Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1918-1925

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green peppers suggested & it is not too late to plant them.

Many advised only watering cabbage plants from the hole, when first put out.

It was decided the late snow & ice did not hurt the seeds which have come up well _ + not many weeds was the report.

It was considered rather late to put out new asparagus roots, but a new bed could be planted at this time. One member wanted to set out a new strawberry bed. It was suggested to get the plants from Allen's nursery & leave the varieties to him - but one said be sure + get the (Gandy?). You must be careful in planting, but 'tis never too late for family use, altho' April is the best time.

Mr. Edwin W. Thomas, Wayne Pa., is considered a very reliable place to get asparagus plants.

One member wants to know what to do with weaker leg chickens - 'tis thought they need more ventilation, but

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the poor unfortunates should be killed. We learned (owing to the difference in climate) the growth of gardens between here + N.Y. was about two weeks.

Some tomato vines have little black fleas on them _ 'tis recommended to water them, + sprinkle with soot, wood- ashes or red pepper, + also put lime on them.

Several have had trouble with gardens resembling concrete _ ground plowed too wet, is the trouble given; one says work it constantly with the cultivator, + another says you will have to wait for another year _ to get in good condition. Coal ashes are good for this, they have helped the Edgewood garden wonderfully.

We were told to plant Soy beans as you do Cow pees (sic).

Some advised using lime in flower gardens _ + it was thought best not to trim out the dead, from holly trees, as they often times put out new shoots quite late.

Belmont has a Persian walnut

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tree in the garden + about 5000 black birds (more or less) have pecked the walnuts repeatedly, they have used red flannel to scare the birds off, but to no effect - the brilliant red seeming to have cherries for attraction, a stuffed cat was suggested, but the birds have been known to find the ornament a fine resting place, so a suggestion to hang up many bottles in the tree met with approbation, and we trust the walnuts may be spared another year.

One asked if it were too late to plant chrysanthemums. Aunt Eliza Brooke once said you could plant them any time during the year. It was found that more have not planted out their tomato plants, than have done so.

The first of June was the time given for planting the seed for late tomato plants.

We were told Mrs. Hines has baby chicks for sale, Plymouth Rock + Rhode Island Reds. ____________

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Marianna Miller + Mrs. Massey were appointed to read next time.

We adjourned to Rockland for the June meeting.

The society then inspected the garden & lawn _ + your Sec. who has now become an authority on weeds, could not find one in the beautifully kept garden, + when we visited the chicken palaces, we felt sure they were expecting company, for they looked as if all the spring house-cleaning had been completed, all the sewing done, and nothing to do but be happy.

Good lessons might be learned from the Fair Hill chicken quarters.

Lillie B. Stabler. Secy.

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Rockland June 4th 1918. _______

Rockland was the place of meeting for our June Horticultural.

We were favored with another beautiful afternoon, + each family, with the exception of Norwood, was represented, + we had many guests also.

The meeting was called to order on time _ 5.15 _ + the minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

The first reader _ Marianna Miller _ read of an interesting experimental orchard in Ill., where Mr. Benj. Buckman is raising, it seems, every fruit that man has ever heard of; and it seems almost impossible to realize that he grows 1,467 varieties of apples alone.

In another article "Dodging Old Age" _ by John Burroughs _ our reader told us that "once started in pursuit of nature love we are pretty sure to keep on," he said "I think I know what Emerson means when he says in his journals that a walk in the woods