ARBORETA & BOTANIC GARDENS

prepared by the public services division

June 10, 1972

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION

As of July 1, 1972 employees may accumulate up to 40 days of vacation at any one time which means that

you may defer vacation with department head approval || .

for more than one year.

The next Grounds Maintenance Man exam will be given on Wednesday, August 9th. Applications will be taken beginning Friday, July 28 through and including Friday, August 4th.

Most refunds from the 1971 wage freeze will be issued this month.

Watch for Health Plan open enrollment in the Fall. RESEARCH DIVISION

We are happy to welcome Dr. Wade L. Berry, our new Soil Biologist who joined the Research Division on June 26, 1972. Dr. Berry comes to us from U.C. Riverside, where he specialized in the area of the mineral nutrition of vegetables in California. He is a prolific research worker with close to 20 research papers published in various scientific journals. His program here is mainly concerned with the newly developed Whittier Sewage Management Project, analyzing effluent water, determining the rate of removal of different ingredients (contaminants, or pollutants) by plant roots, and observing and select - ing ornamental plant species in reaction to the sewage management. The addition of Dr. Berry undoubtedly will strengthen our total program on Environmental Sciences. We believe that we should take up the challenge in providing a better under- standing and improvement of our environment in the Southern California area in connection with arbori- culture.

Congratulations to George Hanson. His air pollution grant from Environmental Protection Agency is assured for one more year of extension. This extension makes

it possible for Dan Addis to continue his work here on studying the mechanism of plant resistance against smog damage and providing some equip- ment and chemicals for Linda Thorne to study leaf absorption (and adsorption) of ozone.

PUBLIC SERVICES DIVISION

As Needed Tour Guide Ray Robinson will be leav~ ing the Department around the end of the month to join his wife in Cairo (the U.A.R., not S. Ill.) where his wife is on a teaching fellowship at the American University. Her subject: Teaching English as a Second Language. Ray will be re- membered for his fine art work, expressed notabl y in the Pond Ecology brochure, for which he also gathered a lot of material, and for his excellent work as a school field trip leader. We asked Ray what he was going to do in the land of the Islamites while the memsahib, or whatever, was teaching the mother tongue to the heathem. He said he ex- pected to get a job teaching art provided he could round up enough belly dancers and unveiled

women to serve as models. Good luck, Ray, and all that....

EDUCATION DIVISION

The Education Division is losing Phyllis Hunt who is transfering to the Department of Public Social Services Finance Division as an Accounting Clerk |. Phyllis is an accounting major so the move makes sense from @ career standpoint, but she

will be sorely missed, particularly by Don Dimond who was seen walking around with a stunned look after hearing the news. Phyllis has typed all of his news releases, reports, brochures, letters, and what have you in addition to her work for the Education Division. She came to the Arboretum in July of 1970 and quickly proved herself a highiy valuable asset. While regretting her loss we wish her all the best in her new position. Stay in touch, Phyllis, and let us know how things work out down in the numbers department .

In addition to losing Phyllis, there have been other losses to the Education Division. George Spalding after a two week illness and a stay in the hospital,

is recuperating at home.

Patty Warren is recuperating from a combination of a trip to Mexico. City, two conventions and a severe illness. She is expected home from the hospital this week. Sandy Snider is covering the Historical Sec- tion in her absence. Hurry back y'all.

ARBORETUM DIVISION

Frank Simerly is now in England enjoying the hospi-

tality, sun and rain. All good wishes were sent with him for a smashing time. Bill Hawkinson is taking his place in the meantime.

Congratulations to Joe Erby upon his graduation from Mount SAC with an A.A. degree.

We are in the process of building a sunken garden just north of the rotunda area. It's coming along beauti- fully, thanks to the hard work and great ideas that

our men are putting in. Poor Dennis Severloh received a smashed finger (ouch!) when a heavy cement step fell on it. Hope it stops throbbing and heals quickly.

Believe it or not, Calvin Allen got ‘stoned’ on the way to Arkansas! (All kidding aside, Cal had a kidney stone attack while on his way to Arkansas, but he is fine now and enjoying his vacation.

SOUTH COAST DIVISION

The accelerated pace of our work schedule in pre- paration for the annual Fiesta de Flores =~ now less than two weeks away, July 7-9 -- has left our gardener ~journalist time only to say that flowers

are blooming all around (Dierama pulcherrima, Echinopsis multiplex, Trichocereus spachianus, Opuntia elata, and Limonium perezii of special note) and the birds keep right on singing and nesting (house sparrows, killdeer, mourning doves, spotted doves, yellow warblers, song sparrows, western tanagers, and brown-headed cowbirds to name but a few).

We welcome back Kevin Ritchie, our summer as- needed:GMM, with congratulation on completion of his undergraduate studies at UCSB.

Our enthusiastic “well donel" goes out also to Joe Erby of the Arboretum Division on achieving his A.A. degree from Mt. SAC.