Horticultural Society

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Invercauld July 6^th 1920.

June

A very small gathering of The Horticultural came to Riverside on the afternoon of June 2^nd.

Our Pres. was unavoidably detained on business, & in the absence of the Vice. Pres., Clarence Gilpin was asked to conduct the exercises of the meeting, which he did to the satisfaction of us all.

After a slight correction to the minutes, they were accepted.

We are sorry to report our first reader, Francis Stabler, had not succeeded in finding an article to give us - so she was excused, with the promise of fulfilling her appointment for the July meeting.

For [Janney?], our 2^nd reader, favored, yes favored us with an original production which was highly appreciated, judging from the expression of approval heard on all sides. He chose for his subject "Asparagus Culture," and your Sec. feels perfectly

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sure he knew just what he was talking about, for the proof of this was in the wonderful exhibit he had from his own raising. His directions were so full & clear, that it seems to me if any one has an idea of starting a new bet, it would be well to follow [Joe's?] directions explicitly. As was suggested, the article will be kept in the Sec's box for future reference.

Mariana Miller read a little poem as a volunteer article. It told us of the beauty of the "Out O' doors," how it healed the spirits that sometimes droop, the heart that gets down, & the feelings that [sometimes?] ache.

"Just try the breath of grove or glen, The splendid country kissed with [sun?]; The world of beauty meant for men Whose dreams on feet of morning run. Whose hopes, whose cares, are healed in these, The friendly grasses and the trees." -- Our forethought had an excellent article - she enumerated the different things that should be [attended?] to in the garden,

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not forgetting continued spraying with hellebore for [currant?] worm & slug & [with?] [pyrox?] for mildew, etc.

She says "a writer of considerable experience says, 'I always had great difficulty in raising cucumbers until I was told to plant a [nasturtium?] seed in each hill, & since then I have had no trouble in raising them & have big crops.'" The spray mixture is one tablespoon of hellebore to a gallon of water, and the same proportions for [pyrox?]

Mary Stabler had purchased a few vases which the society bought & the Sec. was ordered to pay the sum of 70¢ for same.

The June poultry report from fourteen families told us of 2315 chickens 142 turkeys 26 ducks & 3 goslings.

[Florence?] Bentley was appointed as assist. sec. . for the afternoon, & she read us a list of very good exhibits.

Our Pres. spoke of the terrible loss our society had had in the death of our beloved member Francis M. Hallowell,

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and he suggested a committee of Clarence Gilpin, Mariana Miller, & Mrs. Davis be appointed to prepare a paper expressing the love our society bore to this valued member - & that it be read at the July meeting of The Horticultural, & a copy be sent to the family at Rockland.

The questions were next in order, the first one being an inquiry as to how much salsify should be thinned. The idea seemed to be to leave the little plants about four inches apart.

When must you plant pumpkin seed? The first day of June is the proper time.

Is it too late to plant [our?] new roses? Rather late - wait until spring. If they arrive from the nursery, they can be put in a box until the proper time to plant.

Is the ground too dry to plant seeds? Every one was advised to plant [?], & run the risk of their coming up; a blackberry freshet is promised, so plant & trust, was the injunction.

Charles F. Brooke reported quite a loss in his chicken crop - they had had the best of care, but for some unknown

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reason, some were sickly, & some had died - it was suggested a live one that seemed affected with the trouble be taken to the Agricultural Dept., & get their verdict. [We?] hope for a better report from the Brooke Grove chicken family next month.

Cousin [Ellen?] Farquhar brought a branch from the cherry tree to see if some wise head could tell her the cause of her trouble in the cherry tree - A blight was suggested, but not much information given her as to the correction of this.

Striped bugs have made their appearance - Clarence Gilpin says, they and the frost took all of his cucumbers.

We were told both Ms.Hinds & Harry Williams have beautiful sweet potato plants. Potato growers in V^a have had a failure in raising these. Bolgiano also has plenty.

Is it too late to put out asparagus plants? Rather late.

Mary Stabler told of a valued holly tree on the Edgewood lawn, planted by Uncle Fred Stabler, it was perfectly dead, had been inspected by men

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of large understanding & pronounced dead to the world - but she by some unknown hypnotic influence had brought it back to life by continued watering - it having had as much as nine buckets of water a day to quench its thirst. The story will be continued in the next [?] of life!

Is it too late to plant lima beans? no, it is not.

Broom corn seed could be had from Miss Mary Gilpin.

Francis Stabler and Mary Stabler were asked to read at the July meeting.

We then closed the meeting with the request that we inspect the garden & lawn. Adjourned to Invercauld.

No greater compliment can be paid a host than to be able to report the back of one's home to be in as perfect order as the front of the house - & such was the case at Riverside, & it was a joy to look over the grounds & drink in the beauty of those everlasting hills.

The views in all directions were ideal

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on that afternoon in June, and the picturesque old garden was too attractive to leave.

No Horticultural garden has such a wealth of flags, & the old-fashioned flowers met us at every turn. Tipperary was in perfect order. It seems that especial mention should be made of the charming group of seven hemlock trees, planted on the lawn by Cousin Charlie in the long-ago - & still used as a favorite spot for out-of-doors suppers & pictures.

When we were invited to supper we did not find a regulation Horticultural meal - out hostess had a menu of her own choosing - & when we were served with all the ice-cream & pound cake we could possibly eat, we felt we had indeed had more than the real law allowed!

Although we had gone to the Horticultureal with heavy hearts, feeling deeply that we had lost so much of life and love - never to return - we

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know it was well that we could meet, & more than ever will the happy memories of the past, endear us to the Society.

Lillie B. Stabler, Secy.

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Cuttings," and "Cuttings of Roses" - were of especial interest to us as they were clippings from his mother's collection of days gone by.

This fashion of starting your cuttings in a shady loam covered with a large [tumbler?], & set in a shady place may have been introduced into this neighborhood through Sharon - who knows?

Mary Stabler read, in her selection, that one of the beautiful sights of Washington is the Shaw Aquatic Gardens at Kenilworth. The market of this water lily farm extends from Portland, Maine, to Macon Georgia, & west to Chicago. The gardens cover six acres, where 75 varieties with amazing range of color are to be found during the season. Sunday mornings in July are considered the best time to visit the gardens.

Mary Hulton explained she was not a driver - but once upon a time she was appointed to read, & could not be present, so she kindly brought

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a volunteer article to this meeting on the Cultivated Blueberries.

Sydney Hulton works for the author, she has twenty acres of blueberries under cultivation - and raises them in enormous quantities, train loads are shipped to every part of the country. The little berries are half and inch in diameter, & the big ones, are at least an inch across.

Instead of a [?] article our Forethought read us what to do from a magazine. She gave a receipt for destruction of moles, three parts corn meal & one part hellebore put in the mole runs - this is an easy remedy & might be well to try.

Mary Brooke was the assist. sec. for the afternoon, and she had a beautiful list of exhibits to read - later, when we viewed the collection, we saw for ourselves what a very fine display we had. There were quantities of lovely flowers, & some of the vegetables were prize winners for the month of July.

Brooke Grove was asked to report on