North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

Dr. J. Moore at the U. of Arkansas took the attitude that a grower who propagated for his own use, not for sale, gave more in advertising than in royalties.  So if a grower was simply increasing stock for their personal use, there were no royalties.  I think Dr. Moore was right, because word of mouth among growers pushed the reputation of the Reliance grape much farther than it might have gone otherwise.  
I feel the same way.  Goodwill from letting a grower increase their own stock without paying royalties will gain you more in the long run than being a stickler for collecting the propagation fees.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com  Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003. 
For even more grape lessons, go to  http://www.grapeschool.com
For growing supplies and more;  http://www.grapegrowersolutions.com

On Jan 25, 2007, at 5:57 AM, Thomas Olenio wrote:

<x-tad-bigger>Hello,</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>You can do an online patent search to discover who holds a patent, and their address.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>http://www.uspto.gov/patft/</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>I had little luck in contacting the patent holder for Titania blackcurrant.  He had no idea how to handle a single individual, or establish a straight forward royalty fee.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>I just wanted to propagate a couple more bushes (for myself) from the single plant I had purchased from a nursery.  Having read all the NAFEX posts on patents I thought I would try to honor the patent.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Possibly he was the exception.  In my limited experience, patent holders are interested in the large producers, not the individual propagating for their own limited, personal use.  I think we are more of a bother than we are worth to them.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>I am not saying to abuse a patent, just stating the realities I ran into.</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Later,</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger>Tom</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>