Horticultural Society

H/4/1864-1-

Rockland 5th Mo 14th 1864 [May 14th, 1864]

4th Mo 30th was the regular time for a meeting. It was postponed on account of the illness of Thomas P. Stabler — a friend who has several times met with and given us much assistance and informations, the result of long experience and thorough study of “Practical Horticulture” The meeting was unusually large and very interesting. The hour of meeting was not as nearly as observed as would be disirable. The display of vegetables and flowers was very fine. We were encouraged to give more attention to this is being one of the most interesting parts of our meetings. We were invited to see the garden which had been made second to the cornfield, in direct opposition to the counsels of our society as given at a former meeting. The currant and gooseberry bushes were very full of elegant fruit. A committee was appointed to see the Truck Patch; it reported that things were in a promising state. The orchard which we noticed incidentally was in excellent condition, very full of fruits. The following were the questions asked and answered. Q. Where can sweet potato plants be procured? A. Francis Miller offer to supply the society provided his did well. Q. The best way to raise sweet potatoes? A. Plow furrows four feet apart fill with manure then throw two furrows on this in these ridges make hills two feet apart. Plant early. When the vines begin to run, wind or twist them around. Dig before frost.

H/8/1865-1

Edgewood

(R B Farquhar Sec for the day) 8th mo 31st 1865.

The Society met at Robert M. Stablers. Several members absent - as is usually the case. The minutes of the last meeting held here were read as also those of the last regular meeting.

There was quite a good display of vegetables on the tables and some very fine peaches from our Hosts orchard, which seemed to be enjoyed by members & guests. We found the little garden of our host in good order except a strawberry bed that was overrun with grass, there were some fine heads of Cabbage &c.

The questions presented were as follows. Why do some Eggplants that bloom fully not bear more than one or two eggs. A. Several reasons were suggested but no decisive answer given.

Q What should be the treatment of a cabbage that is headed now to procure seed from it. A. No one seemed to know how to preserve it until winter.

Q When is the time to set out strawberries. A. The 8th mo by some preferred. Others the spring.

Q. Information was asked as regarded sowing onion seed in the Fall for spring use. A. But little experience on the subject.

Q When is the best time to remove Raspberries. A. In the spring.

Q Is it too late to sow cabbage seed for fall planting. A It was thought not.

Avalon

H/9/1866-1- 53

On the 29 of 9th mo 1866

Twelve of our members braving wind, rain, & mud, gathered at the house of [Alban Gilpin|Alban]] & Rachel Gilpin.

The fear had been expressed that any meetings after the Exhibition would be dull. that seeming the grand final to the July act for the season. this proved a mistake there was as much interest manifest as at our opening meeting and more questions asked than the members found oppor tunity to answer, but it was decided best to close for the year. the evenings were growing short & weather uncertain.

Three of the ladies went out in the rain to visit the garden and were fully repaid by seeing the growing plants from which we enjoyed boquetts at our meetings, and the Exhibition, and one of great beauty arranged by our hostess greeted our eyes upon the tea table. flowers of the richest coloring principally Daliahs & Roses. vegetables were found in fine order all the crops were matured except celery & cabbage, which were in a most healthy condition. The salsify judging from the tops promised a first rate crop, and we may learn a useful fact by asking a question next spring.

Which raised the finest crop of salsify S Gilpin or Roger B. Farquhar?

H/5/1867-3. H/6/1867-1-

Stanmore

Should water melon seed from those grown near a variety of other vines be planted? No

After a very refreshing, and delightfully social meal, we took leave to gather together at the house of the originator of our society on the last 7th day in 6th mo.

Stanmore

June 29th 1867

As arranged at our last meeting we gather ed more punctually than usual at Stanmore 6th mo 29 1867. Francis Miller declared acting as Foreman, being host, and some amusing difficulty arose as to who would could supply his place.

Dr. Magruder was urged to accept the office, and called the meeting to order and asked the following questions on behalf of different members.

Would fruit dry under the sash of a hot bed?

No one had even tried it but some thought the idea a good one and worthy the experiment.

The Bugs eat all my roses, what should I do?

Many other have wanted a remedy but the only comfort that was given was to endure what you could not cure, and enjoy the next bloomings.

Henry C Hallowell brought a bunch of Raspberry blooms to gain information as to why his crops failed when the ground was so fine?

No one had satisfactory information to give, some

H/8/1868-1-

Riverside

The meeting of our Society the last of 8th mo was to have been held at Longwood but owing to sickness in the family we met agreeable to arrangement at Chas & E S Iddings on the 12 of 9th mo.

There was a heavy storm pending so but few took the walk around the garden our host had decided with some others that working with a hoe in a small garden did not pay where the object was to raise plenty of vegetables for a large family. he had long rows inside a field where a horse and plow could do the heavy work. the early vegetables had been used and second crops such as Turnips, late cabbage occupied the ground. Tomatoes were still very abundant. We saw the experiment with asparagus and the doubt is removed. this crop should be mulched with saw dust and not cultivated during summer. the row showing the most decided difference in favor of this plan.

There were not so many flowers as we found here on our last visit but the grass and trees were most beautiful and the vines over the house and porches. if our hostess had not mentioned this we would not have remarked a deficiency.

The book of the Secy by mistake had been left so the usual reading had