v'.-iv. 



June 25, 1908. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



»^.<»^. 'i»^.'<-=^.<<^.<»^.<<%.<#%.^ 



i 



I 



I 



,.^^:>.^Jiq..^-^.^J^.^^.^^.^-^.l^^ 



AMERICAN 

 PEONY SOCIETY 



>-fe!r^-fe'r>!)N 



1 



f 



I 



•^^^■^k9^-i^k9^-i^k9^%'^my,9^-Urmi^iW:i: 



I 



THE MEETING AT ITHACA. 



June 19 and 20 the American Peony 

 Society held its annual meeting in the 

 New York State Agricultural College, at 

 (Cornell University. The exhibition of 

 flowers, limited to two exhibitors because 

 of the lateness of the season, was staged 

 in one of the laboratories of the Horti- 

 cultural department. Many of the so- 

 ciety 's members live in Pennsylvania, 

 southern Ohio, Long Island, etc. In their 

 sections peonies had had their blooming 

 [leriod. However, the trial plots in Ithaca 

 were one mass of bloom. Inasmuch as 

 the most important object of the meet- 

 ing was to study the different varieties 

 on the ground, it was thought best to 

 liold the meeting when the plots were at 

 their best. It was a disappointment that 

 the attendance should have been so light. 



Prof. A, P. Saunders, of Clinton, N. Y., 

 brought a large collection of blooms, 

 which were entered in the amateur class. 

 T. C. Thurlow & Co., West Newbury, 

 Mass., also sent a large consignment. 



Business Session. 



The regular business meeting was 

 called to order June 19, in the Horticul- 

 tural lecture room, by Secretary Fewkes; 

 President Ward and Vice-president Pe- 

 terson being absent, E. A. Reeves, of 

 Cleveland, was elected chairman. Min- 

 utes of the last meeting were read and 

 approved. R. T. Brown, representing the 

 Cottage Gardens Co., spoke in behalf of 

 Mr. Ward. He said that he regretted 

 the fact that Mr. Ward was unavoidably 

 detained in the west by business. 



Report of the Secretaiy. 



The report of Secretary Fewkes was 

 in part as follows: The present member- 

 ship of the society is forty-nine, not in- 

 cluding four honorary members. It is 

 gratifying to note that the membership 

 is steadily increasing, slowly to be sure, 

 but in a substantial manner. Those who 

 have dropped out are few and greatly 

 overbalanced by the new members who 

 are annually admitted. 



Since the last meeting the work of the 

 .society has been steadily progressing. 

 The committee on diseases has sent out 

 H large number of inquiries, which have 

 brought out much information, but this 

 has not yet been reduced to an orderly 

 condition. 



The nomenclature committee has the 

 result of its work done by Mr. Coit, last 

 ^ummer, in press, in the form of a bul- 

 letin which will be issued shortly. 



The secretary has the proceedings of 

 the society for the five years from 1903 

 to 1907, inclusive, in the hands of the 

 printer. 



In response to the circulars sent out by 

 Prof. Craig last July, in regard to form- 

 ing a supplementary test collection, a 

 large number of roots were sent in and 

 were planted in accordance with the ex- 

 pressed wishes of the society. These, as 

 well as the older collection, were top- 

 dressed with stable manure last fall, 

 which served as a mulch last winter. 



In regard to the diseases of the peony, 

 we can not be too watchful or too per- 

 sistent in our endeavors to learn all that 

 can be found out about their nature and 

 means of prevention. To the commercial 

 man the matter is not of a directly seri- 

 ous nature, but to the amateurs, and in- 

 directly to the commercial man, it is most 

 serious. I have in mind a peony garden 

 near Boston which was stocked with 

 many rare and choice varieties. Many of 

 the plants had reached their third and 

 fourth years and were fine, large plants. 

 During last summer the wilt and black 

 rot attacked many of them, causing much 

 loss and distress to the owners. In the 

 fall large roots were dug up which were 

 completely destroyed. 



This is but one instance. There are 

 many others who are suffering and so 

 situated that they cannot change their 

 plants to new ground, but must either 

 give up growing the peony or find some 

 means of checking or preventing the 

 spread of the diseases. 



Miscellaneous Business. 



On the statement by Secretary Fewkes 

 that many people thought $5 too high a 



said that he expected to publish results 

 soon. 



A general discussion of the present 

 trial plot followed. Great regret was 

 expressed by members of the society 

 that the plot on which the roots were 

 planted would not be properly drained. 

 All agreed, however, that the plants were 

 doing well, considering the conditions. 



The question of where the society was 

 to meet next year was then taken up. A 

 letter from the Minnesota Horticultural 

 Society was read, asking the Peony So- 

 ciety to hold the exhibition at the Minne- 

 sota State Fair grounds in 1909. 



Mr. Brown, speaking for Mr. Ward, 

 asked the society to hold the next meet- 

 ing at the Cottage Gardens, Queens, N. Y. 

 Inasmuch as the Cottage Gardens are at 

 the center of a peony growing section, 

 Mr. Brown thought it would be best to 

 hold the next meeting there. 



It was moved and seconded to accept 

 Mr. Ward's invitation, and the motion 

 was unanimously carried. 



It was decided to send out a circular 

 letter about May 15, 1909, to learn from 

 the growers when their peony blooms will 

 be at their best. In this way the tinu* 

 of the meeting can be fixed to suit the 

 majority of growers. 



Election of Officers. 



The following officers were elected: 



President— C. W. Ward, Queens, N. Y. 



Vice-president— C. J. Maloy. Rochester, N. Y. 



Secretary — A. H. Fewkes, Newton Highlands, 

 Mass. 



Treasurer — J. H. Humphreys, Germantown. 

 Pa. 



Director — E. A. Beeves, Cleveland, O. 



The following were elected into mem- 

 bership: C. Harmon Payne, 141 Well- 



% '■■". 



American Peony Society's Supplementary Test Collection. 

 (Plantea at Ithaca, N. ¥., last year; photographed June 19, 1908.) 



price for the peony check list, the motion 

 was made and carried to change the price 

 from $5 to $2. 



A letter from Prof. Whetzel was read, 

 saying that, owing to conditions over 

 which he had no control, he found it im- 

 possible to attend the meeting and make 

 a report. He gave a brief outline of the 

 work he was doing on peony diseases and 



meadow road, Catford, London, England ; 

 William Miller, Bar Harbor, Me. ; John 

 Cavers, Oakville, Ontario county, N. Y. ; 

 F. R. Pierson, Tarrytown, N. Y.; E. V. 

 Hallock, Queens, N. Y. ; John Merkel, 

 Mentor, O. 



The Awards. 



The following committee on awards 



