Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1974

H/4/1974-1-

Horticultural Society ------ April 2nd. 1974 "Oakwood"

Hosts: John and Dorothy Weske and their son "Sed"

Oh to be a poet viewing the lovely surroundings as we apprached John and Dorothy's home, daffodils and Myrtle under the oaks bordering the drive way and Spring flowers edging trees and paths. Greeting each other for the first meeting of the year gave a lift to our spirits.

Groups of us gathered first out of doors and then with brimming plates around the supper tables inside enjoying being together after the Winter months.

President Hussman convened the meeting with well chosen remarks, welcoming the guests, Mr. and Mrs. James Rice who live next door, and Jean Coulter and Tom Harrison..

Absent were Bill and Nancy Canby, Grace and Francis Thomas, and Dick and Sylvia Woodward. How good to have newly elected members, Jim and Mary Seiler present.

Minutes of October's meeting were read and adopted after a correction, followed by the reading of the Constitution, an April order of business.

Appointed reader, Lucy Manning presented an unusual article by Richard Halden(?), "The wire that won the West", describing the hundreds of varieties of barbed wire.

Wire collecting is in its infancy. As many as 50 to 600 pieces may be found in a collection. Boys have been known to use the barbs for pot shots, and the small wooden snitched for kindling. It is not unusual to see 3 different wires on one fence.

Mary Moore Miller read her Uncle Caleb Miller's list of

Winter vegetables as follows: Nov.1895

20 bu. potatoes $3.00 I bu. carrots 25 I bu. onions 25 I bu, beets 25 I bu. turnips 25 1/2 doz. Hubbard squash 25 $4.25

Robert Miller, just returned from California, enumerated a list of vegetables from last year and fromthis that he and Mary Reading had been enjoying from daughter Neel's garden.

Mrs. Mannakee spoke of learning that there are 800 varieties of rice. Betty Ligon had been amazed to see rice with 5inch long dark heads growing in Bolivia last

Climatologist A.D.Farquhar reported a high of 76degrees March 4th., a low of 20 on the I3th., an average high of 54, average low 20.. Rainfall 3 1/2 inches, measurable rain on 5 days.

February had been 4 or 5 degrees colder than usual, by 1 to 1 1/2 degrees.

Exhibits

A Parsley plant apiece ready to plant from Rocky Ridge M.R. Miller Pansies, MM. Miller flowers, Mrs Mannakee spirea, Goffs Camellias, Narcissi, Betty Ligon 3 kinds of magnolia, 15 of Narcissi, Huttons 2 varieties of magnolia, Tom Canby Hibiscus, Weske a plant of agaratum, Farquhars Pansies, crocus, blue bottle, .

Bird REport.

Blue-birds punched the time-clock for Spring at 40)clock today knowing that Flora would report them to the Horticultural

Tom Harrison is puzzled by 2 small all yellow birds. Sed Weske thinks they could be gold finches undergoing color change, if their tails are not long. This is the year for Pine Siskins, a small streaked bird with a very sharp bill. Claire has seen only 1 or 2 Evening Grosbeaks .. Are they scarce this year? Yes ..

There were no Committee reports or new business.

Questions.

Mary Seiler is puzzled because the Stock plants that she and Jim have are very vigorous and leafy with no bloom. Tom Harrison says that this is typical, and that they may bloom this year.

Tom related his sad experience with tomato plants being killed by water with softener in it..

No help was given Jess Canby about large muddy bumps in their lawn.

Announcements.

Auction for Patuxent Valley Environmental Association at St. Lukes on May 18th.

H/4/1974-3.

Dale Thomas had a question about the bird cages inthe lawn, and A.D. Farquhar mentioned the Land-use Bill being amended and delayed at the Legislature.

Adjourned after a very fine meeting to Betty and Bill Hartges in May.

Secretary

Helen N. Farquhar

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