Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1991

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September 3, 1991, Lakeview, page 1

A pleasant day preceded our meeting at Lakeview, home of Mary Seiler. Her house and grounds embraced us with their graceful and modern lines and hospitable and genteel atmosphere. Our guests were Helen Farquhar and Brooke Farquhar. Unfortunate to be missing were the Hanels, the Rogers, Tom Canby, Tim Eller, the Mannings, Ellen Hartge, and Priscilla Allen who nonetheless graced the evening with flower arrangements on the dining tables. The dining was splendid and punctuated with a dessert that was initially observed then avoided then sampled and bravely ingested = namely Elizabeth Thornton's Potting Soil Delight; a dish that looked as it was named but tasted like chocolate cookie crumb custard mousse.

When we began the meeting proper it was 8:25. The minutes from the last meeting penned by Tom Canby, August's pro tem secretary, were read and passed.

Next, Jim Bullard read a chapter from Forest Carter's book, The Education of Little Tree. The book is a recollection of a Cherokee boy's upbringing in the care of his grandparents in North Carolina in the early 1930's. The book is a charming, eloquent, and touching chronicle that ranks among the likes of Russel Baker's Growing Up, and Twain's Huckleberry Finn. The chapter that was read was a clear inducement to find the book, read it, and share it as Jim was doing. A postscript mentions that newspaper accounts have since identified the book as a hoax and Forest Carter as a psuedonom of a political writer whose general inclination was towards radical conservatism, racism, and facism. The book remains eminently readable and its fans defend the book and feel that the said hoax is itself a hoax or misguided investigative academics.

There was no volunteer article so John Hartge read the minutes from this month in 1891 at Falling Green. Notable was Norwood who had one surviving turkey out of 50 starters versus [Falling Green]] who had lost none - typical of the tricks hosts play.

Partly due to the late hour the Forethought was straightforward, economic....perhaps poetic in a haiku ("A Japanese lyric poem of a fixed 17 syllable form that often simply points to a thing or pairing of things in nature that has moved the poet") sort of way. "Wait 'til next year, then start over." One could delve into the drudgery of fall crops, purging the garden of dead stuff, cutting lawns high, and living in anticipation of cool weather but I like the seven syllable solution best.

John Hartge followed with the Meteorology report - in 5 syllables: another dry month. The area went 14 days without rain and we only got 2.72 for the month. that put us at 8 3/4 inches below average for the year to date. Temperature-wise the month started hot and ended hot. The high temperature was 95 on the 3rd and low was 57 on the 22nd. It has been the 2nd hottest summer on record since 1871. 1980 was the hottest. We had a limp-wristed brush with Hurricane Bob but the Brinklow area made up for it with the August 20th Tornado/Micro Burst which cut a swathe of ruin from the Ellers on Goldmine Road across New Hampshire Avenue, through

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September 3, 1991, Lakeview, page 2

Rivermist Kennels and southeast to the powerline and Windswept Lane. The Leiser's 65 year old barn was blown into Goldmine Road. Tree damage was extensive especially on Windswept Lane where a healthy 305 year old white oak was toppled. Substantial evidence indicated that the incident was a microburst but those with drama in their souls and insurance companies to romance called it a tornado.

EXHIBITS

From the Earps came begonias, lantanas, a Touch of Class rose impatiens, vinca, geranium, colchicum, stock, and basil. From the Cedars came blue corn, white eggplant, and assorted other seasonal offerings.

From Clifton came a Sun Flare rose, asters, obedience plants, purple loosestrife, buddleis, oregano, sea lavendar, artemesis, nasturtiums, zinnia and cosmos.

From Pi Acres came Ted's roses; Sweet Surrender, Brandy, French Lace, Tropicana, Gold Medal, and Cary Grant.

From the Chances came peppers and tomatoes.

The Bird Report included tidbits from Beth Bullard's Bird Notes for Fall. To encourage hummingbirds plant early columbine, Virginia bluebells, phlox, sweet william, bee balm, cardinal flowers, and the butterfly bush. Woodpeckers drum on human houses for territory in the spring and food in the fall. To encourage goldfinches and discourage housefinches turn the feeder upside down so the feeder hole is below the perch. Also don't feed broad spectrum or stale seed to goldfinches. Tom Canby was cited as an excellent source of quality goldfinch feeders.

The Bee Report indicated that the Society's golden throngs were doing fine.

There were no Committee Reports nor was there any New Business.

QUESTIONS

Ted Fletcher who missed a former report about tilling at night was informed that some seeds need a flash of sunlight to germinate so if one tills at night many weed seeds are kept in the dark and never grow.

Mary Seiler has several yellowjacket nests in a fencerow that she'd like to have cleared. Among the suggestions were applications of gasoline, powdered sevin, pans of beer or...one could wait 2 months and clear the brush when all the buggers are frosted or in hibernation.

Harold Earp asked if there is any hope that grass beaten down and humiliated by the dry weather can recover before winter arrives. No.

Bettes Hartge asked how to prepare clematis for winter. It's possible to prune and mulc but there was a stronger case for the intensive neglectunti-spring treatment.

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September 3, 1991, Lakeview, page 3

Lydia Haviland added that she has a clematis that dates back to the 1800's. Every year since Lydia has been dealing with it she trims it back to the ground in the spring and otherwise treats it like a weed. It does fine.

Brooke Farquhar has some bee balm that appears to be dying out. It's near rubeckis and might be suffering from competition. Advised to water and cautioned that bee balm is capricious and evasive.

John Hartge had a follow-up on the Mantis brand tiller. With sharp tines it works quite well although not on big jobs. A bit pricey at about $300, it's well designed and effective. The tiller also has the Beth Bullard stamp of approval.

Bettes Hartge offered the closing comment which dealt with the false salmonella scare attached to cantaloupes. Because of misinformation and misinterpretation the market for cantaloupes plummeted and farmers reported fine crops left rotting because of no demand.

The hour was surprisingly late. We thanks our hostess for a delightful evening and agreed next to meet at Leea House, home of the Preusses at which time Ellen Hartge would be the assigned reader.

Yer humble servant,

Peter Austin

Secretary/Treasurer