Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1863-1871

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Flat Dutch and others Early Wakefield.

Are there two kinds of asparagus? Yes but its excellence is chiefly owing to cultivation.

What is the best way of cultivating aspa -ragus? Plant in a row nine inches apart in the row and cultivate with a plow as you do other vegetables

What is the best kind of Salsify and when plant?

The Black and plant when you do beets carrots &c.

How get rid of the slug on roses? Try the Persian insect powder or Carbolic Soap.

It was moved that the name of the presid -ing officer be changed from "Foreman" to President and the change was adopted.

It was put to vote whether we should have an Exhibition at the Lyceum this fall or not and decided unanimously that we should have it and that every member should contribute to it. The Secretary was re quested to send invitations to the "Farmer's Club "The Club Jr." The Ladies Society and the "Home Interest" to join their efforts to ours

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to make it successful.

It was proposed that we should adopt the style of Premium we had at a previous Exhibition. The best article of a kind taking all of that kind competing except in the case of pot plants and hanging baskets

C. A. Iddings proposed that some system of experiments should be adopted by which some of the many questions of importance should be settled

We took our usual walk examination and found the green house lovely blooming plants and the hot beds in fine condition.

Adjourned to meet at Sharon

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April 22nd Met at Sharon nearly all the members were present and a few visitors.

The specimens were very fine; from Brooke Grove came asparagus lettuce radishes and flowers, from Spring-dale and Riverside asparagus and flowers, from Olney Hermon Rockland and Avalon flowers, from Longwood Lettuce cabbage onions and a pea vine all of extravagant dimensions. M. B. Magruder brought some agricultural Reports for distribution and a quantity of beans and parsnip seed of her own raising also for distribution S. B. Stabler distributed madeira roots and Henry Hallowell flower and vegetable seeds from depepartment of Agriculture. Rachel Gilpin brought some plants of Eschscholt-zia and pansy

Questions

Is it will to put leaves with manure for hot beds? Yes, leaves or straw one half.

Is it too early to plant Lima beans cucumbers cymlins beans and flower seed? No, not too early many had planted and some who always run the risk of frost and plant such things early, do not lose them and gain much time One man was men-

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mentioned who planted beans on the first of April last year and then to use three weeks before his neighbors. A rule with some for planting beans is when apple trees bloom.

Is it too late to trim apple trees? Not a good time, June or July preferable.

What sorts of useful or ornamented plants will flourish in a shady, damp, north exposure? Cabbage, Geraniums, all kinds of Lilies, Hydrangea, [Greville?] and climbing daily roses, Polyanthus, Chrysanthemums, and Daphne Indica.

Did any one ever try thinning potatoes as we thin corn? No one had. W.P. Miller was appointed to try the experiment and report the results.

Is it too early now to set our tomato plants? It was thought rather early by most except for those who raise their own plants.

Would it be worth while to try putting cut straw over the ground around vines after they are up to protect them from the striped bug, as recommended by some agriculturist? Yes it was thought it right answer

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excellently.

The garden hot beds and flower beds were doing finely and the Wisterias and many other flowers were very much admired. After a "particularly pleasant" evening which all seemed to enjoy, we separated to meet at W.P. Millers next month.

The hour of meeting is 1/2 past 3 o'clock and it was decided commence proceedingly at 4 o'clock to avoid crowding out questions as sometimes has to be done when we wait until a later hour.