Some time ago I proposed we collect net wisdom on cultivation of specific plants in one spot, hoping rec.gardeners would seek data there (and reduce netnews traffic). My suggestion was that we write up data files, one per cultivated genus. This drew little notice, and response was limited to two ideas: a) It can't be done. b) It's already been done. Continued postings about garden databases prompt me to write again. The reasoning in (a) is that there are tens of thousands of plant genera, and even more "kinds" of plants; about each one might reasonably ask for many data fields. This is a lot of data -- the Flora of North America will run over a dozen volumes. Other valid objections question author credentials, editorial consistency, etc. The reasoning in (b) is that, well, we do have taxonomic and horticultural data -- they're in datasets called "books". I have also found several gopher or WWW sites with good databases, as well as stand-alone programs and CDROMS. Many people evidently keep private databases. On the other hand, people on rec.gardens seem to keep asking about common flowers. I have looked at a couple dozen of the catalogs most commonly seen (in the US), and I notice that together they don't offer more than a few hundred genera of flowering plants, excluding categories like vegetables and houseplants. (Partial listing below.) So maybe I should offer a new version of my previous proposal. I am seeking 100 volunteers, each one to write up a data file on the cultivation of common garden plants in one genus. I would expect the data to come from a mixture of experience, library work, garden lore, and whatever mailings or catalogs you have handy. Your final product will probably be shorter than this post. Your file will be publicly available on the net (FTP/gopher/WWW/email?). Others will inevitably comment on or modify your work. I will provide a template and some guides. I'm just trying to act as a conduit for the exchange of plant-lovers information on the net. If you have preferences for how this should be accomplished I'd be happy to hear from you. If you are interested in participating, email me for more information. I expect most people would prefer to write about some genus/genera more than others; please indicate your preference(s). If I can get commitments on most of these genera I'll consider the project a 'go', otherwise all bets are off. Dave Rusin, rusin@math.niu.edu TODAY'S LIST: I excluded non-flowering plants (ferns, some hedges,...); plants not primarily ornamental (veggies, fruits, nuts, herbs); and plants not appropriate for a common N. American garden (aquatic plants, tall trees, tropicals, etc.) (If you think this is too autocratic and limiting, write about any genus that excites you!) Of the genera remaining, these seem to be in the top quartile or so, and are common in local gardens too: Achillea Ajuga Allium Althaea Alyssum Anemone Antirrhinum Aquilegia Artemesia Asclepias Aster Astilbe Begonia Buddleia Caladium Campanula Campsis Canna Celosia Centaurea Ceratostigma Cercis Chrysanthemum Clematis Coleus Convallaria Coreopsis Coronilla Cosmos Crocus Dahlia Delphinium Dianthus Dicentra Digitalis Echinacea Euonymus Freesia Gaillardia Geranium Gladiolus Gypsophila Helianthus Helichrysum Hemerocallis Heuchera Hibiscus Hosta Hyacinthus Hydrangea Iberis Impatiens Ipomoea Iris Kniphofia Lathyrus Lavandula Liatris Lilium Limonium Linum Lobelia Lobularia Lonicera Lupinus Monarda Myosotis Narcissus Oenothera Paeonia Papaver Pelargonium Phlox Portulaca Potentilla Primula Pyretheum Ranunculus Rhododendron Rosa Rudbeckia Salvia Scabiosa Sedum Sempervivum Syringa Tagetes Thymus Tropaeolum Tulipa Verbena Veronica Viburnum Vinca Viola Weigela Wisteria Yucca Zinnia