CSA-Journal-2016-04
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nized its quality and suggested they make a<br />
cross. Burt consented, and Ernest proceeded<br />
with this outstanding plant, Balkis ‘Silver<br />
Orb’, to make “The Big Four” among<br />
the most famous modern cymbidium crosses<br />
of all time: Lillian Stewart (x Carrisona<br />
‘Glendesary’), Edna Cobb (x Profita ‘Mardi<br />
Gras’), San Francisco (x Blue Smoke ‘Pernod’),<br />
and Great Day (x Swallow), gaining<br />
world recognition for Stewart’s Orchids<br />
and Ernest Hetherington, its leader. He<br />
was awarded the AOS Gold Medal of<br />
Achievement for his lifetime service to the<br />
orchid world in April 1990.<br />
Ernest’s role in the <strong>CSA</strong> was equally<br />
foundational. He was a longtime member<br />
of the Society, and the 12th president. He<br />
promoted the idea of an annual gathering<br />
of cymbidium growers and hobbyists to the<br />
<strong>CSA</strong> Board of Directors, and in 1976 he<br />
served as the first Chair of the <strong>CSA</strong> Cymbidium<br />
Congress, a position that he held<br />
for 10 years. He created the format for<br />
the congress that we continue to use today.<br />
And he wrote articles for the various<br />
versions of the Cymbidium Society’s newsletters<br />
and magazines. In 1953 he began<br />
a recurring column entitled “Trends and<br />
Developments in the Cymbidium World”.<br />
This evolved into a semi regular article<br />
called “Grower’s Notebook”. He wrote<br />
tirelessly for <strong>CSA</strong> publications, as well as<br />
the AOS Bulletin and the Orchid Digest,<br />
involving himself in all levels of these organizations.<br />
The <strong>CSA</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> of March/<br />
April 2008 (Vol 8, No. 2) was dedicated<br />
to Honoring Ernest, with more than one<br />
author and/or interviewee indicating that<br />
Ernest did more for longer to promote orchids,<br />
orchid education, and orchid cultural<br />
history than anyone else.<br />
While the steps of Ernest’s life progress<br />
were similar to many, his longevity and the<br />
quality and quantity of his work, writings,<br />
accounts, and participation tops most.<br />
Ernest Hetherington was an outstanding<br />
man. He was 100% dedicated to mankind,<br />
Cym. Balkis 'Silver Orb'<br />
photo courtesy Randall Robinson<br />
he served his nation, he served his employer<br />
the Stewart Family, and he served his family.<br />
He fulfilled his own passion by being one of<br />
the greatest students of orchidology of all<br />
time, which he loved completely.<br />
Paul Gripp has been growing orchids for over fifty<br />
years. A <strong>CSA</strong> and AOS judge, he is past owner of the<br />
Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, has an extensive library<br />
of orchid books and prints, and in the Editor’s opinion,<br />
is another of our extraordinary orchidmen.<br />
Randall Robinson<br />
will talk about the<br />
Legacy and Contributions of<br />
Ernest Heatherington<br />
at the<br />
2017 Cymbidium Congress<br />
May 18, 2017<br />
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