Re: Looking for information

[PlankMail@aol.com]

Thanks, Gary -- This is very interesting information!   I agree it is info
that should be part of both the H.I.P.S. collection of history as well as the
AIS Library.
     Cheers!
          Jeanne
In a message dated 4/7/07 7:55:55 AM, in2iris@yahoo.com writes:


> 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
>




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