flasks didnt have a phyto (France doesnt require a phyto for flasks.) Also because Canada doesnt recognize the EU as a country, the papers must name each country separately. Since our import permit stated imports from "France", the complaint was that we were importing plants that originated in Denmark and Italy and Taiwan. We had export permits and they should have been re-export permits as the plants had been imported into France.
We contacted the officials in France and asked them reissue the papers but every time we seemed to fix one paper problem, another popped up. It appeared like the decision had been made that the plants were not going to be released. Nobody ever checked the plants - it is the papers that needs to have all the i's dotted correctly.
I am very miffed that the process is slanted so that the least experienced, you or me, is required to be the expert - to make sure that everything is filled out correctly, and that if the officials omit something, it is we that pay the price. It is counterproductive to the intent of the CITES and phyto processes to be officious in confiscating plants when the person involved thought he or she had done all the right things. Because orchids are living organisms, there should be a system in place that can quickly resolve the issues. If you want people to comply by the rules, you must have a system in place that works to provide support. They should at least offer assistance to rectify the paperwork as expeditiously as possible in order to release the plants or examine the plants and if there is no obvious sign of concern, just release them. The odds are too good that some paper error will be made and the plants will be confiscated.
Maybe the system works for large scale, experienced importers, but it doesnt work for tourists who just want to shop for a few plants from different vendors. If it had just been us, I might have accepted that we were just stupid but it seems to have happened to several others coming back from the WOC through Toronto. All I can be thankful for is that I didnt see anything to entice me to go on a buying spree.
We should also have safe haven sites throughout Canada such as the Winnipeg City Conservatory in Manitoba and the Muttart Conservatory in Alberta. The Burlington Royal Botanical Garden in Ontario would like to be a safe haven. Confiscated plants will be destroyed - a sad state of "Conservation".
So take note - you are responsible to know all the rules of the day. You must know what is required and must have the officials fill out the CITES and phyto permits out correctly. Even then you can get tripped up by an officious inspector
-Jerry Bolce
Orchid Fever gripped me in 1989. It happened suddenly - the minute I stepped into an Orchid Butterfly House near Chiang Mia in northern Thailand. The first thing I witnessed was a massive display of dendrobiums the likes of which I had never seen. The butterflies were nice, however it was the orchids that I spent all of my time photographing. My Thai friends had to drag me from the place when it was time to leave. I've never been quite the same since that day.
My delight in orchids did not go un-noticed and when I left Thailand - a gift of orchids accompanied me. Fortunately, I was on assignment with the United Nations, working with the Thai Department of Agriculture, the very people who were responsible for CITIES and Phytosanitary certification.
Knowing nothing about orchid culture, some of these plants soon perished in my inhospitable home environment. A friend observing my plight, invited me to a meet ing of the Manitoba Orchid Society. I became a member and through patient coaching by some "experts" soon had the remaining orchids on the road to recovery.
Many working trips back to Thailand assisted in increasing my collection substantially. My wife looked after this growing collection each time I left on another 2 month assignment. Her list of instructions firmly attached to the refrigerator door were religiously followed. Orchid plants blooming in our home for the first time often greeted me on my arrival home.
My collection consists of about 160 plants. I grow my orchids in the basement under fluorescent lights and in our kitchen box-bay windows. As one can imagine many of these orchids originated in Thailand. Fortunately I spent time in Thailand through all seasons and learned what conditions these species were subjected to. By mimicking these conditions, as closely as I could in our Manitoba environment, I have had reasonable success.
The Manitoba Orchid Society (MOS) was a tremendous source of information and assistance as I searched for and continue to search for an understanding of orchids. When I was given the opportunity to become President of MOS, I felt that by accepting this position I could in turn could assist others. As Past President I now have many opportunities to spread the "gospel according to Orchids" by speaking to the uninitiated at Garden Clubs in Manitoba and adjacent Minnesota.
