Horticultural Society

H/7/1987-2

on the backs of others. The volunteer article closed with a description of the tropical Sumatra Rufflesia. This is the largest flower in the world measuring up to 3 feet across. Its most outstanding feature is its short-lived bloom and the strength of its fragrance which is that of rotting flesh. This last quality draws flies to pollinate the flower and perhaps discourages young men from plucking it for their paramours.

Elizabeth Thornton read the century-old minutes which were written at Whitehall on the 4th of July. Once again the abundance and magnitude of their exhibits were staggering - making us feel as if life as a plant in a rain forest or the desert would be easier than horticultural competition with our predecessors of 100 years ago.

The forethought for July advised that perennials should be well mulched. Spring flowering shrubs should be pruned and in early July the tips of mums can be planted. It's a good time to take cuttings from geraniums and other indoor plants.

We we told to check iris for borers and to spray grapes and remove mummified fruit. blueberry plants should be mulched and acidified. All pit fruits should be checked for borers.

For vegetables: weed & water, weed & water.

Seeds should be planted for fall crops and as producing plants become exhausted they should be pulled up and replaced with seedlings.

The meterologist reported that June's high was 92 degrees on the 15th (average high being 83.6) and the low for the month was 50 degrees on the 11th (the average being 64). We had 2.94 inches of rain from 9 showers. Peter Conlon also reported the closest lightening strike he's ever experienced. It was mentioned that Plyers Ridge receives the most lightening in the area.

Exhibits: From the Havilands: nice potatoes and cucumber plus a gardenia. From Jack Pine: a squash that needed identifying - no luck but a guess - Turbanned Howard County Pepper Squash. Also submitted was a butternut squash. From the Earps: brouvallia, begonias, daylilies, salvia and clematis. From the Cedars: Carrots, Vidalia onions, and potatoes (Irish Cobbler, REd Pontiac, and Kennebec). From Quailhill came a selection of decrepit and nearly pristeen Goatskin Gloves from the Greene Mountain Glove Company.

H/7/1987-3

Bird Report: At Clifton a woodcock was sighted on the lane performing mating antics that happen 22 minutes after sunset. Similar to human adolescent behavior the bird emits beep,beep, beeps every three seconds then flies straight up in the air to land shortly at the same spot. It was surmised that maybe this is an indication of a resident woodcock population.

John Hartge received a vision of an impending Baltimore Orioles Baseball victory when he saw his first feathered Oriole as he drove by Walnut Hill on the day of the rare win. Fans encouraged him on to more sightings but allowed as how it's probably too late to matter.

Ari Preuss sighted in West Virginia 3 wild turkeys. Also reported were Canadian Geese on Sandy Spring Friends School Pond.

Peter Conlon riding in a small airplane at the Kansas City Airport sighted a young eagle sitting quite placidly on a runway sign.

Beth Bullard sighted a bald eagle on the Maryland side of Great Falls where they (the eagles) have a nest.

There were no committee reports and no New Business.

Questions: Flora Goff commented on Cicada damage indicating spotty populations. Attributed to cicadas not being able to survive in soil worked with a plow. As follows, residential areas have had the most impressive concentrations. Affections towards cicadas have waned considerably since their first sightings.

Tom Canby has Zucchini blossoms but no fruit. Some wanted to know his secret. Others advised that patience would precede overwhelming abundance.

Tom Farquar is mulching his strawberry patch. Advised that pine needles work best. It was suggested that the runners be given free rein then the old plant be cultivated at season's end.

John Hartge has a Kentucky Coffee tree and wants to know if the beans can make coffee. No answer so he'll give it a try and report. He also asked about a disease that afflicts White Oaks. A Trunk Borer may be to blame. Advised calling extension service - ask for Stan Gill if you're fortunate to get through to a human being and not a busy signal or answering machine.

H/8/1987-1

August 4, 1987

The year's 5th gathering of the Society met at Sweetbriar, home of Peter and Polly Conlon. The day had again been dreadfully hot but everyone seemed to shed the afternoon's torpor to enjoy the Conlon's hospitality and handsome, well-behaved children. The dramatic and seldom flattering development of the Ashton crossroads is a manifestation of the area's direction and we should be grateful that households like Sweetbriar can maintain the essence of an earlier time with such equanimity.

The guest were Polly Conlon's mother and cousin, Dorothy and John Janney, Mary Reading Miller, Hellen Farquar, Jan Westervelt, Nicolas Chavand, and Martha Nesbit. Noticeably missing at the helm was our president who was off travelling however, the gavel was in the equally able hand of Susan Canby.

The minutes from the last meeting were read. Since there was no unfinished business we proceeded to the volunteer article.

