Club Minutes: The Home Interest Society, 1877-1885

89^th Meeting

Lucknough _ June 1^st 1878 _ Owing to the late arrival of the member to whom had been intrusted the Book of Minutes, the business of the meeting began very late. _ supper being announced directly after she arrived. After partaking of such rolls as "never was seen before" (The recipe for which was asked for) and the most delicious strawberries, the meeting was called to order by P. S. Stabler foreman, and PR. Stabler led for the evening.

1^st Ques. How to cure gapes in turkeys? Nothing satisfactory

2^nd Does any one mow down their asparagus? Some advise mowing in fall before the seed ripen and cover with straw.

3^rd What will kill slugs in Roses? Some dusted over in a solution of 2 tablespoons of white helabore to 2 gals of water.

4^th Is it too late to plant brown corn seed? No and P.T. Stabler has seed.

5^th How to find keats nests? By a peculiar sound they make on leaving the nest.

6^th What did A.G. Thomas do with the boy who robbed his store. Found he had been twice severely whipped so let him go.

7^th What kind of an arch to put over a[ ? ?]

shut into, held down by wire & brick.

8^th Has any one had their fruit trees get low in the ground? Some have, and advised to plant stakes and bind to them with eye straw.

9^th How to make a good strawberry bed ? his land well fertilized is better than old rich ground, which is thought to bring some [suthern?] fruit: have good plants & plant early in Spring. To sow stiff cold land in clover, let stand a year & plough under, will improve it for strawberries.

10^th Is it cheaper to raise or buy strawberries? Raise and you will have them, the other plan doubtful.

11^th What is the best Strawberry? Don't fail to have Wilson- Chas. Downing & Kentucky; some like Monarch of the West.

12^th Do members propose sending their children to boarding school, - for how long, and at what age to start them? Let them attend the best day school we can reach for 8 to 14 or 16, and then as long at a first class boarding school as their parents can afford to send them. We think the constancy which a child attends school, should depend on its health, & some mothers think, that a year at home between 12 & 14 may be well used in teaching what is not

found in books & is no loss in any way to the ^child.

13^th Best Lawn Mower? No one knows.

14^th Has any one a home made refrigerator, & is it a success? Mr. S. Bond has, but has not fully tested it. The Sec. has since learned that it is a perfect success.

Owing to the sudden indisposition of one of our members, the meeting was not formally adjourned - tho' notice had been given to meet at Asa M. Stabler's the 6^th July. Anna S Moore, Mary T. Bond and P. T. Stabler to read at next meeting, having been notified by Sec.

P.R. Stabler Sec. pro tem.

90^th Meeting

Most of our members and a few pleasant guests met at Asa M. Stablers about 5 P.M. July 6^th 1878; the heat preventing an earlier gathering. After reading the minutes of our last meeting held at the home of Dr F. Thomas we took our usual walk with Walter H Brooke forman & P.R. Stabler Sec. for the evening. Found the garden in a wonderfully good condition, considering it had been planted over since the last hail storm. A fine show for lima beans. No ripe tomatoes reported by any of the members. The flower garden was looking badly; owing some thought to an

over dose of fertlizer; but our host gave the opinion that it might be from the stiff soil underneath, & too light in top; together with the copious rains in the Spring.

Question 1^st What is the cause of Sue Thomas' roses dropping their leaves? The soil may be too light: Advised to put sand round to pack the earth to the roots.

2^nd Is there anything on a farm but feathers, to make a mattress & pillows? Shucks _ yard grass or chaff.

3^rd Has any one tried drying peas for soup? Often done and used as a substitute for split peas.

4^th Is it necessary to transplant celery twice? It is advised as best to do so.

5^th Who has currants to sell? No one

6^th Is it too late to plant potatoes, for the ground to go in wheat in the Fall? Yes

7^th How late to plant Sweet corn? 1^st to 10^th July.

8^th How to make water ice? 8 lemons, 4 lbs sugar & 1 gallon water; grate the rinds of half the lemons; & [some?] add the whites of 4 eggs as it begins to freeze.

9^th What time in the evening shall we require our children from 12 to 17 years of age to be at home? A variet of opinion; all advise and seem to wish early hours, but how to set the ball rolling seems to be the difficulty. It was

thought that the surest way of help, would be, always to keep early hours ourselves, & when we invite company to our own homes, to set the hour to come and go. We all feel that the time has arrived, when something must be done, there being no doubt that we are falling sadly off, from all the good old ways; and apart from the general demoralizing effect mentally and spiritually there is the serious one of bodily injury; no one being constituted to bear a loss of rest night after night, until after midnight; especially our young men after their hard days work in the harvest fields. There was a motion made & seconded that we set the hours for our companies, and for none to have them held later that 10.oc: Put to the vote & 7 voted for 10.oc & 11 for 10.30, showing that the old leaven is still amongst us. Beulah Thomas read "A good deed in a naughty world" and P.T. Stabler the "Microphone" Meet at W.S. Bond's Aug 3rd & moved to go early, so that our meeting may be over in time to sell the books at 7.oc.

Adjourned. P.R. Stabler Sec. pro tem.