Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1988

H/4/1998 - 1- April 5, 1988 The first meeting of the Sandy Spring Horticultural Society's 125th season and overall meeting #868 met at Lydia Haviland's on April 5th. After the winter's long respite everyone's spirits were especially buoyant. The light mood drew a fine contrast to the fact that the floor upon which we stood had been very much submerged by Patuxant River floods four times during Lydia's tenure. The house was conzy, neat, and held our numbers with a familiar embrace. Lydia had baked a handsome and delicious cake to mark the occasion. A picture with a cake in pink and white was placed on the dinner table. There was the words of "125 YEARS" on the cake.

The guests were Lydia's daughter and son-in-law, Phyliss and Dave Egeler. Sad to be absent was Tom Canby.

The meeting began with a moment of silence to mark the passing of Dick Woodward, a society member of many years and considerable horticultural talent and good humor.

A reassuring side to the coin of life followed with the Society's welcome to James Rogers and Marika Austin, 2 new family members who had been born since our last meeting.

There was no unfinished business and as per the Society's by-laws, those same by-laws were read to the audience's 's rapt attention.

As Reader for the evening, Beth Bullard had two articles to share. One was a remarkably eloquent letter written in 1855 by Chief Seattle of the Squamish Indians and sent to President Pierce. In it was a short prayer that went: This we know, the earth does not belong to man; Man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family.

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Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons of earth. Man did not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to earth, he does to himself.

The second article was titled "Wild West of the East". It detailed the Panther Knob preservation effort. This area of West Virginia has sustained great ecological setbacks the most serious being a deforestation rampage that ran unchecked from 1870 to 1920. At the close only 200 acres remained somewhat unscathed. In the decades since there have been admirable strides made in proteacting the forests's rebirth and ecouraging the reinstatement of previously eliminated or endangered species such as the snowshoe hare, the fisher, and the flying squrrel.

As volunteer article, Buzz Hussman paraphrased one from Harvard Magazine regarding the activities of Peter Hogarty, a Maine citizen who is processing and marketing wool made from a blend of Soviet and American fleece. It comes in 3 colors, gray, gray, and gray and takes 8 months of very red tape to get to market. Seriously, Mr. Hagerty calls it Peace Fleece and sees it as a gesture of fellowship and staying with the Hussmans during his attendance at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

Ellen Hartge had an article that detailed a potion made from blending orange peels with boiling water and pouring the infusion over ant colonies that one wishes eliminated.

Elizabeth Thornton had an article from Old Wives' Lore for Gardeners entitled "Sartorial". Therein was advice to test the soil for tilling and planting in various stages of undress. There was a degree of timeless common sense in the suggestions but in the 16th or 18th century it must have been less likely for a gradener's neighbors to suggest straitjackets as more appropriate attire for those inclined to test the soil with unadorned areas of one's anatomy.

Iduna Hanel gave the forethought which she admitted was more of an afterthought because most of the things to do should have already been done by now.

Everything outght to be cleaned - the lawn, the woods, the flower bed and the garden. The roses should be fertilized. Trees and shrubs should be planted and transplanted. Those already in should already be pruned, cleaned and fertilized. Seedings inside should be hardened outside before planting. Houseplants should be taken outside but, of course, brought in if there's a threat of frost. Remove mulch from strawberries. Hot or cold frames should be in full use.

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Beds should be prepared for seed planing. Carrots, peas, should go in. Not long after second rows should be planted. Late in the month, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes can go in. Asparagus patch should be weeded and fertilized. Nitric of soda or sodium nitrate on asperagas is recommended. Lawns should be fertilized but not mowed until 2 inches tall. Special care should be taken with any weed killers one plans to use.

Peter Conlon provided the Meteorologist Report. In March we had 2.52 inches of rain. The peak temperature was 79 degrees on the 24th and 25th. The low was 12 degrees on the 22nd. The questions regarding whether the weather had been warmer than normal, wetter than before, and the winter shorter than usual, the consensus opinion was non-committal with patches of cloudiness. In closing Peter Conlon promised a descriptive graph of the winter's statistics to be handed out at the May meeting.

