Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1967

H/9/1967-1-

September 5th- 1967 BIEN VENU with Walter and Bea Wilson.

The lawns and garden were in such beautiful condition- and the veiw from the porch was lovely, as always- but on this perfect, clear late summer evening it was truly a treat to be at Bien Venu.

After a pleasant social time and a look at all the placewe enjoyed the usual good dinner. and this meeting was called to order by the president, Ellis Manning, at eight o'clock.

John and Dorthy Weske were the only absent members, and the guests were Deborah Willson and Alice Ligon.

The minutes of the August meeting were read and approved.

For her selected article Mary Moore Miller read about the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. Thesesspectactular red, white and black birds of the southern swamplands that ornithologists had long feared exticnt- have been found in Texas. Three pairs of the 20-inch birds- as big as crows- have been sighted in eastern Texas by one of America's leading experts on woodpeckers. he- mr. Dennis, estimated on the basis of his study and reports from amatuers that there are five to 10 pairs of the birds in the big Thicket. The last previous confirmed sighting of an ivory bill, America's largest woodpecker, was one bird in the Chipola River in Florida in 1950. There have been peroidoc reports of sightings, but as they closely resemble the pileated wood pecker ornithologists have dismissed the reports. However Mr. Dennis has definately spotted one on a tree 50 or 60 feet from him- and with his seven power biniculars he had no dificulty identifying it.

She also read of the drive to have issued - in full colorsheets of flower stamps- the subjects represent the four sections of the country. Suggested were- Northeastern U.S. the showy ladyslipper- Souteastern U.S. Franklinia three: Northwestern U.S. the Douglas Fir and Southwestern U.S. the Ocotillo, known also as coach-whip and vine-cactus. We were asked to support the movement by writing a letter to the address given by Mary Moore Miller.

Sylvia Woodward was with us- and we were sorry that Dick was not able to join us- Sylvia had forethought- and told us that it is time to make new lawns- and renovate old ones. also the time to move- divide or plant out peonies- oriental poppies and to plant fall blooming bulbs. Pant deep. Attend your chrysanthumumsstake firmly to protect from the fall winds. To make a first class hege- plants should be cut way back, cosequently small- less expensive plants do just as well. House plants should be brought in the middle of this month, but spray thoroughly first- to rid them of pests. Ulric Hutton suggests that flowering almond and some other flowering shrubs should be treated like peach trees- as the same boror attacks them.

A.D. Farquhad gave his weather report- telling us the high for the month of August was 86 with a low of 60- with measurable rain on 15 days totaling 6.4 inches.

We especially enjoyed the exhibits- which were displayed in the room where we met- so we were able to examine the- and the members demonstrated some that were particularly interesting. Spring Villa had nine vatieties of tomatoes- and william and Zela Heckendorn told us the good and less good points of each. They also had a lemon cucumber and some lovely border flowers and cocks comb of various varieties. Other exhibitors were:- The Cedars, The Highlands, Great Ease, Mt. Pleasant, from Fine hill

several Belgium Tomatoes, weighing a pound each, more beautiful large ones which Francis THomas showed us- some from hybrid plants bought this year, and some equally large from volunteer they would not produce such large ones in another year. Ulric Hutton had Devil's walking stick, and some Kusa Dogwood, and demonstrations, and the availability of them.

Several members declared that turtles got more of their canaloupes than they did. Could they be bagged like grapes?- using plastic bags which lettuces comes in- with holes so that there would be no condensation. Dust with clorodane for slugs on tomatoes.

Sylvia did not get any help for getting rid of crickets.

How late may strawberries be planted it is still allright if taken up with lots of dirt.

To encourage pyracantha and Japonica to bloom hold back on nitrigen and increase phosphros.

We closed this exceptionally interesting meeting, adjourning to meet with Harry and Flora Goff at Mt. Pleasant on October 3rd- with Vernon Hussman as the appointed reader.

Mary Reading Miller

Secretary

WEATHER REPORT for HORTICULTURAL

Month of September 1967

Highest Temp. 78 on 4 days Av.Hi.71 Lowest " 44 " 3 days Av.Low 53

Mean Temp. 68

Total Rainfall .3 in. on 2 days Trace on 2 other adys

D,C, Weather said total for month was .05. Only one month in history had been less

from A. D. Farquhar

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 Manningat 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 clunking 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 cylindrical 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 Clarsville. 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.

H/10/1967-2

Flora has seen 2 blue birds on her feeder- she didn't know if they were coming or going- probably just passing through, and stopped for a bite. THe first geese were sighted about ten days age.

QUESTIONS;-

Flora takes here tuberous begonias up with the stalk on- shkes off some dirt, and stores them in baskkets in a cool place(in the basement). ?When leaves and stalk are dry- pull them off- leave the bulbs in the basket.

Grace Thomas wanted to know if the little white worms that are between the shells pf her black walnuts eddect the nuts. No, they cannot get through the hard black shell. They are maggots, and can be controld by sprau, but the shells are so hard it is hardly worth the trouble.

Black walnuts are being out all around here. The grove at the foot of the hill in Brookeville is being thinned out- at least- and many others. The board are very desirable- and big prices are being paid- it is said by scouts from Germany who are buying them for furniture

William Heckendorn had several speciman squash- and a collection of common weeds which be showed us to identify. Most were familiar- though many were called by diiferent names. He also had a number of grasses which because of the late hour he didn't show.

John Weske wanted to know how to save his sulans to have it for another season. Break off some and root it in water- then pots He, also asked about the Stabler Walnut. It is a black walnute with a rather thin shell- and is longer than most, in shape

And so another year of the Horticultural meetings drew to a close- we adjourned to meet in April with Rust and Elizabeth Canby at Montresor- with Ulric Hutton as our reader.

Mary Reading Miller

Secretary