Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1968

H/8/1968-1August 6th- 1968 SPRING VILLA- with William and Zela Heckendorn

Another hot-humid- dry day- just like about thirty of the last days have been. The blaze of bloom - and the beautiful garden showed evidence of watering- and we enjoyed the grounds and patio while we gathered.

The usual abundant, delicious dinner was supplimented by the hosts wonderful corn and applesauce and other goodies.

The meeting was called to order on the patio at about the usual time- and it was a lovely evening.

The guests were [Irene Miller|Irene]] and Francis Miller and Helen Gassaway.

The order of business was adjusted to take advantage of daylight for those who needed to read.

Mary Moore Miller had the selected reading and read from Horticultural magazine of George Washington, Horticulturist. He, of course, was a true horticulturist - as he had help. But he read extensivly and superentended the entire operation at Mt. Vernon. He loved to tinker with macheriny- and collected plants and shrubs- which in these days was an expensive- show business. When he came home in 1783 the building of the greenhouse was one of his first major enterprises. Its chief purpose was to house tender plants in winter. So, it was heated by underground flues according to the most up-to-date designs.

Forethought gave us the happy thought-"do the same as you did last month- only more so." Start forget-me-nots now-plant brussels sprouts right away- burn foilage of the bleeding heart. Keep peppers and egg plants picked to encourage more fruit- other timely suggestions, and a little rhyme about the lightening bug.

In the absence of our weather man, Alan Thomas gave the report.

Bea Wilson, the assistant secretary read lists from so many of our places- and the display was outstanding as always. Zela Heckendorn showed us some beautiful peaches- the first crop from trees she planted.

The roadside committee has discussed the problem. We are a small organization- and can't make much impression. Hoeever they suggest we write the Govenor asking him to get his house in order- pointing out instances where police officers- and other civil servants have been seen throwing trash from their cars. We approved the suggestion, and asked the committee to draft a letter, lay out a program and present it to The Horticultural for approvalthen the President will sign the letter. Timing is important, of course the Governor is more interested in politics right now- but on the other hand it might be a good drive- get newpaper interest, and urge citizen cooperation.

For the membership committee, Robert Miller suggested that Sara Mannakee be made an associate member with Alan and Dale Thomas- Dale's mother- she is a talented horticultralist- and will be an addition to the organization. Approved.

William Heckendorn had some of his hybrid marigolds, they were nice compact plants and good bloom. Zela had had some in the house for several days, so they seem to hold up well.

Harry Goff lost a plum tree- it died very quicklyhad plums on it- and just turned brown and seems dead. He was advised to leave it for a while.

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.

A. D. FARQUHAR

HORTICULTURAL WEATHER AUGUST 1968

Average High 83 degrees Average Low 66 degrees

Highest 90 degrees Several days Lowest 51 degrees Aug 31

Measurable rain on 10 days Total 1.46 in.

Mean Temp 75

MRB Since 1921

Mutual Reinsurance Bureau Reinsurance for Mutuals ... Mutiple Line Belvidere, Illinois

H/9/1968-1(105th Year) THE HORICULTURAL SOCIETY THE CEDARS SEPTEMBER 3, 1968

We met again at this home where hospitality has been extended to many meetings of this society for several generations. The house and grounds spoke of the care bestowed on them by our host and hostess and we enjoyed delicious food which seems always to come out well-balanced in spite of the "pot-luck" provision for it. The weather again favored us.

We were glad to have Ethel F. Thomas and the four Hussman children as guests. Our associate member, Edward Iddings was absent, as were Robert & Mary Reading Miller.

The Pres. welcomed to associate membership Sarah D. Mannakee, attending for the first time.

The minutes of the Aug. meeting were read and approved.

Elizabeth Canby read from the American Garden Forester for March 1968 telling of the new eleven story Ford Foundation Building (Headquarters) on 2nd Ave. between 42nd & 43rd Sts. in New York city. 1/3 of an A is planted in trees, shrubs, ground planting & vines, the latter in some cases hanging 3 stories. Glass walls add to the interest and it is called the tallest green house anywhere. It was started in the summer of 1967 and is a "dry garden" with humidity kept at 28% to 38%. Air conditioning is subject to seasonal changes. Trees have been selected to withstand air polution by auto exhaust and roots are ventilated on sloping ground. Flood lights add to the beauty. Our appetites have been whetted to see this.

Mary Moore Miller read an article telling of a project in Miami, Fla. to get rid of the al l-aluminum beer cans dropped on the highways. If turned in to a certain oil company's filling stations, a half cent stamp is offered. The stamps are redeemable in gasoline and a metal company melts the cans for reuse as metal. The problem of the tinplated can had not yet been solved.

Sylvia Woodward gave us plenty of "forethought" to keep us busy if we did all that was suggested, such as: Trim annuals for new bloom this fall; feed the lawns with 15 to 25 lbs of 5-10-5 fertilizer to 1000 sqft. now and again in Oct.; keep grass cut; plant daffodils deeply, cultivating from 12 to 15 inches; bring in house plants; cut tons of peonies to 3 or 4 inches and burn tops if flowers did not open well; plant new ones or divide the old with good drainage for them; start geranium cuttings; divide primroses; feed and water chrysanthemums; debud early bloomers; cease feeding and cultivating roses; cut asparagus at ground level and fertilize; do not wrap tomatoes in newspaper as the stem has to ventilate; also of interest was the word that the sap from the loblolly pine promises help as a medicine.

Our weather man, Douglas Farquhar, gave us the report of Aug. '68 on ave. high 83 degrees, ave. low 66 degrees, highest 90 degrees for several days, lowest 51 degrees on Aug. 31st. Measurable rainfall on 10 days was a total of 1.46 inches; mean temp. 75 degrees. He found by the diary of his grandfather, Wm. Henry Farquhar that for Aug. 1868 the ave. Aug. temp. was 68 degrees.

We welcomed John Weske back from Siberia where he had been for 7 months teaching. The summer there had lots of rain and in Feb the temp. was -50 degrees but it was a dry cold with clear sunny weather and pleasant. One has to be careful of ears and nose, however.

The Asst. Sec'y, Zela Heckendorn showed a vine that Ethel Thomas had brought, -without a name Helen Farquhar said it is akebia and probably came from The Cedars. It has a pretty cream colored cluster of flowers but can become a pest, if not controlled. Rocky Ridge had fox glove plants and grapes; Great Ease had watermelon, cantelopes, lycoris (radiato, -red); Oakwood had phlox, michaelemas daisies and physistegia; M. M. Miller had roses, giant marigolds and some of the marigolds from the plant given out earlier by Wm. Heckendorn; Spring Villa had petunias, asters, 3 kinds of beans, peppers, tomatoes. We said we could learn about the

-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