Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1918-1925

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The secretary announced that she had written Miss. McKay as ordered, and that she, Miss. McKay had answered, thanking the organization and accepting. The meeting expressed its pleasure in having Miss. McKay with us, and in retaining Knowlton on our membership.

Questions. Is it to late to plant spinach - no it is rather early. The question, "what did you think of the county Fair," brought forth such a diversity of opinions that I think everyone will have to "be there an see it for theirselves"

We then adjourned to meet at Brooke Grove on Tuesday Oct 6. with Cousin Mariana Miller and Father as readers.

I think I cannot better discribe the country at the time of this meeting and later, than by quoting a poem called September.

The goldenrod is yellow The corn is turning brown The trees in all the orchards with fruit are bending down.

The gentians bluests fringes Are curling in the sun In dusty pods the milkweed Her hidden silk has spun

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The sedges flaunt their harvest In every meadow nook And asters by the brookeside Make asters in the brooke

From dewy lanes at morning The grapes' sweet odors rise At noon the roads all flutter with yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens September days are here With Summers best of weather And Autumns best of cheer.

Mary Reading Nichols Sect'y.

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Alloway! what thoughts this name conjures - It is synonymous with beauty, graciousness and hospitality always - And never was it more so than on this beautiful October day when it was the scene of the last meeting of the Horticultural for 1925.

Every member of the society present had a good exhibit and from nine places came lovely flowers - with (of course) cousin Ellen leading with 13 varieties of Dahlias. A mammouth pumpkin from Tanglewood made one think of real October and Hollowe'en and goblins and things.

After a typical fall luncheon, the meeting was called to order in the lovely long drawing room where a bright open fire crackeled on the hearth.

The minutes of the Avalon meeting were read and adopted.

Cousin Marianna Miller our first reader, read a most frightful article, which told us that American and French Scientists agree that 1927 will be a year without a summer. This is not merely sensational, it is really authentic. It will be nineteen-hundred and freeze to death. This was followed by another article to show that it can be done. 1816 was just

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such a year. January and February were warm while May and June were icy and the whole summer was cold and the following winter was intensly cold. Several members present remembered tales of this awful summer, where harvesting was done in gloves, and fires were necessary every month in the year.

A more cheerful article told of a chinese chestnut that has been imported which will resist blight.

Father, the other reader, read an article on the super-lawn. Telling us of the Washington Bent Grass, which will make a beautiful lawn in a season instead of taking 200 years as the English believe necessary. As this grass needs acid soil it does away with the limeing which has become rather costly.

Forethought thought every-one knew what to do.

Under referred business the changed time of Meeting was brought up. It was moved, seconded and adopted, "that for one year we meet the second Wednesday of the same seven months."

The sect'y was authorized to have new names made.

"Why have bees gone out of style?" "because they require so much attention, and everyone has so much to do.

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Floyd Nesbit told us that in Chester County Pa. they keep watermelons and pumpkins by whitewashing them and keeping in a cool dry place.

"What is a good way to keep lima beans, after they have been picked before frost?" Spread on the damp grass and cover with bags, uncovering when it is warm and sunny.

Cousin Emma Stabler told us she had heard of keeping geranium slips in water all winter. We will ask at the April meeting for the results of those who have tried this.

Mr. A. G. Thomas most graciously expressed the appreciation of the society of the Alloway cousins hospitality in entertaining us.

After which we adjourned, not to meet again until April 14, 1926, when we hope no ties will be broken - With this meeting we close also this book of 391 pages of Horticural [Horticultural] Minutes which was started by Cousin Lillie Stabler at Falling Green April 2, 1918.

Mary Reading Nichols. Sec'ty.