Horticultural Society

H/4/1988-4-

There was no new business. The question was raised as to whether there should a specific meeting marked to celebrate our 125th season. The notion was avoided and in place, we agreed to meet at 7:00 at the next meeting to take a group picture.

QUESTIONS

Ari Preuss mentioned that during a trip to South Carolina he stayed 1/2 mile from the Angel Oak ( located on St. John's Island near Charleston) - a 1,400 to 1,600 year old tree reputed to be the oldest living thing east of the Mississippi.

Nancy Preuss needs a pet cage for their eventually large dog that they will be voyaging with.

Caroline Hussman has seen metal strips around trees in town. They were identified as sticky tape devise for battling gypay moth caterpillars.

Buzz Hussman has wood chips for the taking.

John Hartge questioned the identity of a beetle 1/2 the size of a ladybug with one black spot on each wing.

Mary Seiler asked about Polonia trees. One camp discounted the species as a big weed and another expounded on the value, aesthetics, and delicacy of raising the tree for fun and profit

Priscilla Allen asked how far back to cut pussy willows - 6 inches will do. Also plant blueberries high or low. High is preferable - Maine is a good state to start.

Flora Goff brought on a discussion of vermiliads or air plants. The gist was that they do very well with minimal care and feeding .

Tom Farquhar brought a stunted tomato seedling - 1 of 60 that he had planted in cardboard egg cartons. He also had many pepper seedlings in a similar lamentable state. Chemicals in the cardboard were blamed and it was recommended that plastic egg cartons work better because they can be disinfected with bleach solution and used over and over again.

WHat to do about the vole holes? Just a few of the approaches included noise makers cats, moth balls and placing plants within hardware cloth.

Peter Conlon inquired after locally available pines. Recommended was Meadows Farms, formerly Cheap Eddie's, across from the Red Door Country Store on Norwood Road.

H/5/1988-1-

May 3,1988 The May 3rd meeting (# 869) of the Sandy Spring Horicultural Society met at Quailhill , home of Elizabeth Thornton, Peter Austin and a smattering of housemates. The day's weather although not splendid was benign and allowed the Society to inspect the thin veener of grooming that made the grounds and house seem inhabited by civilized creatures (possibly human) and not gaping, slovenly primates. As the daylight waned everyone was gathered to serve themselves dinner. We looked out the south facing picture windows as a red fox made regal and leisurely appearance on the hillside above the middle pond....compliments of Foxes-R-Us, Rockville, Maryland.

Guests included the first Society appearance of Marika Austin and Jamie Rogers. There was also Mark Jacoby, Lisa Griffin, Liz Goll, Robin and Nell Johnsen, Henry and Esther Thornton, Jan Westervelt, and Clive and Wendy Lawrence. Missing was Tom Canby, Iduna & Rudi Hanel and Flora & Harry Goff.

After a delicious meal, the meeting began with an announcement from Tom Farhquar regarding a colleague who orders flower bulbs from Europe at a very good price.

The meeting was officially opened with the Treasurer's report. Despite irresponsible managment and wild expenditures the cofferes swelled with the opulent sum of $53.15. The yearly dues of 50 cents per family was collected, extracted and cajoled from all those present. The suggestion that those absent would pay an exorbitant penalty for lateness was voted down.

Susan Canby followed with a terrifying article about the back-breaking labor, iron discipline, and nearly oriental view of gradual progress over time that goes into creating and maintaing a lovely effortless looking wildflower patch. The article was from the 1988 April Horticultural magazine and was entitled "Can You Have a Meadow Garden?" it was subtitled "Yes , but it takes planning, preparation, and dilligent follow-through. The whole article was a direct contrast to the blite and seductive marketing attached to the so-called meadow-in-a-can. The advertisements foster the illusion that creating a beautiful wildflower meadow involves the ease and neglect that's anathema to any serious horticultural project. On the contrary, it requires preocedure, hard-work, and about 3 years to hit stride.

In lieu of a voulunteer article, Mary Grady recommended a book entitled "Honeysuckle Sipping" by Lise Chasanou. It sounds like a charming collection of the tricks and magic that can be shared with children as one unfolds the wonders of the green earth before them.

The minutes from 100 years ago detailed the meeting at Norwood, May 1st 1888. Of a multitude of facts and figure it was mentioned that watermelons and cucumbers don't mix.

Priscilla Allen described her forethought as a reminder that most of what was forethoughted last month should be continued as the dizzying pace of summer activity shifted into high gear.

