many of the Dutch auction houses have closed and the >others have been consolidated. It's my understanding that all plants >used to have to be run through the auction houses. This is no longer >the case. That's about all the details that I remember. The two largest auction houses consolidated recently. FloraHolland and Alsmeer were their names, I think. It's now a 6 billion dollar business. There is a comprehensive discussion of the Dutch flower industry at: http://ilo.org/public/english/… I found the paper very informative. Best, Mark Mazer Hertford, North Carolina USa Zone 7b-8, I think 70F, rain expected. Several Tritelia germinate, Lachenalia pusilla seed harvested. Planted a Calycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ outside.