who have been afield, of gardens in Hawaii, California, New Orleans, 
and other places which are not restricted in their beauties by the Mmit- 
ed sunshine and rock-bound soil of New England. At the July meeting 
the Club listened to the report of the President and delegate to the 
Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of America. All were im- 
pressed with the important work being done by the national organi- 
zation. 
In addition to this, our Club has undertaken such activities as are 
possible in a small Connecticut city. It volunteered to develop the 
grounds around the Public Library, planting shrubs and perennials, 
thus providing the Library with many beautiful flowers for inside 
decoration. In addition to recreating the Library's background from 
an esthetic standpoint, the librarian tells us, that our efforts have not 
been without ethical value, inasmuch as they have enabled her to give 
the eager little lovers of flowers, both native-born and aHen, constant 
lessons in respect for public property. We have also begun a reference 
collection, at the Library, of books on gardens and gardening, loaned or 
given by our members, and a shelf of seed and bulb catalogues. As in 
former years, the Club took an active interest in the annual June 
Garden Fete, the largest event in Middletown for organized charities. 
At our booth everything was to be had from seedKngs to garden hats 
and watering pots, and a handsome sum was turned in to the general 
coffers of charity. 
On September 23d, a Dahha Show, open to the pubhc, was held at 
the Library, with ribbon prizes for the best exhibits by amateurs. A 
very wide interest was aroused in this and adjacent communities, and 
many beautiful exhibits were sent in. The next meeting will include a 
competition for winter bouquets of dried flowers, grasses, bayberry, 
bitter-sweet, and all the bulbs and shrubs of the fall. 
Most important in the annals of the Club during the past year was, 
of course, our reception into the Garden Club of America in April, a 
connection which we are sure will be an education and sti mulus. 
Sarah Gildersleeve Fife, President. 
MiLLBROOK The work of our Club this year has returned to normal hues, but 
Garden the shortage of labor still cripples the upkeep of our gardens. Our 
Club, lecture programmes have been resumed, and although we had no flower 
Inc., N. Y. show, the children's gardens made a successful exhibit of flowers and 
vegetables, and in floral arrangements gave us a delightful surprise. 
The Club is in the process of incorporation, in order to hold title to 
five acres of land which it has acquired for the purpose of maintaining a 
small park (we call it a garden) for the use of our village. The land is 
situated at the head of the village street and its natural topography is 
most interesting— small hills, a swamp and a high plateau command- 
ing adeHghtful view. The planting is to be of native and local material 
32 
