Horticultural Society

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/8/1988-1-

August 2, 1988; page 1

Our August meeting (the 872nd) took place at the home of Harold and Edwina Earp. Most of us with gardens and grounds suffering from the vindictiveness of a hot and arid July took no comfort at the Earp's lush, productive and groomed landscape. Later in the evening one of our guests asked what secret our hosts employed to achieve such stunning horticultural results. With great charm, modesty, and humor the answer was that it's a very simple task if begun 30 or more years in advance and the kept after relentlessly.

Missing from the gathering were the Goffs, Conlons, and Preusses. Steve Harcy, chairman of the Central Maryland Audubon Society, was a guest.

Despite the heat and torpor of the day the dinner that everyone contributed to inspired appetites beyond the status quo. There was a magnificent salmon that reigned over a collection of delicious dishes exquisitely prepared and perfect for a hot summer's evening. Sandy Spring Horticultural Society monthly meals are as a rule, excellent but this one in particular bordered on gastronomic ecstasy artfully presented.

After lumbering to the meeting proper, we took up unfinished business which involved capturing on film a quarry more elusive and flighty than vampires in sunny fields of garlic. Our Society once again resolved to gather at our next meeting in time to be photographed as part of our season - long celebration of our 125th year.

We also discussed special measures to be taken to prepare for our September meeting at which we hoped as many retired members would attend. Extra food should be brought. Ellen Hartge volunteered to pen a short history of the Society. Looking beyond to our last meeting of the season, John Hartge requested that all Redundancy Committee efforts should be turned in at the September meeting. This might give him time to amalgamate all the data for a year's end summery.

The chosen reader was Peter Austin. His selection, a poetry and dance interpretation of "Woodsman Save That Tree" with kazoo accompaniment by Elizabeth Thornton was withdrawn with great regret in order to allow enough time for Steve Harcy to make his presentation.

Steve Harcy in addition to his other credits is an authority on local perennials. He was prepared to give a talk with slides on 50 dependable perennials for Maryland gardens but due to the shortness of the avaliable time he pared his selection down to 28. His slides were excellent and he

H/6/1991-3-

June 4, 1991, Rose Hill, page 4

Thus ended the questions and the gathering stirred in preparation for disassembly. We thanked the Rogers for their hospitality and agreed to next meet at the Pi Acres, home of the Fletchers at which time Edwina Earp will be reader.

Sometime before the meeting was formally concluded, Buzz Hussman returned us to the subject of deer-like highway encounters. An incident was related involving an acquaintance traveling through a remote area of West Virginia late at night. A large pig ran out of the underbrush and was struck. The driver got out of the car and inspected the injured pig and scanned the surroundings for assistance. There was no one in sight nor any homes or farms. Since it was late and the spot was an isolated backwoods, he abandoned the scene and left the animal to its fate.

Despite the deserted nature of the incident he was confronted with his involvement by state troopers the following week at his home. During the pause that followed Ellis Manning could contain himself no longer and inquired how in the world did the police find out. With a straight face ironed by years of disciplined practice Buzz related matter-of-factly that.... the pig squealed on him.

That really concluded the meeting. As soon as everyone had wiped the tears from their eyes, we broke ranks and left for home.

With apologies for mistakes, misquotes, and misquites,

Secretary/Treasury

H/7/1991-1-

July 2, 1991, Pi Acres, page 1

The Sandy Spring Horticultural Society met at the Fletcher's for their first hosting of the group. If that distinction had anything to do with the lovely and much needed downpour that immediately preceded the meeting, we can thank the Fletchers for having a parade for the clouds to open up on. Despite a lightning damaged transformer in Sandy Spring that routed many of us to take a circuitous path we arrived and the rain tapered off so that we could admire the many endeavors of an imaginative and talented family. The Secretary can vouch that at any time of the day or year the Fletcher's enclave is always presentable, productive, and resplendent as the Society viewed it that evening.

Unfortunately missing were the Canbys, Priscilla Allen, Nancy Preuss, Beth Bullard, and Elie Rogers. Guests included Sherry Fletcher's parents Twyla and Lyle Mader.

Unbelievably, there were only two dessert dishes fielded for the meal's end. Not so unbelievable, we dined extravagantly and began the meeting around 9:00 with Ted Fletcher wielding the gavel in Nancy Preuss' absence. The previous minutes were read, corrected and passed.

The assigned reader was Edwina Earp who brought an article from the Wall Street Journal about 92 year old Brother Adam who has spent the last 76 years raising honey bees. "Raising" is a pale, insufficient term for the exhaustivem painstaking, and vitally important task of selectively breeding bees to resist diseases, parasites, and environmental peculiarities. When he's not roaming Europe and the Mediterranean searching for resistant strains of honeybees he is in a remote part of Scotland where he carries out the nuts and bolts of breeding strengths and weaknesses in and out of honeybees.

There was no volunteer article and so we went on to the reading of the minutes from 100 years ago.

We continued on to the Forethought which began with the understatement that there were a great many things to do. We were advised to water lawns early in the morning. Pant - I mean plant for fall harvest. Spray when air is calm. Apply 10-10-10 to tomatoes. Prune flowers. Stake plants. Give roses their last feeding and stop pinching mums ! The black locust trees will be suffering from seasonal leaf miner damage but don't worry. Side dress corn if bottom leaves are yellow and other indications hint low nitrogen. Weed, harvest, plant, and pray for rain.

Speaking of rain the Meteorologist reported that the 1st two weeks of the month gave us less than a quarter inch. The total for the month was 2.9" which was not helpful but the same as last year. The high temperature was 95 and the low was 47. The winds were mild and generally the whole month bore a close resemblance to last year's June.

Exhibits

Among the offerings Rose Hill included phlox, yarrow, astilbe, zinnia, nicotiana, cornflower, perovskia, and an unidentified white flower.