Horticultural Society

H/6/1968-2. 6-4-1968 Page 2

brought enough new F-1 Hybrid Marigolds in gift containers for each family present. It was an appreciated treat to receive these plants, for they will not be available on the market until 1970.

Young robins, mocking birds and wrens took up most of the "Bird" conversation tonight. It seems that several wrens are building in mail boxes, ignoring interruptions by the daily papers, probably being much better off by not being able to read of this world's troubles. It was reported that one such wren came right in the car with the paper to perch on rider's knee!

There were no special Committee reports, except that the new "Roadside Cleanup" committee, composed of William Heckendorn, Walter and Bea Wilson, will try to get some action going again.

Questions: Flora Goff found out that the cherry tree sap or cherry gum, as we kids called it, is really not harmfull and is sometimes really flavorfull to chew.

Zela Heckendorn passed around some copper leaves which were given various names; such as, beech-nut leaves, flowering crab and plum --- no one was exactly sure which they were.

Grace Thomas reported seeing a deer running down her lane and across the yard; which prompted a few other memories of same experience.

Dale Thomas was unable again to find the name of her mother's plant, altho most everyone took a second look.

Betty Ligon asked if strawberries were going to hurt anything by overrunning the asparagus bed. Probably not, but new runners could be planted to start a bed elsewhere.

She also has a young chestnut tree with seven stalks; should it be pruned down to one, or left alone? Many various opinions here, but most said to prune and stake up the remainder. Rust Canby has one like this which may now be large enough to make a whistle. It seems that new shoots from the old roots are virus-free for 10 to 15 years only before they finally succumb to the blight.

Rust Canby wanted to know the name of the plant that was left with them at the last meeting. Lucy Manning sai d it was a "CornusKousa".

Harry Goff mentioned that chestnut tree logs were collected to make fences that were still standing in Parsons, West Virginia.

Pete Hutton spoke of the fact that at one time house walls were filled with chestnut burrs for insulation purposes.

There being no further questions, the meeting adjourned at 9:35pm to meet next month at Rosslyn with the Hussmans', with Zela Heckendorn to be the reader.

Alan F Thomas, Secretary (Under Protest)

H/8/1968-2.

Bea Wilson had a picture of a vole.

Lucy Manning wanted to know if the foilage of peonies should be cut when they are transplanted- yes.

Dale was told you can slip prenniel phloxwhen the little sheets put out- cut them and use for slips. It can also be divided.

Vernon Hussman allowed, "it may be pretty hotbut you don't have to shovel it!"

Ulric Hutton called our attention to a publication prepared by the Entomology department of The University of Maryland- called Maryland Insect Notes- telling of the Bug of the week. It comes out every week- and would be a most helpful reference to have.

Elizabeth Ligon had a spoon marked with a "J" which was left at her Horticultural.

Dorothy Weske has an umbrella someone left at her house.

Adjourned to meet at The Cedars with Elizabeth Canby as the reader.

Mary Reading Miller, Secty.

-2H/9/1968-2.

diseases of tomatoes by sending for the Dept. of Agri. bulletin for 1934. He had found 6 diseases among his crop.

Reporting on birds, Elizabeth Ligon told of a flock of hundreds of warblers that she had seen around noon recently, which were gone in a day. The Canbys had had a hawk in their yard with a squirrel in its claws. It dropped the squirrel which ran away. Crows had seen the hawk and had gathered prepared to attack the hawk but it, too, flew away.

As a committee report, Wm. Heckendorn read a letter Walter Wilson and he had prepared re. the problem of roadside trash. The question of whether this would be a suitable time to try to get the interest of Gov. Agnew centered on this problem in view of his preoccupation with the national election in Nov. was decided by agreement to postpone action of that kind for the present. In the meantime the committee was to be enlarged by the addition of Harry Goff, Rust Canby and Alan Thomas Douglas Farquhar. Other organizations in the community are to be approached by sending each of them a copy of the letter with a request that they join us in this effort to see that Maryland is cleaned up and kept clean. Our committee was authorized to get help from others of our members as needed, - perhaps in taking the letter to the organizations to which they belong and explaining the proposal, getting suggestions, etc. There was a vote of thanks for the fine letter.

There was announcement of the up-coming horse show to be run by the Lions Club for their benefit on Sat. Sept. 7th. All were urged to attend. We were also told of the Health Super Mart to be at Ashton Church (Meth.) on 9-9- from 3 to 7PM. Blood donations are needed and can be given then (also TB & glacoma tests made). Questions: The McRorys are looking for an Imperial Paulonia tree. See Ulric Hutton. Can pansy seeds be planted now? Yes. Also, good results can be obtained by planting them in flats pre chilled in Jan. and transplanting when ready for pots. Has anyone used a weedkiller on asparagus beds in place of salt? No one had, so Dale Thomas will ask about it at Southern States store. Others had blooms on the marigold plants given out by Wm Heckendorn several months ago. Elizabeth Ligon told of dirt constantly being pulled away from the roots of her ping cypripedium (lady slipper). No one could"speculate"on the cause authoritatively. The lovely sprays of pink begonia admiredas seen in a vase were raised by Helen Farquhar who calls it prolific out of doors in summer and in doors in winter. Tomatoes on vines lying on the ground have bites taken out. By what? Turtles or groundhogs, probably. Several had green peppers with black hard skin in spots. Hot sun may have caused it. When is the best time to irrigate? Early in the morning or late PM. There is likely to be some burning from steam in the middle of the day. It is best to water at the ground level, not sprinkle. How long do you need to run a half inch hose to produce a half inch of rain. John Weske said fill a can and time it,relating it to the number of square feet to be watered. Can you plant a plant to kill out another plant? No one had an answer at this time,- but maybe some one will produce one later.

We adjourned to meet on Oct. 1st at Oakwood with the Weskes. John Weske will show slides of his stay in Siberia, so we will not have a reader at that time.

Mary Moore Miller Secretary Pro Tem

accompanied by fascinating photographs taken by the author, Eileen Janson.

Since there were no volunteer articles we proceeded to the weather report. Douglas tells us that in March the highest tempera ture was 75 on March 2nd, the lowest was 16 on March 9th, with a mean temperature for the month of 41°. 4.3 inches of rainfall, with 6 days of rain and 3 of snow. He also read from his grandfather's diary of March, 1872: "high temperature of 63°, low of 29° - mean temperature of 33.1° and 14 rainy days".

There was no report on exhibits but several loyal members had brought displays: Betty Ligon - a lovely pink bouquet from her greenhouse. Dorothy Weske - jonquils Dale and Alan Thomas - a bouquet of flowering shrubs Others I missed - sorry!

LIST OF EXHIBITS ---------APRIL., 1972

1. Pink and White Bouquet of green house blooms ------- Betty Ligon

2. Daffodils, Crocus, Tulips, and Forsythia ---- Mt. Pleasant - Flora and Harry Goff

3. Bouquet of Spring Shrubs --- Pear, Plums, Apricot, Sour Cherry, Maple, Pussy Willow -- Rocky Ridge -- Dale and Alan Thomas

Several other contributions unlisted