Re: Looking for information

[gary white <in2iris@yahoo.com>]

Hello all,
   
  Yadi Flannery also called me and we discussed the gardens of Mr. Melvin Geiser at length.  She subsequently sent to me copies of newspaper pages and a garden catalog.  Melvin Geiser operated Fair Chance Farm in Beloit, Kansas during the 1930's, 40's and 50's.  He was a contemporary of the Sass Brothers, though he was 30 some years younger than they were.  I believe the farm was sold in the early 1950s.  At one time, Mr. Geiser claimed to have the largest iris business in the United States, according to information obtained by Yadi.  In the full page newspaper article that Yadi sent me (The Beloit Kansas Daily Call, dated Friday June 7, 1936), the Daily Call Job Printers had just issued 10,000 copies of his garden catalogue.  The article chronicles Melvin Geiser's interest in irises and development of his hobby into a large business venture in a short period of time.   Mr. Geiser was only 18 or 19 yrs old when he started his business in 1932, it seems, and then started
 college in 1933 at Kansas Wesleyen University in Salina.  By 1935, Fair Chance Farm had grown to the catalogue distribution list of 10,000 addresses.  He had joined AIS in 1932.   Before the business was sold in 1951 or 52, he was listing more than 2200 cultivars that he had collected from around the world.  He believed this to be the largest collection of iris varieties assembled in one place in the world at that time.  Melvin Geiser specialized in iris, peonies, and poppies, though he also grew many other perennials.
   
  Yadi is looking for more information about the farm, the business, Mr. Geiser, etc.  I have encouraged her to join AIS and HIPS, and also to contact folks in Region 18, where the farm that she is purchasing is located.  She did tell me that the New York Botanical Garden archives has at least two of the catalogues, but they are unwilling to make copies for her.  She has been delving through archives at the Mitchell County Kansas Historical Society and other venues for information.
   
  In looking at the copy of the Fair Chance Farm catalogue she sent to me, it is evident of the extent of the collection.  And, the illustrations and notes are quite interesting and creative.  This information certainly is worthy of more investigation for HIPS, the AIS library, etc.
   
  Anyway, thought I would pass on some notes about Melvin Geiser and Fair Chance Farm.   Of course, all the information that I have imparted is already known by Yadi.  
  
Gary White
  Lincoln, Nebraska
   
   
  GormleyGreenery@aol.com wrote:
  In a message dated 4/6/2007 4:45:25 P.M. Central Daylight Time, 
aisgensec@earthlink.net writes:

received a telephone call from a Ms. Yadie Slattery of Santa Fe. She is 
inquiring about any information she and her partner can dig up on the "Fair 
Chance Farm" they purchased. It is located in Beloit, Kansas and had previously 
been owned by Melvin (Geyser) / (Geiser) sp. ??? He was reputed to have been 
an AIS Judge. They are hoping to locate any historical information about 
the farm itself and also about Melvin. Anyone out there have information they 
would like to share with Yadie? Her telephone number is 505-984-2285. 
Anyone from the Kansas/Oklahoma Region know of the farm and past owner? 
Appreciate all your help on this. Patricia





In the MemSec database there is no "Melvin" that fits under either spelling 
of the name or in KS at all. Checked current, drops and deceased.

Rita Gormley
Gormley Greenery
Cedar Hill, MO
AIS Region 18, Zone 5
http://www.gormleygreenery.com/



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