Thanks for those suggestions, Lee. I, too, have participated in the seed exchange enthusiastically over the years. Being an acquisitive and competitive person, I've never given a lot of thought to the plight of those who rarely enjoy success. I see the seed exchange primarily as a fund raising function of the PBS and order shamelessly. Yet I do know what it's like to be on the outside looking in with regard to acquiring rare and much desired plants, and I think it's important to get plants into the hands of young or newbie growers, if only so that they can soon share their successes with them in the seed and bulb exchanges and thus keep the plants well dispersed in cultivation. We gardeners tend to be a generous group and there might be a simple way to help this to happen, a way which has not yet been mentioned in these discussions. Every BX lists the names of the donors. If you have been disappointed in your bids to the BX, why not try contacting the donor directly? I've had such direct requests in the past and was glad to be able to honor them. I'll bet most of our donor members would be willing to do that, too. Or, if you did not get something you think you can't live without, why not post a message to the group to see if anyone who was successful might be willing to share. I'll bet someone would. Among the other advantages of doing things these ways is that it makes no more work for the seed exchange chair - no fussing with lotteries or the like. Jim McKenney Jim McKenney _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…