SEED CATALOG! ANNUAL MEETING FLOWER SHOWS American Horticultural Society The American Horticultural Society seeks to promote and recognize American excellence in horticulture across America. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Horticulturist OFFICERS 1995-1996 Volume 75, Number 1 January 1996 Mrs. Sarah S. Boasberg Chairman Washington, D.C. ARTICLES Dr. William E. Barrick First Vice Chairman Pine Mountain, Georgia OUf Last News Edition Ms. Katy Moss Warner This issue of our News Edition is special for a number of reasons. We're Second Vice Chairman always excited to bring you our annual Seed Catalog, and this year we kept Lake Buena Vista, Florida pace with last year's record-breaking number of offerings. You can choose Mr. William A. Pusey Secretary from among 405 types of seeds, and we're sure you'll find plenty to tempt Washington, D.C. you, whether you're interested in heirloom vegetables, Pelargonium Mr. Gerald T. Halpin species, or rare trees. Tteasurer Also included in this issue is the program for our Annual Meeting, to Alexandria, Virgmia be held this year in St. Louis, and a preliminary list of flower shows around the country that will offer free admission to members of the Mr. Sherman Adler American Horticultural Society in 1996. Hobe Sound, Florida It is also the last News Edition to be mailed as a separate publication. Dr. Thomas G. Amason Jr. You'll receive the February American Horticulturist as usual, and in Birmingham, Alabama Mrs. Nancy H. Callaway April, you'll be receiving a redesigned, 64-page magazine, The American Pine Mountain, Georgia Gardener, that will encompass features of both our magazine and News Mr. James L. Corfield Edition. We tried to incorporate many of the ideas that readers expressed Downers GFove, Illinois in our last reader survey, including the most frequent comment: "Don't Mr. Paul Ecke Jr. Encinitas, California change a thing." We hope you'll recognize your old friend in spite of the Mr. William R. Marken bigger size, added color, more readable format, and new name. MerIlo PaFk, CalifoInia Mrs. M~n L. Miller Silver Spring, Maryland Mrs. Walter M. Morgan Jr. DEPARTMENTS Nashville, Tennessee Mr. William G. Pannill Members' Forum . .. .. .............. ... ...... .... 3 Martinsville, Virginia Dr. Julia W. Rappaport Gardeners' Information Service .. ..... .. ........ .. .... 5 Santa Ana, California Mr. Geoffi:ey L. Rausch Mail-Order Explorer . .. 6 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mrs. Josephine M. Shanks 1996 Seed Catalog ... ................. .. ...... ..... 7 Houston, Texas Mrs. Sellers J. Thomas Jr. Annual Meeting Program ... .... ... .. .......... ........ 19 Houston, Texas Mr. Robert D. Volk Book Catalog ...... .... ................ .. ............ 29 San Marino, California Mr. Monroe Whitton AHS Bulletin Board .. ..... ... .............. .. ........ 31 Alexandria, Virginia Regional Happenings . ............ .. .... ........ 33 1995 Magazine Index .... .............. .. ........ ... 36 PRESIDENT 1995 News Edition Index ... ... ....... .. .... ........... 38 Dr. H. Marc Cathey EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Classifieds ..... .. ..... ... ...... .. ... ....... .. ..... 39 Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes News Briefs ..... ....... .. ...... ... ....... ....... 40 2 JANUARY 1996 American Horticulturist Editor Kathleen Fisher MEMBERS' FORUM Assistant Editor Terri J. Huck Assistant Editor David J. Ellis Editorial Assistant Rx for Chipmunks holes around the perimeter of his terrace. Nikole Williamson In regard to the November letter from The depth would depend on soil condi­ Membership Director Boris Rubinstein of Long Island and his tions, but of course it would have to go Darlene Oliver problems with chipmunks in his brick-in­ deeper than the "critters" would burrow. sand terrace, here is a low-cost solution Edwin Glenn Troutman, M.D. Editorial Advisory Board guaranteed to succeed. Fort Worth, Texas John E. Bryan He will need to remove enough bricks to Sausalito, California excavate an area about four to six inches Veterinary Medicine John L. Creech deep and two feet out in all directions from In answer to Mr. Rubinstein's problem of Hendersonville, North Carolina the entry hole of the chipmunks. Unlike chipmunks on the terrace-acquire a cat. I groundhogs, who always dig multiple entry was overcome by chipmunks at my previ­ Keith Crotz holes for their burrows, chipmunks rarely ous house until a neighbor's cat encamped Chillicothe, Illinois use more than one entry. Gardeners with by their holes. In my present rural home, I Panayoti Kelaidis any plantings in such an area should dig have two cats on patrol and no problems Denver, Colorado them up but not discard them. (except deer!). Tessa McDonald Richard W. Lighty Buy a piece of hardware cloth four by Hope, New Jersey Greenville, Delaware four feet and lay it into the excavated area Peter Loewer with its center directly over the main en- Deer-Preventive Medicine Asheville, North Carolina trance hole of the chipmunks. Hardware At my home near a park in Montgomery cloth is galvanized wire mesh, usually with County, Maryland, deer are regular and Elvin McDonald half-inch-square openings-too small for hungry visitors to our