REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 253 



WOODLAND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



PREPARED BY EUGENE DAVENPORT, SEC'Y. 



This Society was organized June 2, 1880, by Secretary Garfield. Seventeen 

 members were enrolled, and the following officers were elected : 



President — Ira Stowell. 



Vice President — Mrs. Joel St. John. 



Secretary — Eugene Davenport. 



Treasurer — Jesse Jordan. 



During the meeting, after Mr. Garfield had presented the advantages of 

 such societies, Miss Emily Holmes read an essay on "Home and Home Adorn- 

 ments," in which it was held that books, music, pictures, and flowers had an 

 unbounded influence over the members of a household. 



An essay was also read by Mrs. Joel St. John entitled "Flowers," in which, 

 after cautioning against the too free use of water, an excess of earth, and 

 abuses in general, their uses and advantages were enumerated. "They will 

 grow and flourish in any atmosphere that is available for breathing as to 

 moisture, purity, etc." It was argued that gardening and botany should be 

 taught in our common schools, developing a love and respect for the garden 

 and the farm. The notion among mothers that it is impossible for them to 

 raise flowers on account of certain piratical invasions of "baby," — said baby 

 in question often being two or three years old, — the writer considered to be 

 ill-founded. Said the writer : "The French say that a baby is an angel whose 

 wings grow shorter as his legs grow longer. • Though ' baby ' is king in most 

 households, he cannot too soon learn that he is not an absolute monarch, and 

 that not all he may survey is his to destroy. As the little fingers wander plant- 

 ward, the eyes turn motherward." The writer argued that then is the time to 

 dethrone the king, and that a barbed wire fence around the stand, although 

 the most cruel invention of the age, would be perfectly justifiable in extreme 

 cases. But worst of all, — and the writer suggested no remedy, — were the 

 "grown up babies," who must always see with their fingers. 



Meeting held August 9, 1880. 



At this meeting the subject of weeds was discussed, mainly showing the need 

 of a more intimate acquaintance with their habits, and greater efforts toward 

 their subjugation. This was brought out during the discussion, in which vari- 

 ous specimens were exhibited, and some estimates made of their powers of seed- 

 ing. Many more varieties were found to be with us than was at first supposed. 



The remainder of the meeting was devoted to topics pertaining more directly 

 to the farm. 



At the meeting held October 16, 1880, Rev. Mr. Ornick spoke on horticult- 

 ure as a pastime. He recognized the fact that all persons need something 

 which is a diversion from regular business, as being an important one, and 

 argued that horticulture possesses all the advantages of the gymnasium, or 

 other plan for physical exercise merely, and it has the additional merit of be- 

 ing educational. He therefore recommended it as a fit pastime for students 



