May 19, 2013 - General Meeting 2:30 pm
First Baptist Church, 300 Willits St. Birmingham MI 48009

Cattleyas Around The Year

Ou Our Speaker for Sunday, May 19, 2013 is Gene Crocker retired vice-president of Carter & Holmes Orchid Nursery. Gene will be speaking on "Cattleyas Around The Year". Gene retired from Carter & Holmes in December 2010, but is only a three minute walk from the greenhouse and works part-time there.

Gene obtained his first orchid when he was 15 years old and his first orchids were Cattleyas, his first love, but he has an interest in any and all orchid genera.

After graduating from Clemson University in Textile Chemistry, he obtained a second degree in Meteorology from Penn State and served as a weather forecaster in the U.S. Air Force. He worked as Laboratory Manager for Cannon Mills, famous manufacturer of sheets and towels, for twenty years before joining Carter & Holmes in 1986.

As an amateur orchidist, Gene developed an interest in hybridizing producing his first cattleya hybrids in 1961. For over 25 years he has carried on the breeding program at Carter & Holmes started in the 1950's by Bill Carter. Many of this hybrids have been awarded by the AOS including two that received FCC's and one an Award of Quality. He has traveled extensively, representing Carter & Holmes at various orchid conferences around the world. Perhaps Gene's most enduring claim to orchid fame is the fact that he coined the term "mericlone" in 1964.

Gene and his wife Kitty have three children and five grandchildren.

Preorders will receive a 25% discount (from their catalog or website www.carterandholmes.com). There is a charge of 10% for packing and delivery for each order. The plants must be paid for at the time of order using a charge card so they can adjust for sold out items and only charge for the plants delivered. When placing your order, please specify the name of Michigan Orchid Society.

ORDERS NEED TO BE RECEIVED AT LEAST 10 DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING DATE. Anyone at Carter & Holmes may take your order but be sure to specify the MOS. For further information you can contact Gene at twocrockers@gmail.com.