@Martin Bohnet - my point is that if exchanges provided some sort of information, on what there was demand for. I dunno, do you make the packets smaller, or have a lottery, or go off people's donor record, to decide who gets the items in short supply.
I once had a frank chat with a seed ex manager and what I considered good efforts on my part (lilium formosanum, zantadeschia aethopica) were just not wanted. They had, well bushels of them, they couldn't give away, and didn't want any more.
I can see why seed ex don't want to reject stuff, one day the person who donates common stuff will donate some good stuff.
NARGS has a nice page about Seed Ex.
https://www.nargs.org/seed-donation-instructions
"The most frequently ordered items in the Seed Exchange are from small, highly ornamental alpine plants, especially those collected in the wild. Seed from very unusual plants, especially from temperate climates, as well as woodland plants and the seed of uncommon bulbs are also much desired. Always highly sought are seeds of Adonis, Arisaema, Cyclamen, Edraianthus, Erythronium, Fritillaria, Hepatica, Paeonia, Trillium as well as some of the smaller or rare species of Aquilegia, Campanula, Clematis, Eritrichium, Gentiana, Lewisia, Penstemon, and Primula. There is also a small demand for easily grown ornamental garden standards, but in this regard see comments on the Unacceptable Seeds below. Seeds sent without species designation (listed as "sp.") are rarely requested, unless of highly desirable genera. North American members, in particular, are urged to collect more seed of alpine plants in the wild."
"UNACCEPTABLE SEED LIST
Common trees and large shrubs, unless wild collected; uncommon species are acceptable;�
Annuals or large perennials available from commercial seed catalogs, or cultivars of common groups such as Hemerocallis, Hosta, or bearded iris;
Plants taller than 1-meter requiring frost-free culture, or Aquatic plants;
Food plants of little ornamental value;
Large quantities of seed of large plants like Clematis cultivars, Eryngium or Eupatorium.
"
I once had a frank chat with a seed ex manager and what I considered good efforts on my part (lilium formosanum, zantadeschia aethopica) were just not wanted. They had, well bushels of them, they couldn't give away, and didn't want any more.
I can see why seed ex don't want to reject stuff, one day the person who donates common stuff will donate some good stuff.
NARGS has a nice page about Seed Ex.
https://www.nargs.org/seed-donation-instructions
"The most frequently ordered items in the Seed Exchange are from small, highly ornamental alpine plants, especially those collected in the wild. Seed from very unusual plants, especially from temperate climates, as well as woodland plants and the seed of uncommon bulbs are also much desired. Always highly sought are seeds of Adonis, Arisaema, Cyclamen, Edraianthus, Erythronium, Fritillaria, Hepatica, Paeonia, Trillium as well as some of the smaller or rare species of Aquilegia, Campanula, Clematis, Eritrichium, Gentiana, Lewisia, Penstemon, and Primula. There is also a small demand for easily grown ornamental garden standards, but in this regard see comments on the Unacceptable Seeds below. Seeds sent without species designation (listed as "sp.") are rarely requested, unless of highly desirable genera. North American members, in particular, are urged to collect more seed of alpine plants in the wild."
"UNACCEPTABLE SEED LIST
Common trees and large shrubs, unless wild collected; uncommon species are acceptable;�
Annuals or large perennials available from commercial seed catalogs, or cultivars of common groups such as Hemerocallis, Hosta, or bearded iris;
Plants taller than 1-meter requiring frost-free culture, or Aquatic plants;
Food plants of little ornamental value;
Large quantities of seed of large plants like Clematis cultivars, Eryngium or Eupatorium.
"