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Fair Hill. May 7th 1918
We met within the walls of old Fair Hill on May 7th for the second meeting of the Horticultural Society.
Right glad were we to meet under this hospitable roof, as it was the school.girl home of some of our mothers and grandmothers, it seemed as if we might just be going home.
The first Tuesday in May was a lovely spring day _ a very lively wind kept things moving all day long _ but it was mild and springlike, and it seemed all the earth rejoiced in the thought that May was here to stay __
"The Queen of all the months is May, When leaves are full on all the trees, And bracing comes the balmy breeze, While birds are singing all the day."
Our Pres. called us to order at the appointed time.
The minutes of the last meeting were
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read and adopted.
The 1st reader, Anna Nesbitt, gave us an interesting article on "Garden Pests" _ and it told of many methods used in combating insects that destroy vegetables and plants.
We were instructed in the 2nd reader Helen Hallowell's articles _ one of which told us how to destroy moles on lawns.
Many receipts for the destruction of these pests have been given the Horticultural, but this seemed a good one & one worth recording.
Get 10 (cents figure) worth of gas tar from the gas works, make a small hole with the finger down to their burrow & pour the tar down their runway. It is not known whether this will kill the mole or not, but it drives them away.
A volunter article on "Give the chicks a Chance", told us baby chickens should have sour milk & oatmeal for the 1st two weeks, and a little fine oyster shell added to the litter later, then followed coheat & a little
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finely cracked corn, but for at least two meals each day rolled oats should be used for the first four weeks.
We regretted so much that our faithful Forethought Committee of one, could not be with us, owing to sickness _ but she sent a report which told us the gardens _ judging from her own _ were very backward, but the main thing to do during the month is to keep the weeds under control _ ending with the injunction to tend well the flowers, for "a thing of beauty is a joy forever."
The chicken report from all but one family, showed we had 2593 chickens, 9 goslings, & 3 ducks & May 1917, reported 488 chickens from eight families.
The specimens were excellent _ a little garden planted in a box from Falling Green, attracted attention, it contained plants of potato, corn, cymbling, peas, onion, beans, & spinach.
R.B.Farquhar had wonderful asparagus, and Robert Miller's old potatoes were immense.
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Dr. & Mrs. Henry Nichols have expressed a desire to become members of the Hor. Society, so their names will be added to the waiting list.
The new Sec's book was purchased & cost $1.30.
Although Cornelia Bentley had kindly offered to copy the last years minutes, our Ex. Sec. said she would rather do it, as it would then complete her work as Sec.
Emma Stabler on behalf of the com. to collect dues from each family, reported she had not finished her work _ the Sec. has misgivings however, for she fears the large sum may have gone to the 3rd Liberty Loan or perchance to the last Red Cross drive.
The questions opened with one from our hostess in regard to a climbing rose that was turning yellow + leaves dropping off. Others had had the same trouble and no certain remedy offered.
The Chinese giant, bull nose Neapolitan (pemintoes?), were the best