Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1950

H/4/1950-1Alloway April 1950 April showed a balmy spring nature to welcome all the Sandy Spring Horticulturalers back to the first meeting of the season with Wesleys at Alloway.

President Fred McReynolds called the meeting to order and the secretary, Isabel Wesley, read the minutes of the last meeting and then to the dismay of all the memebers asked to be relivieved of the secretaryship, a postion she has held for 9 years. Her resignation was accepted with the deespest regret as all realized that to replace her would be an impossibilty. With much fear and trepidation, on her part, Sylvia Woodward was elected as secretary-treasurer. She accepted humblely, kowning that fools walk in where angles fear to tread.

The treasurer's report : the balance on hand is $12.00

Fred McReynolds was kept in him position as president by unanimous vote. Lofton Wesley was made Vice President.

The question of postal notice was brought up and it was decied to ask the new secretary to continue sending them.

The Club expressed regret over the Andrew Adams inability to attend the meetings but voted to have them associate members and instructed the sectary to write to them.

Rebecca Small, committe on Ferethought, gave us some splendid ideas to carry home; scatter poppy seeds in the border, out in the open seeds of hardy annuals such as cornflowers, alyssym, larkspur, candytuft ect. Lily of the vally clumps should be set out now, and use lime freely on lilaces and clematis.

The Annnals Committee appointed Mary Moore Miller as assistant to Clarence Hurrey.

Our metorologist gave us the unusual report on the peculiar March temperature. Average temperature 34 Lowest 11 Highest 68 As no regular readers had been appointed, Jessie McReynolds read us an amusing article from the

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NEW YORKERER MAGAZINE telling ofthe trials and tribulations of the husband whose wife had joined a garden club and is taking up flower arranging.

Isabel Wesley then showed us some slides taken of their Western trip and we all marvelled at the streets lined with oleanders with their profusion of bloom, and the height of the Californian delphinium which Isabel had to stand on tip toe to reach.

The readers appointed for the month of May were Ted Nesbitt and Edith Owings.

We stopped to look at the beautiful flower exhibits, an arrangement from Hickory Ridge, jonquils from the Porches, The Highlands, Little House and Edwards Iddings, and assorted flowers from Tanglewood, before going downstairs to our usual bounteous supper.

Sylvia Woodward Sec.

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Riverside

MAY 1950

Riverside is such a perfect museum of interesting and charming things that a visitor could happily spend hours of comtemplative enjoyment there. However, nothing but brief glimpses of quaint, pretty nooks could be gained last April May 4th, what with enthusiastic Horticultural members milling around everywhere.

President Frederick McReynolds called the meeting to order, and the minutes were read and approved.

Edith Owings had selected from The Maryland Gardener a good article on boxwood, which was read by Elizabeth Ligon. No one knows the exact origen of this romantic plant; it is found on the slopes of the Himalayas and is also native to England. Its romantic use in formal gardens can be traced to the Rennaisance. Spanish explorers first brought it to America. Francis Bacon said of it: "its aromatic bitten sweetness refreshed the wanderer in the garden". Varieites range from English dwarf to boxus arborescens, 12-14 feet high. Put a cow manure mulchon around it in December and leave it on for the winter. Every 3 years top dress it with an inch of good rich soil.

"The Case of the Misplaced Musket", or cranberry glades, was read by Ted Nesbitt from Ford Times. In West Virginia may be found 5 areas of unstable land, usually found much farther north, on which grows plant life stunted because of the nitrogen deficiency. Orchids, two species of carnivorous plants, birds ordinarilly native to Canada, are samples of the odd flora and fauna of the muskeg.

Clarence Hurrey then read us some of the Lewis Gannetts' adventures in utilizing wild plants for food Fiddleheads, they found, are delicious. Nettles and very, very young milkweed make good eating. Be sure to strain your skunk cabbage thrice. Muffins of figweed seeds, chenopodium album to you, will make a hit with the family. Elderberry jelly is also excellent.

Rebecca Small, otherwise known as Madam Forethought, reminded us among other things, to divide and pinch back chrysanthemums and asters now. Plant gladioli in succession. Use a mulch for newly

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planted shrubs. At this point the President told of the early rhubarb which can be covering an old plant witha half barrel with holes in it, then heaping manure around the barrel. The rhubarb is ready in February.

Edith Owings gave the list of exhibits. Beautiful trilliums were brought by Edward Iddings. Strange, indeed, was Edward Iddings his exhibit of an Indian lily, looking as it did like some grotesque candle. From the Cedars came rhubarb, asparagus, and two quite round eggs. The Highlands were extra early, with kale, radishes and lettuce, as well also Tanglewood with kale, rhubarb, asparagus, and tomato and marigold plants. Tanglewood brought fine specimens of beets, onions, parsley, potatoes and parsnipes from their 1949 garden. Lovely were the daffodils and other flowers from Ten Oaks, Clermont, The Little House and Edgewood. Noteworthy were the Williams from the Little House.

Last April, said Meteorologist Iddings, was 46° on the average. It rained a scant 1¾.

In answer to a question, Andrew Adams reported that chewnings fescue can be sown to advantage in shady places on the lawn.

Announcements were made of the azalea exhibits at the National Arboretum.

Scientists are working on a cure for the new oak blight.

Dues were collected from those present, bringing the balance on hand to $20.00.

After adjournment everyone partook of the sweet fellowship, and the culinary masterpieces.

I W sec pro tem

H/6/1950-1-

June 1950

The Nesbitts "Green Acre" was the pleasant secene of the June Meeting of the Horticultural society. As Ted Nesbitt said, "There are few homes that have the distinction of having for neighbors the President (of the Horticulture Society) and the Secretary of State".

President McReynolds call the meeting to oreder and the minutes word read and approved with the correction of the date of the lost meeting from April 4th to May 2.

Helen Hallowell gave the first reading with an article from THE NEW SUNDAY TIMES on "The Adding Quality of Fragrance" which told of thee delights that orders in the garden gave us. Tuberoses, Upturned Earth and flower trees, as the Mongolia, Flowering Crab and Manchurian Crab are a delight to the senses. We are advising to plant for fragrance using lilies of the valley, peonies, garden pinks and lilies. Another article by the same reader was on the treatment of potting plants in the summer time. Give them a new lease on the life by taking them out of the garden and put them in a spot out of the wind and sun and repot them in clean pots.

Rebecca Small, in the place of Leon Small, Read an article from THE BALTIMORE SUN, "Farmers Stock Farm with Honey Bee". Written by an expert from Beltsville the article said, "That farms should realize that bees are needed for pollinization of nature's agriculture crop and that lack of bees is causing a crop decline. Research specialist advised five hives of bees to an acre. Lack of bees means dollar losses" 4

Our committe of Forthought, Rebecca Small, reminded us that dahlias may still be planted and that there is time for two more planting of "glads". Watch for aphis and dust with rotonone - also watch for iris borer. She finished by reading John Burroughs poem "Junes Corning".

EdwardIddings gave his metoralogy report Temperature 57 1/2 for May Rain 53/4in

The next place of neeting will be at "Concord" and the readers appointed were Mary Reading Miller and Frederick Thomas.