Page 1

H/4/1974-1-

Horticultural Society ------ April 2nd. 1974
"Oakwood"

Hosts: John and Dorothy Weske and their son "Sed"

Oh to be a poet viewing the lovely surroundings as we
apprached John and Dorothy's home, daffodils and Myrtle
under the oaks bordering the drive way and Spring flowers
edging trees and paths. Greeting each other for the first
meeting of the year gave a lift to our spirits.

Groups of us gathered first out of doors and then with
brimming plates around the supper tables inside enjoying
being together after the Winter months.

President Hussman convened the meeting with well
chosen remarks, welcoming the guests, Mr. and Mrs. James Rice
who live next door, and Jean Coulter and Tom Harrison..

Absent were Bill and Nancy Canby, Grace and Francis
Thomas, and Dick and Sylvia Woodward. How good to have
newly elected members, Jim and Mary Seiler present.

Minutes of October's meeting were read and adopted
after a correction, followed by the reading of the Constitution,
an April order of business.

Appointed reader, Lucy Manning presented an unusual article
by Richard Halden(?), "The wire that won the West",
describing the hundreds of varieties of barbed wire.

Wire collecting is in its infancy. As many as 50 to
600 pieces may be found in a collection. Boys have been
known to use the barbs for pot shots, and the small wooden
snitched for kindling. It is not unusual to see 3 different
wires on one fence.

Mary Moore Miller read her Uncle Caleb Miller's list of

Winter vegetables as follows: Nov.1895

20 bu. potatoes $3.00
I bu. carrots 25
I bu. onions 25
I bu, beets 25
I bu. turnips 25
1/2 doz. Hubbard squash 25
$4.25

Robert Miller, just returned from California, enumerated
a list of vegetables from last year and fromthis that
he and Mary Reading had been enjoying from daughter Neel's
garden.

Mrs. Mannakee spoke of learning that there are 800
varieties of rice. Betty Ligon had been amazed to see
rice with 5inch long dark heads growing in Bolivia last