I spent the evening crawling around the web, reading do-gooders pontificate about the evils of hybrids (and mb easing a few beers), and decided to spout a bit myself.
There are absolutely two camps in this discussion. The problem is that the purists fail to recognize the developers. It infuriates me that a small handful of self-proclaimed do-gooders are given one second of credence while operating in the complete vacuum of knowledge! Virtually everything we know, from the steak you eat to the grass you mow is an improvement over what nature gave us to work with. If it was up to them, our corn fields would yeild 25 bushels to the acre instead of 250. Our garden flowers would look like junk yard weeds, and our selection of aquarium fish would look like largemouth bass and wild gambusia.
Do we need the purists to preserve the species? ABSOLUTELY. Do I think they are correct in saying hybrids are bad? I think they are idiots. Hybrids in ALL species are important to human society and endeavor. A massive part of why we are where we are here in the 21st century is because of people like Mendel, Burbank, Carver, etal. Not too much historical statue building to the purists; it's the inventors in the genetic world that make a difference.
So.... the next time someone gives you grief over breeding or buying a hybrid, just tell them thank you for providing us artists with a pallet!!!
There are absolutely two camps in this discussion. The problem is that the purists fail to recognize the developers. It infuriates me that a small handful of self-proclaimed do-gooders are given one second of credence while operating in the complete vacuum of knowledge! Virtually everything we know, from the steak you eat to the grass you mow is an improvement over what nature gave us to work with. If it was up to them, our corn fields would yeild 25 bushels to the acre instead of 250. Our garden flowers would look like junk yard weeds, and our selection of aquarium fish would look like largemouth bass and wild gambusia.
Do we need the purists to preserve the species? ABSOLUTELY. Do I think they are correct in saying hybrids are bad? I think they are idiots. Hybrids in ALL species are important to human society and endeavor. A massive part of why we are where we are here in the 21st century is because of people like Mendel, Burbank, Carver, etal. Not too much historical statue building to the purists; it's the inventors in the genetic world that make a difference.
So.... the next time someone gives you grief over breeding or buying a hybrid, just tell them thank you for providing us artists with a pallet!!!