Leslie Rogers passed the exhibits. Quailhill offered daffodils. White japonica came from Roslyn. There was daffodils, hyacinth, and heather from Lea House. From Jackpine came hyacinth, jonquils and forthysia. Riverside brought daffodils, grape hyacinth, myrtle, blood root, iris, violets, bluebells, spyrea, phlox, candy tuft, ivy & weeds arranged tastefully, and woodruff. Lakeview had daffodils, forsythia and mahonia. The Earps offered flowering cherry, magnolia, hyacinth, grape hyacinth, andromeda, daffodils, and primrose. Clifton brought narcissi and spirea.

The report on birds brought up a mention of an influx of crows near Lydia Haviland's. Attention was drawn to the buzzard hanging out at Quailhill. Peter Austin protested that he wasn't feeding them any failed efforts at raising sheep but that the black ugly birds had been kicked out of the Springdale woods by construction there of large opulent houses. Quailhill was the closest low-rent area for them to move into...much to Peter's discomfort and esthetic chagrin. Peter Conlon was along the Arkansas River in Colorado and saw hawls, eagles, thousands of ducks & teals and in trees, 30 pair of nesting blue herons. Purple Martins were reported back in the Area on March 15 - if you didn't get them this year better luck next.

The redundancy Cmmitee under John Hartge's guidance and impetus wowed the gathering with an impressive showing of its winter data organizing efforts. 11 years of old Society minutes have been digested and the program is progressing nicely.

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There was no new business. The question was raised as to whether there should a specific meeting marked to celebrate our 125th season. The notion was avoided and in place, we agreed to meet at 7:00 at the next meeting to take a group picture.

QUESTIONS

Ari Preuss mentioned that during a trip to South Carolina he stayed 1/2 mile from the Angel Oak ( located on St. John's Island near Charleston) - a 1,400 to 1,600 year old tree reputed to be the oldest living thing east of the Mississippi.

Nancy Preuss needs a pet cage for their eventually large dog that they will be voyaging with.

Caroline Hussman has seen metal strips around trees in town. They were identified as sticky tape devise for battling gypay moth caterpillars.

Buzz Hussman has wood chips for the taking.

John Hartge questioned the identity of a beetle 1/2 the size of a ladybug with one black spot on each wing.

Mary Seiler asked about Polonia trees. One camp discounted the species as a big weed and another expounded on the value, aesthetics, and delicacy of raising the tree for fun and profit

Priscilla Allen asked how far back to cut pussy willows - 6 inches will do. Also plant blueberries high or low. High is preferable - Maine is a good state to start.

Flora Goff brought on a discussion of vermiliads or air plants. The gist was that they do very well with minimal care and feeding .

Tom Farquhar brought a stunted tomato seedling - 1 of 60 that he had planted in cardboard egg cartons. He also had many pepper seedlings in a similar lamentable state. Chemicals in the cardboard were blamed and it was recommended that plastic egg cartons work better because they can be disinfected with bleach solution and used over and over again.

WHat to do about the vole holes? Just a few of the approaches included noise makers cats, moth balls and placing plants within hardware cloth.

Peter Conlon inquired after locally available pines. Recommended was Meadows Farms, formerly Cheap Eddie's, across from the Red Door Country Store on Norwood Road.

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Susan Canby wondered why Lakeview has blossoming mahonia and Jackpine has none. No specific reason was divulged but plant feeding was suggested.

Mo Chance commented that at the end of September in 1896 the next Horticultural Society meeting at Riverside was called off because a storm blew in between 10 pm and 2am that knocked down 16 of their big trees.

On that cheerful note we brought the meeting to a close, thanked Lydia for her hospitality and agreed to meet next on May 3rd at Quailhill, home of Peter Austin and Elizabeth ThorntonThoihton. 1988

The first meeting of the Sandy Spring Horticultural Society's 125th season and overall meeting # 868 met at Lydia Haviland's on April 5th. After the winter's long espite everyone's spirits were especially buoyant. The I could just type forever! Its so much fun.

Respectfully submitted, Peter Austin sec.