garden. For the first Houston, Texas chipmunks to penetrate. Bury the hard- few years we lived here, I tried the home Advertising ware cloth in the excavated hole and re- remedies of human hair, moth balls, and AHS Advertising Department place the bricks, or replant any perennials products such as bloodmeal, bonemeal, and 506 Russell Road above the hardware cloth; if necessary, you artificial fragrances in the hope of discour­ Alexandria, VA 22301 may cut a hole six to eight inches in diam- aging the deer from eating my tulips, roses, (703) 549-2112 eter to accommodate the plantings. viburnums, and garden vegetables. For aes- The chipmunks will be astonished to find the tic and financial reasons, I did not wish Printer that they can no longer dig a burrow at the to build a stockade fence, so I found myself William Byrd Press, Inc. same site, or even near, where they could feeding these handsome creatures. once easily do so. When they relocate, it At last, I tried to make a garden out of Back issues of AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST News Edition are available at a cost of $3 per copy. The opin­ would be unusual for them to try to take up plants that deer won't touch. Searching for ions expressed in the articles that appear in AMERICAN housekeeping near their old burrow. those poisonous to mammals gave me a HORTICULTURIST are rhose of rhe aurhors and are not necessarily those of the Society. Botanical nomen­ These mischievous animals are so enter- fair beginning, but hardly enough to make darure in AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is based on taining that I would probably prefer to a fine garden. I offer my list in the hope HORTUS THIRD. Manuscripts, artwork, and pho­ tographs sent for possible publication will be returned if allow them to reside under the terrace, that it will provoke additional suggestions they are accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped en­ trading the inconvenience of the burrow's from other readers. velope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of unso­ licited material. location for the enjoyment I'd gain watch- Deer-proof so far: alliums, bleeding AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST, ISSN 0096-4417, is ing them forage and keep house '-------::--;"-:--'-:'---::-1 hearts, Buddleia, Cimicifuga, the official publication of the American Horticultural next to my recliner as I sip lemon- crocuses, columbines, daffodils, Society, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA ade in the summer sun. Mr. Ru- foxgloves, lavender, mints, scilla. 22308-1300, (703) 768-5700, and is issued 12 rimes a year. The American Horticultural Society is a nonprofit binstein's experience should lay Others that they left alone for sig- organization dedicated to excellence in horticulture. to rest the notion that chipmunks nificant periods of time: Arte- Membership in the Society includes a subscription to AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST. Narional member­ are shy creatures that will not live misia 'Silver King', Astilbe, birch, ship dues are $45; two years are $80. International dues next to a house-utter bunk! grape hyacinths, iris, nastur- are $60. Copyright © 1996 by rhe American Horticul­ tural Society. Second-class postage paid at Alexandria, David L. Newcomer, M.D. tiums, violets, wax begonias. Virginia, and at -additional mailing offices. Postmaster: East Petersburg, Pennsylvania Please rush! Montgomery County is be- Please send Form 3579 to AMERICAN HORTICUL­ TURIST, 7931 Easr Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA ginning to have public meetings about the 22308-1300. A Second Opinion depredations of these animals. Produced in U.S.A. Boris Rubinstein should try putting a metal Sharon Palmer-Royston (perforated) or masonry skirt with drain Potomac, Maryland AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 3 Snow Creek Pungent Cure Like Boris Rubinstein, I have chipmunks Gardens and a brick patio. Fortunately, I also have Day lily many stone walls and the chipmunks pre­ fer to live there. Ii'Please send your latest fuD-color Catalog. $2 enclosed. • Pl.£Ase PRn<r • I have, however, had a population explo­ NAME _______________________________ sion of rabbits in recent years. These rabbits prefer to eat all the tender new growth of Exquisite, proven varieties, developed I1y ADDR~S _____________________________ leading hybridizers, and pictured in luscious woodland plants I am trying to establish. color from the people at B&D Lilies. Send At the Philadelphia Flower Show last $2 for your copy today. CrrY _________________ STATE_ ZIP__ _ year I purchased my first bottle of fox urine I VISA 1 til Photocopy, or clip & and mail with payment to: and have found it to be the only effective ~ •. •• Snow Creek Nursery· 330 P Street.- Dept H • Port Townsend, WA 98368 ~ deterrent. The drawbacks are an extreme­ .... ~'11;;;;;;;;=====;;;;;;;;;;;===;;;;;;;;;;;;=====;d'~~ ly pungent odor and the expense. I find a few drops go a long way. The urine must be applied after each rain, but I feel the rabbits learn to avoid treated areas at least until next year. Mary Liz Lewis Summit, New Jersey Fox urine is distributed by Johnson & Company, P.O. Box 2009, Bangor, ME 04402.