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H/4/1990-1-
April 3, 1990, Lydia Haviland's, page 1
The dormant season ended with our April 3rd meeting at the home of Lydia Haviland. With her grounds poised for growth and her parrot poised to raise the hairs on everyone's scalp, the familiarity and atnosphere of Lydia's house was a fitting spot to open our season.
In addition to Lydia's family we welcomed Sheri Fletcher's mother Twyla Mader. With insufficient fanfare we also welcomed the newest member of the Society, Sarah Janney Hartge, tipping the calendar at 3 weeks, 2 days.
The gathering was called to order and we got under way with a request from Jim Bullard to sign a petition requesting that the Sandy Spring Corridor remain unique and apart from Olney when the area's master plan is revised. Murmurs of assent accompanied Jim's presentation.
The minutes from the previous meeting were read, corrected and nodded into perpetuity.
There was no unfinished business.
As is the custom during the first meeting of the season, the by-laws were read to all.
Mo Chance followed with the volunteer article from the July 1978 issue of Organic Gardening entitled Surgery for Squash Borers. It was a helpful description on how to spot vines afflicted with the borer before it's too late and excise the pest without losing the vine.
Mo followed with an article detailing the many uses of vinegar in the garden. Among its many applications viinegar can lower the ph of the soil, it can prolong the life of cut flowers and if sprayed repeatedly [and probably eternally] on bindweed will kill the plant.
In closing Mo reminded us that the average chicken has 8,143 feathers and beef scraps are good to add to chicken feed.
Beth Bullard volunteered an article titled Salsify: Maryland Oyster from Your Own Garden. Following the article it was admitted that salsify has been grown by Society members but not eaten.
Elizabeth Thornton read the minutes from 100 years ago in which fishberries soaked in vinegar were mentioned as helpful in repelling lice but not nits from the heads of chickens. The nature and specifics of fishberries was queried and Ted Fletcher volunteered to research and report back.
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H/4/1990-2-
April 3, 1990, Lydia Haviland's, page 2
Harold Earp delivered the forethought. We were reminded that insecticidal soap has to hit the insects to work - it will not work when dry. Roses need to be sprayed with fungicide and checked for aphids. Flowering bushes should be pruned after blossoming and dead growth should be removed from all trees and bushes.
John Hartge remarked on the odd weather that occuried over the winter and handed out graphs to help illustrate Mother Nature's behavior. The area had had early and late snows, and a March heat wave which threw the fruit trees off kilter, encouraging blossoming which would later be threatened by frost. Rainfall at Riverside was 7.2 so far and Natiional Airport reported a shortfall of 1.5 inches.
EXHIBITS
From Pi Acres came celandine poppy, lesser celandine, spring beauty, anemone (blanda-pink & white), pulmonaria, grape hyacinth, wood hyacinth, epimedium, violets (5colors), blood root, dutchman's breeches, miniature daffodils, vinca, virginia blue bells, viburnumcarlesi, cut leaved toothwort, glory in the snow, and iberis. From the Chances came grape hyacinth, daffodils, and viburnum. From Clifton came narcissi, virginia bluebells, grape hyacinth, viburnum carlesi, bishop's cap. From the Earps came pulmonaria lugwort, viburnum carlesi, andromeda, grape hyacinth, hyacinth, primrose, and 9 daffodils. From Lea House came narcissus, tulips, and jonquils. From Lakeview came daffodils, jonquils, mertensia, and mahonia. From Rose Hill came red bud, spirea, a max red pear, and leeks.
The bird report brought up woodcock sightings at Clifton. We were reminded that a good time to catch woodcock courtship antics is 18 minutes past sunset. A flock of wild turkeys is said to be in the forest along Hall Shop Road. Nancy Chance rought up that birds will only eat thistle seed when it's fresh. Harold Earp recalled a recent Extension Service caller who said robins were eating his tulips.
There was no committee reports.
New Business envolved a suggestion to coordinate with the Sandy Spring Museum to duplicate and transfer SSHS minutes onto microfilm. It was favorably aggreed to look into the matter and Mo Chance was volunteered to be temporary liason with the Museum.
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H/4/1990-3-
April 3, 1990, Lydia Haviland's, page 3
QUESTION
Mary Seiler is contemplating letting a portion of her field go unmowed. The notion was encouraged with the caution that some bird-hating, superficial, restrictively nonenvironmental and heavy-handed local ordinances require mowed expanses.
Mrs. Mader offered her method of planning her lilly plantings. She puts markers in plastic bags and stakes them in her yard where she will want specific items to be planted the following spring.
Ted Fletcher wanted to know if peaches will survive the capricious weather we're having. His answer came in shrugs and he was asked to report back.
Harold Earp wanted to know where water chestnuts come from. Cans was the predominant answer and otherwise he was asked to find out and reporrt back.
Susan Canby asked Tom Canby how he got rid of their moles. He replied in a spontaneous fashion that ground chili powder peppered across the lawn apparently repels them to less savory digs.
Tom Canby followed with a question on what eats tulip bulbs. Recent rumor has it that robins have been reported as culprits. More commonly known villians are voles and squirrels. Both can be foiled by planting in open ended quart cans buried to ground level.
Buzz Hussman said if anyone needs wood chips, he still has some to offer.
On that note of cooperation and generosity we thanked Lydia for her hospitality and agreed to meet next at the Chances' when John Hartge would be reader.
BUT before we dissassembled such a pleasant and long awaited gathering Lydia mentioned that although in favor of tradition and continuity she believes that monthly hosts should not feel it absolutely de rigeur to seat at the dinner table all who attend the meeting. It is too much to ask. This gathering should be fun for all and not laced with anziety for the host family over tables, chairs, plates, and other trumped up formalities.
The comment was greeted with genuine approval. Nobody would dare argue with Lydia anyway but it was a very good point to bring up and agree on.
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H/4/1990-4-
April 3, 1990, Lydia Haviland's, page 4
Along those lines Beth Bullard mentioned that families should not feel that their young children are excluded from the gatherings.
Buzz Hussman followed with a reminder that Earth Day was coming up on April 22 and this would mark its 20th anniversary.
Betts Hartge started off a short discussion of recycling opportunities in the area. Everyone seemed to agree that there should be more of it.
Thereafter the meeting really did wind down and out the door. We didn't mind the extra length as it was the start of a new season and we were grateful to be in active fellowship once again.
With apologies for errata,
Peter Austin Sec-Treas.
