Lou- I suspect that you are over-thinking this. When I started out growing figs from cuttings I worried about many of the things you seem to be. What I have come to realize is that you can fuss too much and it's not helpful. Fig cuttings are very resilient and are one of the easiest things to root in my experience. My technique these days is to take a 4"-5" piece (making a fresh cut off the to-be-planted end if the pruning cut is old), scrape some of the bark off that end (maybe 1/2"-3/4"), dip the cut end in rooting hormone, make a hole 2" deep in a cup of moist potting soil, and stick it in. I keep it watered, and about 80F. And then I wait for it to sprout leaves: most of mine sprout in a week or two, while a few have taken up to two months. If I want to get really fancy, I'll use a little perlite in the potting soil, and I'll use a clear plastic cup so I can observe root growth. I generally have about a 95% success rate. I don't bother with putting the cuttings in the refrigerator first or in moist paper towels in a plastic bag, or any of that other stuff. I'm not saying those aren't good things; I'm just saying I no longer consider them necessary, or likely to increase my success rate Many of the fig trees in this country are the result of immigrants bringing over cuttings years ago that they carried with them on weeks-long sea voyages; they planted them when they got here and grew the trees they were familiar with. I guarantee that they were not cold stratifying these cuttings or any of the other sophisticated things we now do. You've got 140 cuttings? With even a little success you will have far more fig trees than you can plant and unload on your relatives. As much as I love figs and fig trees, I realistically only have room for about 20 plants in my fairly big yard.

Well, my 2 gal buckets were full, I did put a skinny ice pack between them in cooler, should have brought my 5 gal soy sauce buckets to put ice in but they're so big. I just kept sticking buckets back in cooler and would cover with wet towel when not bagging or fluffing I did display head lettuce and bags of arugula in a big SS bowl with margarine tub block of ice covered with towel in middle, then lettuce put on top of towel. Later near end of market packed the bowl away and just displayed heads in small cooler on top of 2 tubs of ice but didn't sell any. I don't know if anyone sold lettuce today - DS said someone (prob. MM as the only other produce vendor looked like she just had herbs and jellies) was selling lettuce $2.50/half lb (??). I was asking $4/head and my biggest head was over 1 lb, figured I'd lower price as heads got smaller but none sold. Did sell a couple of gallons of looseleaf, and 2 women asked for 1/2 gal so I eyeballed it - then 1 said she wanted mix so I had to eyeball a quart of each! Still have 2 buckets full in cooler in basement. DH will have to try to sell it tomorrow while I'm away.

Gail2568~ Although you may be busy with your business/family, you did sign on for this robin and by doing so agreed to the rules set. The robin was in fact delivered to your house, the confirmation number and the date are: Label/Receipt Number: 0305 0830 0003 8274 4931 Status: Delivered Your item was delivered at 10:09 am on July 25, 2005 in DE SOTO, KS 66018. The robin was to move in 2 to 3 days after receipt. I would appreciate you sending it to the next person and providing me or posting what the confirmation number is. If you are not interested in going through it,and taking and replacing, then to just send it to the next person. It is not fair that there's been no communication, and other people are anxiously awaiting this and looking to play.You signed up in good faith, and should subscribe to fairness and decency when making such a commitment, albeit it a small one. You have 3 days to respond --Or I will have no alternative than to contact the postmaster and file an affidavit of fraud.

Thanks SD for the nice compliments. As far as the remote candles...I was originally looking for ones like you have. I think it was Jeanne who had them and that got me wanting some. While seaching for them online, I came across the remote ones and was sold on the idea of using a remote. I was lucky to find them at a store near me, for about half of what I was originally going to pay. I also got the lighted branches at the same place, at the end of the Summer. Glad you enjoyed looking. jane