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H/10/1967-1-

October 3- 1967 MT. PLEASANT- with Harry and Flora Goff

Someone has said that Heaven must be an eternity of early
October days- and this day was truly "heavenly". After strolling
over the beautifully cared for lawns and enjoying the late flowers,
grapes and the view- we went in for the usual good dinner.

We were called to order by our president, Ellis Manning-
at about eight o'clock- and welcomed our guests, Mrs. Burch, Mrs.
Walker and Iris Beall.

After a slight correction the minutes were accepted.

Vernon Hussman read for his selected article- "Great Oaks
from Little Acorns Grow?"- yes if the nuts escape being eaten by
insects, animals and humans. there are seventeen oak species found in
the Maryland countryside, and as a group they are one of the most
difficult to identify. The acorns of the White oak group take one
year to mature- members of the red or black oak group take two years.
many unripe acorns, divested of their cups are whipped from the trees
as early as mid-August- by storms- then when the winf is up one
evening, harbinging a cold front- the steady staccato of the little
brown missels on the roof, wobbling crazily down the pitch abd clunk-
ing the gutter- is ritual in many houses to the lighting of the first
Fall fire. The average scorns produced by most species is 5,000 a
year- one scarlet oak in NorthCarolina produced about 46,000 and a
champion, from Texas of course, bore 100,000 in one year. The article
didn't say who counted them!

Only an extremely small number of these are destined to
become mature trees. Even before they drop from the trees they are
invaded. Bizarre weevils, insects with heads elongated into cylind-
rical beaks or snouts(having strong jaws on the end) drill into them
and lay eggs- the larvae or woms feed on the abundant food supply in
the nut. Some beetles do the same thing, and moths and wasps lay eggs
on the surface of the acorn. Then it is estimated that 83% of the
huts ae eaten by deer and other mammals- many are sterils or deformed
About 8/10 of one percent sprout and half of them die as seedlings.
Many large animals feed on Acorns- deef, foxes, gray squirrels- also [?]
and flying squirrels, raccoons, bears, muskrats, wood rats and mice.
Many birds also feed on acorns. Any farmer knows the nutritive
value in acorns in fattening hogs- but the low protein content may
cause soft pork or below normal growth. And- California Indians
still do what Eastern Indians once did- grind the kernels to flour and
leach out the bitterness with warm water. The meal is dried and
used as mush or baked into bread. So- it might be more appropriate
to say, "Great Oaks from little acorns grow- but not often."

Ulric Hutton spoke of a double Sycamore tree in Clars-
ville. It is self-grafted and is very old. He remembers it from
his childhood looking just as it does now. He had a slide of it which
he passed around.

There was no forethought- as Sylvia Woodward is away.

Douglas Farquhar reported a very pleasant month- with
a high temperature of 78 on four different days with a low of
44 on 3 days. Total rainfall was only .3 in on 2 days- with a trace
on 2 other days. The D.C.weather said a total for the month was .05
Only one month in history had been less.

The Assistant Secretary reported exhibits from :-
Montresor, Bea and Claire Hutton,Springdale, The Cedars, Oakwood,
Springe Villa, Ulric Hutton and The Highlands.