Horticultural Society

(105th year) H/4/1968-1April 2nd- 1968 MONTRESOR with Rust and Elizabeth Canby

It was a lovely, cool April afternoon when we gathered in this gracious, beautiful home for the first meeting of the year. Spring flowers were coming into bloom outside- and inside the arrangements were so lavish and beautiful. Spiraea, forsythia, daffadils- and camelias- the like of which we have not often seen in this locality. Friends from Takoma Park had brought them- and the profusion and color was indeed outstanding.

The members seemed also to out do themselves with the variety and deliciousness of the so called pot-luck dinner- and after enjoying it- and the pleasure of seeing each other againwe settled down for the meeting.

Our president, Ellis Manning called us to order around eight o'clock- and welcomed us for the new year, and the guests, Louise Canby and Nancy Canby to the meeting.

The minutes of the last meeting, in October, was read and approved.

Under unfinished business the secretary read the ByLaws as is usual at the April meeting.

Ulric Hutton had the selected article- one written by the mother of Anthony Trollop and published in Krutch's book: "The Gardeners World". She was rather disappointed on the whole with her vivit here in 1830. She did like the strawberries and peaches- but they were not so good as in England. She admired the wild flowers- especially the dogwood, locust bloom, poison Elder or sumac and the red-bud and others- but unfavorable comparison crept in very often. The lightening bugs and birds she admiredalso a profusion of fall woods flowers- with most of which she was not familiar- but declared no one she met knew them either!

For her forethought Sylvia Woodward told us to get the evergreens planted. Watch out for yellow streaked leaves on the jonquils and remove leaves- the plant if necessary. Spray Iris- and plant the first glads. Prune early blooming shrubs as soon as the flowers fade. Fertilize shrubs- sew batchelors buttons and larkspur also sweetpeas. If you want to g row your own tomato plants sow the seed now. Push mothballs into the ground around your crocus to keep the mice away- and she ended with an April Fool joke on us.

Our weather man, A. D. Farquhar gave us a rather detailed report covering somewhat the months we were not meeting. The high for October was78- and he recorded a low, in Jan. of -7. Several others reported a lower reading, William Heckendorn having seen-12. We had no record of the water level, but it is most certainly up.

Mary Moore, serving as Assistant Secretary reported exhibits, mostly flowers from:- The Huttons, Mt. Pleasant, Great Ease, The Cottage, The Highlands, Rocky Ridge, Springdale, Pine Hill Oakwood The Cedars, who also had Parsnips and Salsify-dug from the garden this afternoon- and from Spring Villa beautiful lush water cress. The arbutus from Pine Hill should also be especially mentioned- so lovely and becom ng increasingly rare.

Large flocks of geese have been seen. Some reported fewer birds this winter- others thought the normal numbers were with us. Of course it was a rather open winter. Various kinds of woodpeckers have been around- waxwings- a covey of partridges reported by Clair Hutton- and the usual old friends.

Roadside trash was again discussed. We will try to investigate to see if anything is being done- any collections being