Horticultural Society

H/4/1988 - 3 -

Beds should be prepared for seed planing. Carrots, peas, should go in. Not long after second rows should be planted. Late in the month, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes can go in. Asparagus patch should be weeded and fertilized. Nitric of soda or sodium nitrate on asperagas is recommended. Lawns should be fertilized but not mowed until 2 inches tall. Special care should be taken with any weed killers one plans to use.

Peter Conlon provided the Meteorologist Report. In March we had 2.52 inches of rain. The peak temperature was 79 degrees on the 24th and 25th. The low was 12 degrees on the 22nd. The questions regarding whether the weather had been warmer than normal, wetter than before, and the winter shorter than usual, the consensus opinion was non-committal with patches of cloudiness. In closing Peter Conlon promised a descriptive graph of the winter's statistics to be handed out at the May meeting.

Leslie Rogers passed the exhibits. Quailhill offered daffodils. White japonica came from Roslyn. There was daffodils, hyacinth, and heather from Lea House. From Jackpine came hyacinth, jonquils and forthysia. Riverside brought daffodils, grape hyacinth, myrtle, blood root, iris, violets, bluebells, spyrea, phlox, candy tuft, ivy & weeds arranged tastefully, and woodruff. Lakeview had daffodils, forsythia and mahonia. The Earps offered flowering cherry, magnolia, hyacinth, grape hyacinth, andromeda, daffodils, and primrose. Clifton brought narcissi and spirea.

The report on birds brought up a mention of an influx of crows near Lydia Haviland's. Attention was drawn to the buzzard hanging out at Quailhill. Peter Austin protested that he wasn't feeding them any failed efforts at raising sheep but that the black ugly birds had been kicked out of the Springdale woods by construction there of large opulent houses. Quailhill was the closest low-rent area for them to move into...much to Peter's discomfort and esthetic chagrin. Peter Conlon was along the Arkansas River in Colorado and saw hawls, eagles, thousands of ducks & teals and in trees, 30 pair of nesting blue herons. Purple Martins were reported back in the Area on March 15 - if you didn't get them this year better luck next.

The redundancy Cmmitee under John Hartge's guidance and impetus wowed the gathering with an impressive showing of its winter data organizing efforts. 11 years of old Society minutes have been digested and the program is progressing nicely.

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/6/1988-1-

June 7th, Roslyn page 1

A warm day preceded our meeting at Roslyn, home of the Hussmans. The trees, garden and grounds were well into the principle of flourishing growth and the house radiated a welcoming spirit of comfort and familiarity. Unfortunate to be missing were the Bullards, the Chances, the Allens, and Elizabeth Thornton. There were not guests per se but we enjoyed the presence of Nell Johnsen, Helen Farquhar, and Hannah Conlon.

After an abundant and delicious meal, Peter Conlon began the meeting with an article about spiders from the Journal of New York State's Department of Enviomental Conservation. It was entitled "Spiders - Assasins with Silky Snares". The article written by James H. Moerschel, told of his fascination with spiders and his appreciation of their webspinning capabilities.

The article said that there are about 30,000 species of spiders in the world and about 650 species in the New England area alone. Mr. Moerschel was more interested in types of spiders that spin webs and make the most of their silk. An interesting point is that the spider makes a new web each day and it takes an average of 20 minutes. He failed to mention that spiders like bats are diminutive and efficient allies in the gardener's war to control insect populations. A Dr. Bristowe of early 20th Century Britian estimated that British spiders consume enough insects a year to outweigh the entire British human population.

There was no volunteer article.

Due to Elizabeth Thornton's inexusable absence , John Hartge read the minutes from 100 years ago. Appropriately enough that meeting was at Riverside. The exhibits at that meeting included a dizzying array of vegetables and withering number of poultry and ducks. The enduring question emerged whether or not the English Sparrow has any friends. Apparently the president of the Society at that time had turned against the species and such negative influence had left the poor bird in widespread low regard. A contingent of Society members arrived late due to their earlier attendance at a neighboring wedding - it was not noted who was wed.

The forethought was simpler than usual because everything should be growing, harvested, and replanted. A few specific reminders included removing flowers from plants after full bloom. Pinch and feed mums. Prune and feed primroses. Pansies should be cut back in mid or late June for Fall bloom. Berries should be mulched and plan to rotate strawberries after 3 years.

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