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/6/1988-3-

While relaxing in the calm before the evening's meal, a group of us sighted a piliated woodpecker flying across the Hussman's field. Lydia Haviland reported hearing an owl late one night unusually close to her house. Harking back to the minutes of a century ago, Caroline Hussman drew attention to the doom & gloom regarding the overwhelming threat that english sparrows represented in regards to our more valuable birds. One hundred years later we still have plenty of lovely and virtuous avian friends despite the profusion of vile, pushy, prolific, feathered vermin such as starlings and English sparrows. Ellen Hartge reports a Baltimore Oriole nest near her house. Also mentioned was the ballpark orioles going a full 14 innings the night before thus setting some sort of endurance record as well as accomplishing a rare win.

The redundancy committee reports 27 complete years of Society minutes coded into the participants computers.

QUESTIONS Edwina Earp has 2 patches of Dutch iris. Both are 2 years old but one patch has flowered nicely but the other with normal foliage had flowers that rotted and otherwise failed. No impassioned advice was forthcoming but it was suggested that she sprinkle the patches with lime and sulfa dust. In the dormant season maybe dig up the patch and roll the roots in the same powder before replanting. Harold Earp has asparagus beetles in his asparagus patch. Two solutions were offered: chickens and sevin. Tom Farguhar needs blue bird houses. Advised to call Francis Eylers. He also lamented his strawberries who have problems with birds, beetles, and mold. Advised to put in more plants and hope for good weather. On an iris question he was advised to trim the flowers but not too far back. Mary Seller complains that house finches have taken over feeders meant for goldfinches. What to do short of armed defense. Recommended that she tape up the holes above the perches - house finches wouldn't like the arrangement but goldfinshes can eat upside-down and thuse would be undeterred. Lydia Haviland drew our attention to a Christmas cactus she has that blooms year round. Other Society members mentioned Christmas cactuses the've know that behave in similar fashion. Buzz mentioned the Sheep and Wool Festival and the success it was. He drew attention to Peter Hagerty of the Peace Fleece endeavor. Your humble secretary met this individual and found him to be personable, bright, on the idealistic side but with unimpeachable motivations regarding relations between the Soviet Union and the United States.. Caroline Hussman has tiny mites in her herb patch. Advised to cut and burn afflicted plants in hopes that new growth with spring forth free of mites.

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/7/1988-4-

July 5, 1988: page 3 small request would result in violent and withering admonitions....and we'd talk about any culprits not present.

Questions:

Nancy Preuss questioned the function of one of Peter Chances rock-climbing training aids in the back yards. Was told it helped one practice tightrope walking - what every mountain climber needs to know... and parents need not. Eli Rogers inquired into the methods that the Pauls use to care for their commercial vegetable and berry patches. John Paul explained that they have two separate gardens and gardening styles. Between the 2 they employ a wide range of techniques and approaches. They work a market garden whose produce they sell at the Bethesda Farmwoman's Market. For this operation they work intensively and as organically as possible. This market garden is serviced by a drip irrigation system, companion planting, and black plastic mulch. They also have a pick-your-own operation that is too extensive to be operated intensively. For it they use overhead sprinklers that use more water than their ponds can supply, and discrete but necessary applications of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Mo Chance mentioned that his clematis blooms but the leaves turn yellow. A deficiency was suggested as cause and after a number of possibilities were brought up and discounted, permanganite was mentioned. A source was not readily known but drugstores were said to be worth looking into. Ellen Hartge wanted to know how to cut day lilies to best preserve the bloom. No special technique involved. If there is color in the bud and bloom, then it's worth cutting. Also what do the Pauls consider to be the best rasberry varieties for the area. For the spring bearers - Latham and Taylor. For fall crop - Heritage. John Paul mentioned Titan, a much touted variety that he feels is short on taste. John Hartge has weeds 3 times higher than some very young Xmas trees that they surround. Is the overgrowth good or bad? the 2 authorities on the subject offered their advice: Buzz Husssman said to hack them down and Caroline said to let them grow. John Paul has blossom end rot on his red peppers. Epson salts were recommended. Buzz Hussman voiced many of our thoughts by thanking Rudi Hanel for the talk earlier about the greenhouse effect. Nancy Chance has the worst ever infestation of earwigs in her strawberry patch. Adviced to put pieces of bamboo out and empty the earwigs hiding within every morning into soapy water. Mary Grady has hummingbird feeders but no hummers. Recommended to hang feeders in sun alongside colorful flowers like fuschia. Tom Farquhar gave a convincing testimonial to the effectiveness of the "Gopher-it" mole & vole repelling gizmo. Said that pinwheels with their stems in active runways also work to a degree but the Gopher-it seems to keep a impressively wide patch free from the little pests. Lydia Haviland recalled old minutes mentioning hydrangia with pink and white on the same bush. It's said that ph of soil can effect color of flowers - more acid the ph, the bluer the flower. Betty Hartge asked about gypsy moths and the best way to dispose of the egg clusters. Scraping clusters into soapy water or kerosene works. Vehicle

H/9/1988-2-

I work in my garden all summerday long It makes my back hurt and my plants|grow|strong Every couple of hours or so I get pretty bored cause the weeding gets sloor slow Then all of the sudden the Phone starts to ring Its Caroline Hussman asking if a sonfriend she can bring. "look mommy" Its my daughterson looking like a clown She'she's been into my makeup! And oh no I Have to go to town! I gorun up to the dackrack and get my keys and of And then I grab Bozo and hurry indeed! Then into town with incredable speed I check on the clown and alloverover the seat sheesheeshe has Peed! I finally get home and its quarter past four The cat's put paw prints all over the front door, I look up and a ple pleasent suprise my good friend Lee leftleft two raspberry pies! Then I eye the yard with a look of distress and forgetrembere about my brand new drees luckly two neighbourhood boys are able can mow the lawn + pick up the toys!