Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1939

H/7/1939-5-

to cut grass with mower blade raised. Too short-cutting is bad in dry weather. Lofton Wesley was told that his pink dogwood which has reverted to white is probably a white one after all & may not be bred back to pink. Mary Stabler asked the variety of tree in the fence row opposite Cherry Grove. She will find out & report. Helen Farquhar has had trouble with carrots & beets. The seeds may be poor. Irene Miller complained of nasturtium leaves curling & turning white. Other people are having the same trouble. Jessie McR. brought first bloom of trumpet vine from Nora Worths in Pa. Sympathy only was offered

H/7/1939-6.

Edward Iddings for finding a neighbors cow in his garden.

Edith Green read a verse concerning the Queen & Mrs. Roosevelt. We would not like it spread upon the minutes.

The Potato crop is not too good this year, altho some report fine cobblers ready for use. Grapes are abundant. They should be sprayed or bagged.

Adj. to meet at West Edgewood with Jessie M^cReynolds and Robert Miller as readers.

Helen T. Hallowell, Sec.

West Edgewood Aug 1 - 39 H/8/1939-1-

For the second time this season convened at Edgewood, a place every one loves. The hosts being Albert and Lena Stabler of West Edgewood.

The chairman called the meeting to order on the lawn, and the minutes of the Tanglewood meeting were recorded as read.

Robert Miller chose his reading from Better Homes & Gardens the subject being pansies with faces bright & gay, scowling or sly, who does not love them? This is the month to sow the seeds for next years plants. They thrive in sunny spots, and can weather very stormy winters under the snow to be on hand among our first flowers in the spring among the early bulbs. Mary Stabler told of a florist near Beltsville who has very large flowering pansy plants for sale and Elza Thomas buys from [Pitgarden?] (in Penna.) pansy farm and has had great success.

Jessie not being able to attend Fred McReynolds read an article from an English Garden magazine which inspired many good suggestions for plantaing. Use a digging fork for lifting plants

H/8/1939-2-

and shrubs. If taken from pots straight in but thin shoots wetting them if the earth clings. Narcissus does well in the grass in a sunny garden and many early bulbs look well in the grass around trees on the lawn. A fancy name for rock garden is scree which is really a moraine or gravelly garden spot. The Garden Encyclopedia gave this information, as well as the fact that the Ailianthus is an ill smelling plant but the female trees bear the fine branches of bloom, opposite Cherry Grove and have no aroma.

Forethought Mary Stabler showed blossoms from her cletiera, a shrub in her garden. She thinks it a very satisfactory bush.

Hobbies are advised for garden lovers - rock gardens - herb gardens etc. Herbs do well in poor soil.

There was no typed report from the recent Com. Council meeting. Mary Magruder spoke of the need of a cistern at [Richwood?] for fire protection. A zoning law has been

H/8/1939-3-

passed, but is not observed and Fred McReynolds urged that the classifications of business versus residential be lind up to. New road signs may be objected to, as well as those with out a license.

Mr. Iddings as weather man, read from a current publication, and every one is bemoaning the very dry season. In some states the crops are drying up and there is little hope for major crops maturing to advantage.

Questions Lofton Wesley has a false crab apple tree. It is too large and is tasteless. No cure for this.

Alice Farquhar asked how to harvest -sweet- lavender. Dry carefully, or strip after the flowers have dried on the plant.

Edith Green notices many pink zinnias this year, a great improvement over the magenta s m has endured. Elizabeth Stabler brought a corn scraper which she finds good for corn puddings and fritters. Mr. Iddings has some for sale from his nephew and