Once again, members have expressed interest in running an exchange for summer-growing bulbs and ephemeral (short-lived) seed. We are planning to run the exchange on the same timing as last year. This is a compromise; some of the seeds spoil by being kept too long, but others are not yet ripe. Material should be sent out mid-November, so it can be planted and started into growth in a timely fashion. 

This exchange is intended primarily for fleshy Amaryllid seeds (e.g. Amaryllis, Brunsvigia, Crinum, Hessea, Nerine, Strumaria), or any other bulbous seeds which need to be sown fresh; however, I am very happy to receive any other bulbous seeds, and bulbs of summer-growing species which have now gone dormant.

The normal problem with this exchange is that the demand vastly outstrips supply, particularly for Strumaria and Hessea seed, but the growers are still keen to distribute these species in cultivation as far as possible. So please donate anything you can.

Please note that although we call it an exchange, if you don’t yourself have material to offer, you will still be able to request seeds or bulbs from the list in exchange for a suitable donation to cover at least the cost of postage and packing. 

1. Please contact me by (Jon Evans) by 2nd November with a list of what you are sending ( my email is jon@sabg.uk ), and
2. Send the seed to me by 9th November at the latest, at the following address:
   

46 Upper Way, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8RF
or give it to me by hand at the autumn meeting in Winchester on 20th October

Please include a list of your donations, if possible containing the following information. If you can send the list by email that would be brilliant.

• Genus
• Species (including subspecies / cultivar name where relevant)
• Wild Source if known (when the item is derived from wild collected material it is useful to know a location for the collection)
• Notes (any other information about the item you feel is useful)
• Seed or Bulb
• South African or ‘Other’
• Approximate quantity

I will send out a list of the items received or promised on or around 3rd November, with a week or 10 days for people to make requests.

I hope you find this exercise valuable and perhaps obtain some new plants.  Of course, its success depends on the generous efforts of the donors, so please check whether you have some spares you can donate.

Best wishes
Jon Evans

:NOTE: Only SABG members may take part in the exchange. Contact details have been sent to SABG members by email or post. If you have joined recently and not received the details, please let me know (Richard White).