A photo of 21 people posing in a garden Backrow Harold Earp Edwina Earp Bette Hartge Nancy Chance Susan Fifer Canby Rudi Hanel Elie Rogers Lydia Haviland Leslie Rogers John Hartge Ellen Hartge Peter Austin Caroline Hussman Buzz Hussman Iduna Hanel Front Row Tom Farquhar Mary Grady Nancy Preuss Mo Chance Ari Preuss Elizabeth Thornton missing - Tom Canby, Bill Hartge, Jim + Beth Bullard, Peter + Polly Conlon and Harry + Flora Goff Incomplete SSHS July 5, 1988

H/9/1988-1-

September 6, 1988; page 1

Our 873rd meeting was held at the Cedars, home of Helen Farquhar as well as Mary Grady, Tom Farquhar and their two children, Kate and Andrew. It was a splendid late afternoon, perfect for viewing the lovely grounds and Tom and Mary's wide, ambitious, and productive garden. The house itself sported a new paint job and looked appropriately grand and glorious in preparation for hosting the October 8th wedding of Miss Brooke Farquhar who attended the evening's meeting and Victor Bullen. The meeting was made distinctive by the attendance of previously active members Mary Moore Miller, Sylvia Woodward, Martha Nesbitt, Betsy and Herb Kinney. Guests included Hal and Anne Cope, and Pat and Fred Mills. Missing were the Earps and the Goffs.

The meeting started off with a remembrance of George Coffee who passed away recently. Mr. Coffee was never a member of the Horticultural Society but his contributions to the community and his horticultural abilities were easy to appreciate and will be sadly missed.

The previous month saw the annual appearance of the Montgomery County Fair. We were pleased to hear through the grape vine that the Fair bestowed on Elie Rogers the title of Grand Champion for his wine making expertise. Tom Farquhar was also honored for submitting the 2nd heaviest tomotoe and given a Blue Ribbon for a large onion.

Unfinished business included an update on Flora Goff's medical state - she is said to probably be in the hospital for another 2 months. More unfinished business dealt with the group pictures taken at the Chances last July. These photos along with those taken after this meeting's garden tour should be a good representation of the 125th season's membership.

Elie Roger was the chosen speaker. He presented us with selections from the Commissioner of Agriculture's report to Present Lincoln in 1863. Most notable was the fervid recommendation the southern states turn their energies toward the cultivation of tea and coffee, opium poppy, vanilla, ginger and castor bean, wax, and quassia plants, silk cocoons, gum arabic, mastic and camphor trees, chinese yams, sweet chestnuts, almonds, Persian walnuts, cork and gall-nut oak, the arrow, licorice, and orris roots, hemp, prune, fig, date pomegranate, olive, tamarind, guava, nectarine, shaddock, pineapple, pistachio, Iceland moss, indigo, frankincense, balsam, Egyptian senna and others.

John Hartge read excerpts from a letter he received from the New York State department of health. This notice warned of sporotricosis which is a skin disease acquired from handling sphagnum moss. Ths symptoms are skin bumps that ulcerate and persist until treated.

Polly Conlon offered a poem penned by her daughter Hannah. A copy will be included with these minutes and the original returned to the Conlon archives.

Missing the minutes from 100 years ago Elizabeth Thornton read a short History of the Society written by Mary Moore Miller for the October 1, 1963 meeting.

BEGINS 100dth year.

Mt. Pleasant April 2. 1963

Horticult re started its 100th year with Flora and Harry Goff entertaining us at Mount Pleasant

The April meeting seems to carry special overtones for all of us. We have not met for months and we feel especially grateful that the time is at last here to renew fellowship with our friends.

The winding and rising approach to Mt. Pleasant the marvellous lawns and broad views from the wise verandah are beyond words. The spacious and gracious house provides equally delightful views from each room. Imagine having a library overlooking an orchard.

After we had enjoyed the delivious food, Robert Miller, our president, called the meeting to order. A few moments of silence followed in memory of our greatly beloved member, Billie Stabler, who had died since our fall meeting. Following this, we recalled her last meeting with us, her contribution to Horticulture, her work for the temperance movement and the esteem and love in which she was held by all people and both races.

It was Lillie Stabler who introduced myme to maryland corn pudding shortly after we moved to Springdale. she came calling and gave me a receipt for it, a thoughtful gracious gesture, which comes back to mind every corn pudding season.