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H/6/1953 -1-

With the McReynoldses
at the Community House, June 1, 1953

This meeting of the Horticultural Society will
stand out not only because we successfully avoided
interfering with Queen Elizabeth's coronation but
also because our genial hosts made us feel at home
with an open fire, fresh-baked Sally Lunn, and a
glimpse of real sunshine.

President Jack Bentley called the meeting to
order and substitute secretary Isabel read the
approved minutes. Helen Bentley's article about a
plastic named Wilt-proof, foreshadowed what may
become common practice. If this substance is applied,
for instance, to tomato plants before transplanting,
loss of water through the leaves is prevented,
resulting in a continuously vigorous plant. Wilt-proof
dipped or sprayed plants have given yields
3 times greater than those not so treated.

Elza volunteered the information that if you
have a privet hedge, you can use leafy sticks
of that to hold small, transferred plants erect and
also to shade them.

We decided that whenever Rebecca trips off to Europe
her excellent Forethought notes will be ably
rendered by her husband. The "blooming seaon" over,
now is the time to prune deutzia, viburnum, spireas,
etc., keeping in mind the natural growth habits of
the bush. Remove iris stalks. Store tulip bulbs in
a cool, and if you can find it, a dry place. The
poem, "The Way of June", (the author's name mercifully
withheld, quote,) closed the notes.

There were good exhibits from Tanglewood, The
Highlands, The Cedars, Alloway, the Huttons and
Hickory Ridge. We refrained from eating the strawberries
sent to our hosts from Roderick Adams.

The cause of the recent excessive rainfall was
disclosed: the meteorologist had backed into his
rain gauge. He reported the average temperature for
May as 67°, taken about 9 in the morning. Jack said
up at the dam they recorded a rainfall of 9", up to
the end of May. Washington, D.C. measured 10" point 6.
During 23 days last month there was at least a
sprinkle, or a thunderstorm with cool weather, and
16 days with above record rain.

In the question period we learned that chrysanthemums
may be pinched back or cut back if leggy,
2 or 3 times until July.

The stock for Rhoderick's strawberries had been
passed to him by his father.

Tuberous begonias need the phosphate in bonemeal.