In lieu of an article Harold Earp talked about the county extension service's Master Gardener program. This program was modeled after a system started in Canada in 1968. The purpose is firstly to educate those interested in increasing their horticultural knowledge and secondly to have those people help share what they've learned. For $40 one gets classwork, tours, and intensive training in the gardening arts. As a culmination to the program the participants use and augment what they've learned by volunteering to answer related questions that are phoned into the Extension Service. Questions that the volunteers are not able to answer can be referred to higher authorities and the answers passed on to the inquirers. Harold Earp portrayed the program as a worthy and effective way to increase one's horticultural expertise and serve the county's gardeners at the same time.

The minutes from 100 years ago were read. That meeting was held at Rockland and it had been 88 degrees at noon that day.

Betty Hartge read an article by Russell Baker that described the adversarial relationship he has with his garden. Accompanied by the spirits of Walter Mitty and the Man From LaMancha, Mr. Baker with imagination and vigor sallies forth into the garden to bend plants to his will in ways he could not control human equivalents. The best metaphor identified bindweed as the lawyer of the garden - a plant that entwines all with delicate tendrils until nothing breathes and nothings grows. He recommends a ruthless approach in dealing with this litigator of the legumes, this attorney of the asparagus, this barrister of the broccoli, this lawyer of the lettuce.

The forethought advised us to stop pinching the chrythansemums and if the dirt is willing, divide primrose, daylillies, and other perrenials. Feed young rooted cuttings weekly. Remove mulch from around fruit and berry plants. Plant spinach, beets, ,corn salad, lettuce, cabbage and endives. Harvest, harvest. Get thee to the kitchen and settle in. During the furor and overabundance of August we were reminded not to forget to reseed in September.

The meteorological report listed 88 degrees the average high for July (the high being 95 on the 21st). The average low was 69 degrees (the low was 55

H/8/1987-3.

Peter Conlon returned to Buzz's first comment about global temperature saying that true increase in levels would be reflected in the oceans' level not localized temperature readings.

To take advantage of the evening's coolness, we had had our meeting on the Conlon's lovely porch. With nature's nighttime orchestra in the background (punctuated by the occasional passing automobile), we thanked our hosts for their hospitality and agreed to next meet at Iris, home of Rudi and Aduna Hanel on September 1st.

11/10/1987-2-

cut. Fruit trees ought to be cleaned and pruned in late winter with dormant spray applied there after. A sticky ring either painted or wrapped around tree trunks will keep caterpillars from climbing up after their emergence in the spring. Cut the lawn, seed, and keep moist. Apply lime later. The compost pile should be arranged for winter - layer and sprinkle with lime.

Exhibits from Riverside included cosmos, love lies bleeding, zinnias, clematis (bridal veil), cinnamon basil, nasturtiums, and baselia malabar. From Lea House came cleome, globe amaranth, and white marigolds. Offerings from Clifton were New England Aster, marigolds, orange cosmos, butterfly bush, zinnias, lavender, and artemesia. The Cedars brought a fine long season beet, sweet potatoes, and a "Sheer Bliss" rose. From the Earps came zinnias, marigolds, garlic chives, a purple pepper, and a cubanelle pepper. Helen Farquar brought marigolds, asters, zinnias, and cleoni in a beautiful indian ceramic bowl. Sylvia Woodward brought her last rose of summer - which was a fine pink peace rose.

The bird report included Jim Bullard's sighting of 2 barred owls at Clifton. Nancy Pruess brought an advertisement for winter roosting boxes. The need for these boxes has developed because many natural shelters such as decrepit, old buildings and shattered, decaying trees are being eliminated under the pristine grind of suburbia's advance.

The Redundancy Committee reported great strides under the energies and guidance of John Hartge. A computer program had been worked out that enables the abstracter to digest the old minutes with considerable effect. Over 3 years of old minutes have already been worked on. The project of dissecting and organizing over a century's worth of horticultural knowledge, hearsay, contradictions, ignorance, witchcraft, and supposition is an awesome task. The first steps that have been taken are impressive indeed.

Questions; Aduna Hanel asked what to do about teeny, weeny slugs. Beer doesn't work because they're obviously underage - however, it was mentioned as a possible emollient for the frustrated gardener. A suggestion was to leave a board on the ground so the little darlings can seek shelter from danger. The gardener can then come by on occasion and stomp on it. John Hartge advises us to go on gypsy moth egg cluster hunts. Each cluster can contain 1,000 eggs and if left unchecked, the eventual damage to hardwoods is horrible to behold. Peter Conlon has 2 semi-dwarf apple trees. The fruit grew and fell off before maturing. Our bad year for rain is blamed. The same problem was mentioned regarding seckle pears. Sylvia Woodward inquired after the woolly bear consensus. The thickness of the center color band indicates the severity of the winter ahead. Since the one that was spotted was in her kitchen it was deduced that the winter in front of us included bad weather indeed. Ari Preuss mentioned that there have been no finches on his thistle seed feeder. It was assumed that they can be found where the real food is and will come to the feeder when natural sources become depleted. Elizabeth Thornton wanted to know if anyone has extra tansy. She needs some for dying fabrics. Some was located & offered.