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H/9/1989-2-

Friends Community House, September 5, 1989; page 2

From Jackpine came ogeratum, tropicana roses, phlox, mums, Japanese
anemone, zinnias, and sedum.
Riverside offered cleome, a prima donna rose, purple and white amyrath, and
balsam.

Bird Report

The graceful acrobatics of nighthawks have been admired as migrating flocks
move through the area in the early evening hours.
Barn owls and the installation of barn owl boxes were lightly touched upon.

Committee Reports

The Membership Committee explained why the fruits of our summer-long
membership efforts including debates, nearly Talmudic study of the by-laws,
inner contemplation, outer discourse, and intuitive guesswork only resulted in
one lone but hardy new member in our ranks that evening. The Committee
explained that reaching people is more complicated than it seems and
recommended faith and patience or patience and faith.

There was no new business so we went on to Questions.

Question

Elizabeth Thornton has flocks in her garden that have been treated well and
pinched back appropriately but have come forth with only one flower. ""Why
not" suggestions included fertilizing and dividing.
Mary Seiler forwarded the opinion that it's been a good year for butterflies.
There was a 2 to 1 opinion in agreement with her.
John Hartge reported on the Riverside Tomato Taste Off. Celebrity won over
Supersonic and Big Girl. Further discussion favored as well Jet Star. San
Marizano was judged a better canning tomato than Roma.
Susan Canby radiating dislike for brussel sprouts tested the waters for like-
minded gardeners. Brussel sprout lovers, likers, and apologists defended the
vegetable as quite acceptable when fresh and properly cooked. All the same
Susan submitted a graph paper study that put the ideal Brussel sprout size
somewhere between the head of a pin and a poppy seed.
Nancy Chance mentioned earwigs in her peppers - no improvement over last
year when there were worms instead. Opinion was that it's too late now to
do anything but aim for prevention next year.
Eli Rogers had the impression that it was a good year for grasshoppers.
There were shrugs of agreement but not with enthusiasm.
Ari Preuss reported that the Sandy Spring Friends School Oaks have rebounded
nicely from earlier gypsy moth damage.
Mo Chance has branches of Austrian Pine that appear sickly. A couple
wisecrackers observed that branches don't have roots. They were ignored and
diplodia tip wilt was suggested as the cause. Spraying was said to help.
Buzz Hussman has a previously productive sour cherry tree that is suffering
from borer. From description, sounded as if there was no hope: tree is
dying from bore-dom.