Club Minutes: Horticultural Society, 1863-1871

18 H/4/1865-3 H/5/1865-1 In planting strawberries is it best to remove all of the expanded leaves. It is usually done by those engaged in raising plants for sale - who are supposed to have experience in the matter. What is the best mulch for strawberries. Pine leaves have been highly recommended. It is known that a soil where pines have grown for years produce very fine strawberries. Saw dust was re commended but not liked by some Adjourned to meet at Brookville on the 27 of May.

Brookeville The Society met at Dr. Magruders 27 of May A beautiful collection of flowers were brought from Olney Stanmore Longwood & Springdale were brought, also quite a display of vegetables and fruits. Is it too late to plant carrots, Lima beans, watermelons & squashes? It was thought by many not too late for any of them unless there should be much dry weather. How far apart ought parsnips & carrots to be left in the row? Some thought threee or four inches sufficient, others said five or six not too much. What is the best way to get rid of the little black hopping insect which attack cabbage and tomato plants and the striped bug which destroy watermelon and squashes?

H/5/1865-2. 19 snuff, ashes, and slacked lime or any fine dust sifted over them while wet with dew were recommended. How shall I keep mothers chickens from eating my cabbage plants? Put up polings at once. What kind of sweet corn best to plant now? Stowell's Green If potatoes are planted in an orchard is it advisable to plant single rows of corn [?] in the rows of trees? Decidedly not. What will destroy the little insect which infests the Coral & monthly honeysuckles? No light on the subject. Will a new potato produce potatoes if planted now? This question is to be answered after the experiment is tried, and a report made to the Society. (report failed to come) The garden was in prime order. The Egg plants attracted particular attention. All the vegetables growing finely and no weeds to be seen. A fine flock of poultry were much admired. Adjourned to meet at SpringDale on the 24 of June.

H/6/1865-120 Spring Dale The Horticulural Society met at Spring Dale on the 24 of June The minutes of the preceeding meeting having been read the specimens were examined. From Falling Green were brought some of Adams Early Corn about five feet in height with an ear nearly ready for use, and a lengthy lima bean vine in blossom. From Stanmore, early cucumbers, turnips, potatoes, and onions. From "The Cedar" very fine gooseberries. From Sharon white Antwerp raspberries. From Edgewood a remarkably fine cucmber and Brinkles Orange raspberry. From Dr. W E Magruders a fine cymbling, ear of corn, onions and the finest turnips on exhibition Is it best to worm peach trees? & what is the best time? There was some difference of opinion on the subject but most were in favor of its being done several times very carefully. One member who is very successful says worm them any time from the middle of May till the middle of June and again in October. Is it too late to plow a peach orchard now? Better plow it now than let the weeds grow among young trees, let it be plowed shallow near the trees. One member mentioned plowing a part of his orchard when the fruit was as large as a hickory nut with good result - the fruit being finer & the trees a more healthy green than in the part not plowed.

Is there any way of protecting plum trees from Curculia no remedy known -

What is the proper time to sow Turnip seed? For market sow the latter part of July. and for winter use about the 15 of August. Sow rutabagas on the first of July as they require more time to grow than Turnips.

Is it best to bend down the tops of the Onions to make them grow large? What is the best time to take up [sets?] & how keep them during winter? bending the tops down makes them grow larger - Take up the [sets?] when the tops die and keep them in a dry place in the winter. It is well to have a piece of carpeting at hand to cover them in hard freezing weather, let them thaw in the dark to prevent decay.

Is it better to plant Celery in trenches or on level ground and raise the earth with boards to cover it. This question not-answered owing to animated conversation all around the room on subjects not connected with Horticulture.

The garden in a most flourishing condition Tomatoes ripe on the vines. Fine Cantiloupe vines. Vegetables of all kinds Flowers & Grapes vines loaded with fruit and a very fine Truck patch: Questions were asked about the slug on rose bushes and the insects on Maple trees. Nothing satisfactory known. - Adjourned to meet at Rockland on the 29 of July-

ROCKLAND

(R.B.J Sec for the day) 7th " m 29 18 65

The society (met at Rockland on rather a few members were there mostly from the extremes of the neighbourhood those living near being prevented by an appearance of rain.

The Secretary being absent there were no minutes to be read. The weather prevented an inspection of the garden. though the collection of vegetables displayed by our hall left us to infer that it was in a favourable condition. the collection of vegetables was larger than usual and the interest that seemed to be taken in the examination of them should encourae members to pay more attention to this interesting feature of the society. The attendance being small questions were deferred til af ter supper they ran as followed Q. How is the best way to keep Onions? A. Let them lay in the sun a day or two after being pulled up and then spread on a floor. Q. Henry C Hallowell asked why his Yucca did not bloom? A. Thought not to be old enough. Q. Sarah M Hallowell asked whether it would do to plant roses in the flat in front of the house the soil being wet. A. Most persons thought it would. Q. When is the right time to begin earthing up Celery? A. Not until it is quite large - sometime in the 9th mo. Q. Will putting charcoal around flowers deepen the colour?