Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1880-1891

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Riverside parsnips and carrots. The flowers were very elegant principally from conservatories and window gardens, a few from out of doors, Falling Green, Sharon, Norwood, Rock Spring Longwood Avalon and Riverside contributing

The poultry report was smaller than usual.

Brooke Grove 35 chickens Falling Green 65 Olney 0 Rock Spring 25 Riverside 0 Avalon 24 Sharon 0 Rockland 46 Norwood 0 Longwood 25 and Alloway 40 Fulford 0 Edgewood 30 Hermon 11 White Hall 60

Of the readers, S. B. Farquhar had not remembered her appointment. Hannah B. Stabler brought an article, "Little by Little" which the secretary read. Anna F. Brooke and Mary M. Miller were appointed to read at the next meeting. Our President recommends

The Kerosin Stove used in his conservatory it was all that could be desired for heating and no gas escaped: price $7.00

Questions

1 Which of the new varieties of strawberries are best The Crscent had done well and is earlier than Sharpless. Captain Jack and Sharpless were will

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recommended

2 Which new Red Raspberry has proved satisfactory? The Turner is liked by all who have tried it

3 What is the best manure for grape vines? Bone dust sprinkled on the surface and worked in. Dead animals such as chick -ens, cats, rats, &c and also lime core.

4 What is the best early potato? Early Rose is the favorite. Extra Early Vermont and "Beauty of Hebron" also very good

5 Where pot plants are kept in a box all summer, what is the best material to put intot he box, to sink the pots into Sand or woods earth

6 Is sage seed, 2 years old, good? Yes

7 What kinds of grapes must I plant? Concord, Hartford Prolific, Seneca Martha, Delaware, Clinton, Roger's Seedlings and Prentiss.

8 Is it necessary to trim grape vines? Decidedly yes, all except the Clinton and the closer you trim the better will be the bunches, and the best time to trim is in the fall or midwinter. If neglected then, do not trim till June

9 Is it well to heat a conservato -ry with a coal stove with water kept on it? Yes, the usual heat for Greenhouses is from coal

10 Is there any peculiar way to plant

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Quince trees? Plant as any other tree

11 How treat a grape vine which is to be introduced into a conservatory? plant in the ground and cover heavily with manure for some distance around it.

12 What is the proper time to graft apple trees? The present time April.

13 What is the best early pea? Early Philadelphia, "Characticus" and Lan dreth's "Extra Early" all good.

14 Should running roses be trim -med? Opinion divided

15 What is the first thing to be done with a variety of lily bulbs from Japan answers various; that which came most promptly being to divide with your friends

Complaints were made of a great growth of Lima bean vines and very few beans. As it was gen -eral, the blame was given to the season. Roger Farquhar finds that a winter protection of course manure for young roses much better than Cedar boughs. Mention was made of a vegetable grape and of the Russian Mulberry. not much is known of them. Several persons were very successful in keeping cab -bage by burying head down in earth. Others who had tried some

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covered and some not, side by side, had none which kept.

In our walk, the first object of interest was the conservatory, an ad -dition since our last meeting here Fuchsias Geraniums Heliotropes Ferns luxuriating in the light and heat Elegant clusters of geraniums in per -fect beauty had been in bloom five weeks and looked a though they might last several weeks longer. The flower garden was very neat crocuses were out and Rose bushes had wintered well. The hot beds were so numer -ous and so well-filled, our host might feel some embarrassment as to where to set them out, were it not that he has the privilege of bringing plants to our meetings for distribution!

After a most delightful meeting we adjourned to meet at White Hall at 11 o'clock, May 1st.

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May 1st 1883

The Horticultural Society met with only one family absent that from Longwood our guests were Miss Laura Moors, Marga ret Tyson and Carrie Brooke. It was a fine day tho' cold enough to make us enjoy the good fire prepared for us.

The specimens were good and the flowers especially fine, but most of them were raised within doors. From Rockland asparagus, kale, lettuce, pear vines 3 inches high, cabbage plants 6 in. and flowers. From Falling Green pea vines 8 inches high, potatoes with sprouts 2 in. high and flowers. From Alloway pea vines 4 in. high radishes & lettuce; from Olney as-paragus and flowers; from Sharon a dish of pansies and a large vase of mixed flowers, from Riverside, flowers and from Avalon elegant green-house flowers from Robert R. Moore beet plant 8 in. high and cucumber seed for distribution

On comparing the specimens with those mentioned in the minutes of the cor -responding month last year, this season seems much later. The poultry report also shows back-wardness.