Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1939

Edgewood #3 H/4/1939 -5-

Delegate to the Annual meeting. She will get her own alternate if she cannot attend.

The Council reported opposition to the dial phone system. It was explained that this was caused by the complication arising regarding the Fire dept. The present system allows an operator to call three Firemen in the vicinity of the fire. She has a list of the firemen - and knowing the community and the men - if she is unable to get a man - she can make a substitution. Under the dial system this would, of course, be impossible. The problem is being referred to their research lab, and it is hoped something can be worked out. And now after five pages we are ready for the questions. However a group who can tell so much doesn't need to ask much - and even the first question was an offer from Lofton of 100 asparagus plants which he had had left over when setting

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out his new bed. Then he told of visiting the Toung oil plantations - mostly in Miss. It is a large industry - The nuts are crushed and the oil is used as a paint base.

Cousin Rose Gilpin -- a visitor asked how to get rid of ground mice - and alas - we could not tell her. The talk naturally turned to moles - and Cyana Acid Gas recommended for exterminating them.

Asparagus should be fertalized during the summer for the following year.

Mrs. Hill wanted to know how to beautify a deserted hog lot by the May meeting, which will be with her. Many suggestions were made - and we shall see in May -

Spray grapes with Bordeau now - and at least twice more.

Mary Magruder and Richard Iddings will be the readers in May at the podium.

It was too cold to look around much so we were glad for an opportunity to see the Edgewood Gardens where we meet at West Edgewood in August. Mary Reading Miller - Secty for day

H/5/1939 -1- The Parclus May 1939 In the cabin on top of a hill where the views in al directions give one the feeling of being in the great out of doors, Mr & Mrs Hill entertained the May meeting of the Horticultural. An addition has been made to the cabin an attractive [?] [?] opening to the East with a floor of beautiful flag stones set in cement. The day was cool so a big open fire in the living room lent cheer to the occasion. The minutes of the meeting at Edgewood were read and approved. Mary Stabler was told that Cyano will not kill animals. Mary Magruder the first reader gave helpful facts concerning the cutting and keeping of flowers. Wilting of cut flowers is caused by their inability to maintain

H/5/1939-2a sufficient supply of water in the items to keep pace with the evaporation through the foliage. Cut the flowers early, or else very late in the day. Use a sharp knife rather than scissors - making a long slanting cut - this gives greater surface for absorbing water and keeps the stems from resting on the bottom of the container. Vases with narrow necks are not desirable. Hard stemmed flowers such as chrysanthemums and lilacs are more feted by slitting or crushing the stems. Mr Iddings read of the various plants being used to beautify the grounds of the New York Fair. Millions upon millions of bulbs and think of 400,000 pansies! Florida has [?] a very extensive exhibit of palms & orange trees, and thousands of tropical plants from the Everglades. He told of the menace of rag weed to those who suffer from Hayfever. It seems to be the great offender of all the

H/5/1939-3 pollen-bearing vegetation. No matter how large or how small the plants, they seem to flower at the same date each year so hay fever patients know to the day when to begin to sneeze. In connection with the Worlds Fair Mary Magruder announced that the Flushing Meeting House will be open to visitors during the summer. The fair grounds are planned to become a permanent park. Lofton Wesley read a volunteer article on the History of the Tomato. They are of the nightshade family and upon examination the two are found to be similar in many respects. Called tomatl by the Aztecs and Mayens who cultivated them. They have been improved down the centuries till now the Tomato or "bon apple" is indispensable to the American menu.