My love of Orchids has also extended to native orchids. My wife Joan and I have covered a substantial portion of North America searching for orchids to photograph. Our favourite spot is Churchill where ten different species of orchids brave the severe weather conditions and bloom in profusion! We belong to two native orchid groups: Native Orchid Conservation Inc., in Manitoba and Native Orchid Conference Inc., based in North Carolina. I am the Vice-President of Native Orchid Conference Inc., and am also heavily involved in helping Native Orchid Conservation Inc., in preparing a field guide to the "Native Orchids of Manitoba".
Time does not weigh heavily on my hands!!
Recently, after reading something about a "calceolus type of Angraecum", I thought I should look up what that is.
And then I got very confused, even more so than my usual state!
Looking in Dr. H. Mayr's "Orchid Names and their Meanings", I found that:
calceolus = small slipper, a diminutive of calceus (Latin) = shoe.
What? I thought that the syllable `calc' has to do with calcium, like lime, limestone etc. Out comes Webster's Dictionary: calc, calx and calk, these words all have to do with the heel of a foot; it can be from a human, mammalian or bird foot, even a horse's hoof. BUT! Calc, calx and calk also denote lime, something resembling calcite or calcium carbonate - (Ahh! here it comes) - especially in hardness. You see? Limestone is hard, so is a heel bone; is this the connection? It must be.
Cypripedium calceolus in proper translation means "Cyprus Slipper Little Slipper". How astute are the taxonomists! The flower is a slipper slipper! The Cyprus part comes from the fact that the island of Cyprus was dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite (in Roman: Venus). Earlier, the slipper was just a "Lady's Slipper"; who knows what Lady was involved! When Christianity was introduced, Venus had to go, now, that lady was said to be St. Mary.
Of course, the word Paphiopedilum has the same origin, except that in this case, the island in question is Paphos, also sacred to Aphrodite; and guess what `pedilum' means? Why, of course, it means "Little Slipper".
The word `calcareous' denotes relationship with lime. But I don't know if there is any specific plant epithet of that. Our `calceolus' type of Angraecum shows a pouched lip on the photograph. There you go.
Aren't you glad it was raining this afternoon and I had time to poke around in my books?
Ingrid Schmidt-Ostrander
Dendrobium cuthbertsonii "BC Treasure" receives the Benjamin Kodama Award
Big suprises comes in a little plant! In November 2004, Dendrobium cuthbertsonii "B.C. Treasure" grown by VOS member Carla Bischoff of Surrey, British Columbia was honoured with the distinguished 2003 Benjamin Kodama Award. The Trustees and Officers of the American Orchid Society (AOS) met and bestowed the coveted award on October 8, 2004.
Established in 1996, the Benjamin Kodama Award is granted annually by the Trustees of the AOS to the grower of the most outstanding example of the Dendrobium Alliance awarded by the AOS during the previous calendar year; and is one of the highest honours the organization grants upon an orchidist. An endowment also accompanies this prestigious award that was established by the friends of Benjamin Kodama in recognition of both his and his family's contributions to the improvements in breeding of this diverse and popular group of orchids. Mr. Kodama's tireless efforts on behalf of Hawaiian orchids have earned him international recognition.
Congratulations Carla Bischoff! 
The purpose of COC news is to inform members of the meetings, policies of the COC, to profile members, and to provide technical information regarding happenings, trends and techniques in orchid culivation across the country and around the world.
We welcome your suggestions and contributions. Deadline for each issue is one month before the issue dates previously announced.
Recipients of this newsletter are strongly urged to pass a copy on to other members of their society
Officers of the Canadian Orchid Congress
President Margaret Blewett
902-827-2614
mblewett@accesswave.ca
Past President Ingrid Ostrander
250-652-0753
ifl@telus.net
Vice-President Lorne Heshka
204-663-6850
lheshka@escape.ca
Treasurer Janette Richardson
306-543-0560
dale.richardson@sasktel.net
Secretary Terry Kennedy
905-727-3319
ourtropics@ica.net
Education Mark Elliott
604-943-6979
melliott@mrl.ubc.ca
Conservation Marilyn Light
819-776-2655
mlight@igs.net
COC Web Site -
http://www.CanadianOrchidCongress.ca/
Please send in your show information - date, location,
contact, etc.