Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1871-1880

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HERMON

4th Mo. 1st 1873

The opening meeting for 1873 was held at Dr. Magruders on the 1st of April and tho' there was not a full attendance it was a very good sized meeting.

The specimens were a beautiful bou quet of Geraniums, Primulas and Pansies, a radish from the hot bed and a parsnip and salisfy from the cellar from Brooke Grove. Several bunches of excellent celery from W. H. Farquhar and a splendid dish of Geraniums in which were light varieties from Patty Stables.

There were several agricultural reports and several packages of seed for distribu tion sent by the commissioner of Agriculture.

As this was the time of the year for elections of officers it was done and re sulted in the re-election of Henry C Hollow ell for President, E. S. Iddings secretary.

Questions

1 How did W. H. Farquhar preserve celery up to this time in so perfect a condi tion? By covering thoroughly.

2 How should tomatoes be trimmed to make them come early and large? Nip off the end to within two or three buds from the stem.

3. Is it too soon to trim rosebuses? No and at most places they have been so badly winter killed

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that it will be a light task to trim them. R. R. Moore tried burying one that is laying the branches down and covering them with earth as it is customary to cover fig trees in latitude.

4 Why do some geraniums put forth flowers buds which blight and fall of un developed? Some think it is owing to too frequent watering and others that it is from want of heat. It is recommended by some to water them with ammonia six drops to one pint of water.

5 How should cauliflower be treated. In all respects like cabbage; the failures last year supposed to be from the dry weather.

6 Is to too late to make a hot-bed? no

7 How did our members succeed in keeping Geraniums during the past usually cold winter? Some lost them but other succeed -ed nicely.

8 What should be done with an asparagus now? The old-fashioned plan was to put manure on in the fall and fork it in in the spring, but now it is recommen -ded to put the manure on very early in the spring and rake it off as soon as you see signs of its putting up

Robert Stabler reports 40 to 50 chickens Frederic Stabler 37 chickens R. R. Moore 15 chickens

Several members expect some soon

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Our walk at this season extends no further than hot beds and cold frames of which there were a great number all filled with flourishing plants a long row of cabbage seen in the distance set out for seed supposed from the number to be designed to supply the department of Agriculture with seed for distribution.

R. R. Moore was invited to attend our meetings whenever he feels inclined to do so

meeting adjourned to meet next at Edgewood

H/5/1873-1-

EDGEWOOD.

May 13th 1873

Our Society met at Edgewood. The weath -er was beautiful and we had a delight-ful, tho' small meeting.

The specimens consisted of bouquets from Olney, Avalon & Riverside, a saucer of pansies from Patty Stabler and a wellgrown pea and bean vine from Rockland

The poultry Olney 15 chickens Edgewood 140 chickens Avalon 19 chickens Rockland 20 chickens Brooke Grove 70 to 80 chickens 11 goslings 7 ducks Riverside 3 chickens and hens dying

Questions

1 Why do hens seem so backward about going to set? Cause unknown

2 Should a lemon tree be trimmed now when it has very young growth leaves and branches? Yes leave one or two buds from the stem.

3 Would it expedite the blooming of a tuberose to start it in a hot bed now? Yes very much.

4 Would it do to plant a Virginia Creeper on a frame? No plant near a tree as the fram would decay long before the Creeper it being very hardy and long lived.

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We were informed that it forward tomatoes very much to take cuttings in the fall and keep over winter. Ra -chel Gilpin has a plant now with eight Tomatoes on it.

5 What time should egg-plants be set out? Not before the first of June that is considered the best time.

It was proposed to make a note in the minutes in future of those members absent and the guests present. At this meeting the members absent were from Longwood Sharon Norwood Springdale and Hermon. Guests present Albina and Patty Stabler and Mary Bond.

The garden looked flourishing early vegetables were up nicely. Rose bushes much less winter-killed than at many places in the neighborhood.

Adjourned to meet next at Brooke Grove.