Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1951

11/5/1951-1- "Tanglewood" May, 1951

"Tanglewood" is a polished gem in its natural woodsy setting. Woodthrushes and other wilder birds nest and sign in the trees around the house; and the vegetable garden, and flower garden already full of bloom, attest to the expert, up-to-date attention and care which are given them.

At the May meeting of the Horticultural, held at " Tanglewood", President Fred McReynolds called to order a large gathering of members and guests. Isabel Wesley acted as secretary pro tem. The minutes were amended to the effect that the Society did not accept the resignation of the Nesbitts, but grants them leave of absence until such time as their duties permit participation again.

As first reader, Elizabeth Ligon, abstracted the cream of the garden section of the May Farm Journal. The article on peonies recommended both old as well as the newer handsome varieties of peonies for landscape value. Plant big roots with 3 to 5 eyes, 2" deep. Spray with Bordeaux Mixture for the brown spotting of the foliage, the only blight peonies may get. One writer plants zinnias between strawberry plants, to benefit the latter.

Another contributor says be sure to plant endive in addition to lettuce, for crisp, cool salad greens. Try young spinach greens and beet tops, raw, also. A peppy kind of watercress, appropriately called "peppergrass", grows in moist, shady soil. Great Lakes lettuce is a very satisfactory heading lettuce.

Leon Small, in person, read discouraging news about the oak wilt. No native trees are immune, and when stricken may die rapidly. The blight has national importance. It is not known how the fungus spreads, - by wind, bird, rodent? Until this is known, eradication of the disease is impossible. A search is being made for resistant, individual trees.

We turned from this disturbing picture to view pretty samples of holly brought by Jack Bentley from his young holly grove of 60 trees of 30 varieties. The holly tree has a romantic history. Its wood is close-grained, used for canes, mantels, dials of clocks. The entire leaf crop of a holly tree sheds every 3 years. The leaves have from none to 26 spines per leaf. Hollies thrive in an acid soil. Jack applies leafmold, and fertilizes with bonemeal and soybean meal in the spring. We will enjoy hearling more about this grove as it progresses.

H/5/1951 -2-

The annual dues were collected from all families present, bringing the balance in the treasury to $25.50.

Vegetable exhibits were brought from The Cedars, Jack Bentley's garden, Alloway and The Highlands, lettuce and radishes. Lovely flowers were brought from Edgewood, The Cedars, The highlands, Clermont, Alloway 4 kinds of lilac and wisteria from Homestone, pink narcissus and the tall, strange Indian lily from Millwood. All of us were interested in Elizabeth Jackson's dainty, pink lily-of-the valley, and in the her rare, fragrant Queen Anne narcissus spray, fromrefound in Charleston, South N.C.

In the Forethought Notes, Rebecca Small reported T A M really to be an effecctive posion ivy remedy. Don`t forget to stake tall perennials. Do sow annuals now, manure the rhubarb, give the iris an aoolication of bonemeal, and bury the houseplants in the soil under some tree.

The Horticultural was equally delighted to wlecome Francis and Grace Thomas into membership by a unanimous vote, and to recive the application for membership of Helen and Jack Bentley.

April had been cool cool and dry, reminded the meterologist. 44 degrees was the average temperature and there was rainfall of 2 1/4 inches.

The motion was passed providing for a committee of three to plan for places of meeting. Mary Reading, Elizabeth Ligon and the secretary were named, with the President ex officio.

A good question and answer period followed. Various opinions were expressed regarding the box supper fearure of this Society. The concensus seemed to be in favor of the present elements of suspense and surprise, and Edward's spoon bread.

The meeting was adjourned to meet at "Hickory Ridge" in June.

ISQ, sec pro tem

Helen Hallowell and Robert Miller, readers in June.

HICKORY RIDGE, JUNE 1951

The spacious hall of Hickory Ridge was the delightful meeting place of the June meeting of the Horticultural Society. The members were delighted with the graceful windstairway and the lovely vista of the garden through the doorway.

The meeting was called to order by the president and the minutes were read and approved.

Helen Hallowell, the first reader, gave us an interesting article from "Time" magazine on "The Vegetable Run", --flying vegetables frown by water culture, hydrophocil'ly, from Japan to Korea for the armed forces. Henry Blodgett, hortculturist, is in charge of this project which ships hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables to personel not only in Japan and Korea but to Guam and Okinawa.

Another article telling of the many uses of Scotch tape in the garden--- attaching vines ect. was read by the same reader.

Robert Miller read from the "Better Homes and Gardens" "The Most Abused Grass in the World", that in Yankee stadium. Terrific compaction is what the soil suffss under baseball, football ect. and what your lawn suffers under scuffling kids, wheels and beating rain". We were advised to loosen and airiate the soil and never to cut the grass shorter than one and one-half inches.

Out forethought reporter told us that there was still time to plant dahlias and to get in two more plantings of "glads" ten days apart; mulch the ground around the rhododendren and to sow portculacca in hot exposed spots. Rebecca finished her report by reading John Burroughs poem the "Crow".

Edward Iddings, the meoterologist, told us that there had ben six and one quater inches of rain in May and that the temperature averaged 62 and three-quaters degrees.

The society voted with pleasure on the admitting Jack and Helen Bently to be members of the Horticultural and requested the secretary to inform them.

The readers selected for the June meeting were Edith Owing and Francis Thomas.

"Little House" the McReynolds home was named the next place of the meeting.

The meeting adjourned to let the members to let the members wander through the charming garden and to enjoy a friendly supper in the dining room.

LITTLE HOUSE--- JULY 3rd, 1951

The McReynold's "Little House" and the Nsbitts "Green Acre" combined to make a a delightfully verdant spot for the Hrticultural society to hold it's July meeting.

The meeting was opened by president McReynolds and the minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

Leon Small read Edith Owings, the first readers two articles for her, as Edith said she wasn't a good reader. ------ The first article told of a new fruit spray developed by Dupont which while protecting fruit and foliage is harmless and can be used nearpicking time on peaches, plums, apricots and cherries.-------- The next article, from the Country Gentleman" also was about a spray, mal aick hydrocide which perserves flavor and firmness of vegtables if sprayed before gathering. Onions parsnips, and potatoes have been tried with this spray and flavor and firmness have been retined fir an indefinite time. This spray is not on sale.

Francis Thomas, one of our new members, read "It Could Hit Your Farm Tonight", an article which told about the dangers of biological warfare to the farmer and which would effect the nation as a whole. Agents of enemy xountries bring the dis eases in beforea shooting war and farmers are asked to be alert in detecting any new ailements in their farm animals, poultry sideaes and to watch for any new destructive insects and report it to their farm agent. The oen bright spot in this article was that we have better defenses than other countries beacause of our superior scientificio reasearch and our reasearch in the field of etom ology.

Francis told of having visitors from California whose method of keeping flies from the house is to suspend a ball of cotton on a string at the doors and the flies would refuse to enter. The members of the Society doubted if Maryland flies were quite so sensitive in their nature as to feel unwanted.