Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

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WISE-ACRES Vol. VI October, 1920 No. 20 Published Quarterly by the Students of the School of Horticulture for Women, Ambler, Pa.—Elizabeth Leighton Lee, Director Entered at Ambler P. O. as Second-Class Matter Under Act of March 3.1879. STAFF Editors, Mary B. Merryweather and Mary G. Hubbell Adv. Mgr.. Margaret A. Trimble Asst. Adv. Mgr., Eleanor F. Fullerton Business Manager, Amy R. Thurston One Dollar a Year Single Copy, Twenty-five Cents “Wise-Acres” is fortunate—Miss Elinor Fullerton is chosen editor-in-chief for next year—and also the treasurer reports that the paper is in good financial condition. The object of the School of Horticulture is horticulture as a profession for women either out in the world or on their own places, large or small—so anything pertaining to this subject will always be welcomed by the school paper. We are all interested in Miss Lee’s visit to England and Ireland last June and July- Miss Lee kindly consents to tell of it in this issue of “Wise-Acres” and th,e next. The first account follows: A blast—a deafening and prolonged blast—from the ship’s fog horn announced that the “Baltic” was pulling out of the dock in New York harbor, and that in ten days' time, if all went well, she would dock at Liverpool. On June 1st, true to schedule, she pulled into the Liverpool dock. At v o’clock breakfast, and then a long wait while the luggage was being taken oft, everyone hanging over the rail—not for the purpose that they had assumed that attitude in mid-ocean—but watching with horror and dismay the toboggan slide of 75 feet or more from the ship to the dock, down which their precious luggage would soon in its turn take its winged flight! Then a scramble on the dock to find the section where the initial letter of one’s last name appears on the post or wall, and a forlorn hope that under that letter by some miracle one’s worldly goods would be found intact. And they generally w.ere! No trouble with the custom house officials, as their minds were centered on sugar and tobacco, neither of which we carried. It would not have been a bad idea, however, to have a little of the former, as in several places we were told that the house did not furnish sugar. If on,e wanted it the proper thing to do was to go to the Town Hall and obtain a traveller’s license for its purchase. A householder also had to have a permit and was allowed only so much. The same thing happened in England with regard to the sugar 4

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CONTENTS Miss Lee’s Trip.............................. 4 Hardy Chrysanthenums......................... 7 Washing Birds for Shows......................11 Extracts from Miss Williams’ Letter..........13 Beautiful English Gardens....................15 French Gardening............................ 17 Announcements................................18 Relish for the Wise....................... .19 3

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supply as had happened in.the United States. The government failed to buy up a foreign crop before the speculators got hold of it, and a corner in sugar and high pric.es resulted. I had been commissioned by the president of the board of directors of the School of Horticulture to visit and report upon the various schools of gardening for women which exist in England, as well as to report upon conditions pertaining to women in horticultural work. In connection with the latter we visited a number of beautiful estates and gardens and met many interesting people Miss Hilda Loines, my traveling companoin, member of the Council oi the Woman’s Farm and Gard.cn Association of America, and I, a member of the association, had also been appointed as delegates from that association to the Women’s Farm and Garden Union of England, with which the American society is affiliated. It would be impossible to expr.ess our appreciation of the great kindness shown to us by our English neighbors. Largely through the efforts and interest of the charming secretary of the Farm and Garden Union, Mrs. Miles Benson, and her office, many invitations w.ere extended to us, and an interesting itinerary planned for part of our stay. The members of the Union were delightfully cordial, and I hope it may be my good fortune to be given th.i opportunity to show hospitaltiy to many of them in America. H. R. H. the Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, sister of King Edward, is the president of the English society, and on our arrival in London a tea was given for us by the club, and the Princess received us. This was, of course, a great honor and gave us a splendid introduction. We had previously b.een instructed as to our manner of presentation to the Princess, but we were particularly struck with the simplicity of the arrangements and with her cordiality and friendliness. She laughingly declined a large arm chair which had'been prepared for b.er and preferred to make no distinction between her kind of chair and ours! She expressed herself as much interested in a suggestion that at some future date an .exchange scholarship of some sort between the English schools and ours might be arranged. Tffe only ceremonial attached to the interview was that we should curtesy on being pr.e sented and address her as “M’Am'’! Never “Madam” we were ,told! The light was in our ey.es as we entered the reception room and a lady in black, with a black lace picture hat, stepped forward right by the door and cordially shook hands. After we had been talking to her for a minute it dawned upon us both that we were talking to the Princess hers,elf and alas! we had made no curtsey! That we were forgiven we felt sure, as sh.e chatted pleasantly‘while we sat either side of her drinking tea and eating delicious sandwiches and strawberries, such, as I believe on y England can grow . She made several suggestions to us as to places to visit, and subsequently sent us an invitation to the Royal Gardens at Frogmore, Windsor Castle; and on hearing that we were at the Rose Showr of the Royal Horticultural Society the afternoon that slu-was there, included 11s among the fewr who were taking tea with her that afternoon. This was on the suggestion of Miss Ellen WiTmott, I belie v? who had been acting as guide to the Princess. 5