April / May 1998

March

Mark Williams, Trials Manager of Unwins Seeds, gave us an amusing and interesting talk about growing plants from seeds. He began by sketching the history of the company and went on to show slides of some of their products, giving us tips on the best way to get good results.


The Village Gardeners are running a plant stall at the Village Feast on Saturday 16th May. We would be grateful for any seedlings which are surplus to your requirements, or any cuttings or pieces of plants which you don't need, so please bring them along.


Have you booked your seat on the coach for the visit to Beth Chatto's garden on 13th June? If not please ring 741221 or 01223 812360.


Our next meeting is on 21st April at Reach Village Centre when Mr Rodney Tibbs will give an illustrated talk entitled 'My Gardening Year'.

Children's Achievements

I would like to try and get this area going every magazine so please let me know of your children's achievements, whatever it is from their first step to may be that Olympic gold. See the list below and you will get the idea!!      Editor

James Mynott won the penalty shootout at his Kick Off Soccer day out at half term. He received a nice plaque, a medal and a certificate.

James Mynott was awarded the cap for beaver of the month for being kind and helpful.  ( James goes to the 1st Exning Beaver group )

Gemma Mynott has gained her Basic Skills Award for roller skating.

Well done to both of them.  Now lets have some more from all of you in Reach.

The Greatest Mathematical Error

The Mariner 1 space probe was launched from Cape Canaveral on 28th July 1962 towards Venus. After 13 minutes' flight a booster engine would give acceleration up to 25,820 mph; after 44 minutes 9,800 solar cells would unfold; after 80 days a computer would calculate the final course corrections and after 100 days the craft would circle the unknown planet, scanning the mysterious cloud in which it is bathed. However , with an efficiency that is truly heartening, Mariner 1 plunged into the Atlantic Ocean only 4 minutes after take off. Inquiries later revealed that a minus sign had been omitted from the instructions fed into the computer. "It was human error" a launch spokesman said. The minus sign cost £4,280,000