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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



Introducing Our Department on Garden Clubs 



BERTHA S. HARRY 



GARDENS from the beginning of time in Eden 

 have played an important part in each indi- 

 vidual's life, and have been used by poets and 

 w riters of all ages as an untiring theme. During the 

 reign of Edward Third, gardening in England L^egan 

 to be of interest, the first work on gardening being 

 written by Walter de Henly at this period. The 

 beautiful gardens abroad as well as in this country 

 show that while many years have intervened since, 

 the interest in gardens has not lagged. 



It is hard, indeed, to know just how ideas arrive in 

 our subconscious mind ; probably we inherit our love 

 for flowers from early associations with those who 

 have worked in gardens ; perhaps a particular plant 

 has interested us enough to make us wish that we 

 could have some ; perhaps by raising these particular 

 varieties we became interested in others ; again we 

 may have been given a few plants for our very own 

 when rather young, and thus began our love of 

 flowers. I think that my own love of plants grew 

 from the fact that a small space was given to me when 

 a child. My grandfather drew my initials and we 

 sowed lettuce seed in these drawn spaces. The visits 

 that I made to that bed were many, but the sparrow 

 made even more visits. While I never had the satis- 

 faction of having "B. S. H." really bloom forth in 

 lettuce, there was enough, with some imagination, to 

 see the initials. However, the sparrows did not deter 

 me from planting another season, and Johnny Jump- 

 Ups and P'orget-Me-Nots were much more successful. 



Every garden club has to have a pioneer so to 

 speak in its midst, whether the club is organized 

 through hearing of other such clubs, or whether 

 some emergency gives it birth. This department 

 aims to interest others in the formation of clubs ; 

 to bring new ideas from one club to another ; to give 

 notices of meetings and dates of flower shows when 

 possible : and by your co-operation make this page 

 pleasant and profitable for you. 



The Fir.st Garden Club 



Pennsylvania claims the distinction of having the 

 oldest garden club; the oldest horticultural society, 

 as well as having printed the first horticultural maga- 

 zine in this country. The Garden Club of Philadel- 

 phia is, I believe, the oldest garden club, which was 

 founded April 27, 1902 through the eft'orts of Miss 

 Ernestine A. Goodman. Its charter was granted on 

 March 6, 1908. There are three classes of members, 

 active, non-active, and honorary, totaling fifty-nine. 

 Regular meetings are held at the homes of members ; 

 interesting programs are planned, including lectures 

 and profitable trips. The president is Mrs. Bayard 

 Henry of Germantown, and besides the other regular 

 officers, there are special committees, and correspon- 

 dents for foreign countries, and the preservation of 

 wild flowers, etc. 



The First HoRTict'r.TUR.si, Macxzixe 



Philadelphia can also claim the distinction of having 

 been the birthplace of the first horticultural maga- 

 zine in America. This magazine, known as the 

 "Philadelphia Florist and Horticultural Journal," be- 

 gan life in April 1852 and continued for a period of 

 three years. It was established by R. Robinson Scott. 



"The only apology we have to make for our suspen- 

 sion to those of our subscribers who paid us promptly 

 their subscriptions is that a greater number have 

 not paid, and some, perhaps many, do not intend to 

 pay." What have gardeners lost by the quotation 

 from the last issue ? The lack of individuals to 

 assume their responsibilities may have been a great 

 loss to us in this day. 



Oldest Horticultural Society in America 



The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society was or- 

 ganized November 24, 1827 at a meeting held in the 

 Franklin Institute, Philadelphia. At this meeting 

 it was "Resolved that it is expedient to establish a 

 horticultural society in the city of Philadelphia for 

 the promotion of this highly instructive and interest- 

 ing science and that a constitution be framed for 

 this purpose." The first president was Horace Binney, 

 the present president is James Boyd. Meetings are 

 held on the third Tuesday of each month except July 

 and August, and throughout the year numerous ex- 

 hibitions are held. 



The objects of this society, as stated in its charter, 

 are to promote and encourage horticulture and create 

 a love and interest for plants, flowers, fruits and vege- 

 tables. 



Lectures are given during the Winter by eminent 

 horticulturists. Reports on specimens sent in by 

 members are made by the professors of the society, 

 who are always willing to serve members. The pro- 

 fessor of botany is Dr. Stewardson Brown ; of horti- 

 cultural chemistry. Dr. John Marshall : of entomology. 

 Dr. Henrv Skinner, and of biology. Dr. Ida A. Keller. 



The offices of the society are at 606 Finance Build- 

 ing, Philadelphia, where a library is maintained. 

 David Rust is the secretary. 



Season.\ble Suggestions for Clubs 



Has your club sent plants to shut-ins at Christmas? 



Has it made baskets of winter berries, evergreens, 

 etc., for hospitals? 



Has it planned to hold services Christmas Eve 

 where memorial trees have been planted? 



Is it going to trim small cedars, growing along 

 fences that owners in many cases will be glad to be 

 rid of. as Christmas trees for the children's wards? 



Are you, as individuals, giving garden gifts, to your 

 personal friends who are interested in gardens? 

 There are so many attractive gifts. 



Are you going to tuck in with every gift, "Scent 

 from my garden?" — the scent being made from rose 

 leaves, lavender, and so forth, collected during the 

 season. 



Have you bought bulbs in quantities and are they 

 now ready to be forced into blooming for gifts? 



Have you thought of sending a card of greetings 

 at this season to those whom you wish to make 

 honorary members ? Giving a gift to those who have 

 been especially kind is really what honorary mem- 

 bership is, is it not? 



Enthusiasm is the element of success in every thing. 

 It is the light that leads, and the stren.gth that lifts men 

 on and U|) in the great struggle of scientific pursuits and 

 of professional labor. It robs endurance of difficulty, 

 and makes a pleasure of duty. — Bishop W. C. Doane. 



