QBARS - v4n2 Minutes of Meeting of American Rhododendron Society, Portland, Oregon, February 16, 1950

Minutes of Meeting American Rhododendron Society, Portland, Oregon, February 16, 1950
Mrs. Ruth M. Hansen, Secretary

The first meeting of the American Rhododendron Society for 1950 was called to order February 16th, by President Mr. C. I. Sersanous. The names of seven new members from the Portland area were read and acknowledged. These seven were representatives of thirty new members we have added to our roster since November. Guests attending the meeting were requested to rise and be introduced to the membership.

The report was then read from the Nominating Committee for new Directors to be elected in April. The proposed Directors are as follows: John G. Bacher, S. W. Williams, Dr. Royal Gick, Dr. J. Harold Clarke, H. J. Slonecker and B. F. Lancaster. Nominations were then open from the floor. William Robinson was nominated. It was moved and seconded that the nominations be closed. Ballots to be in the mail before May 1st. The New Directors will be announced at the annual May meeting.

The Show Chairman, C. T. Hansen was called upon to make his report. He prefaced his remarks by asking the membership whether we should have a show or not due to the devastating effects of the sub-normal Winter just experienced. Most nurserymen present voiced the opinion that they would have no blooms this Spring, the mercury having dropped to 10 degrees below zero at Salem, 12 below at Brooks and 3 below in Portland, thus killing most of the flower buds.

Another nurseryman voiced the opinion that it would be a mistake not to have a show, that it would hurt business more than the Winter had done. Another grower reminded us all of the abundance of deciduous Azaleas which would be available at that time. It was finally decided to wait till the March meeting when we could tell more of the winter's damage. The dates for the Show have been set for May 6th and 7th.

The dates of the Seattle Show are May 12th, 13th and 14th. The Tacoma Show dates are May 6th and 7th.

Mr. Sersanous introduced the new Program Committee Chairman, Mr. P. H. Brydon of Salem. Mr. Brydon introduced Dr. James Bradley of Eugene, Oregon, who is a specialist on Species and to whom the meeting was turned over. Dr. Bradley told of the Eugene Men's Rhododendron and Camellia Society which consists of 30 members and holds monthly meetings. There are some 350 species represented in the Eugene area. They also have an excellent collection of the R. maddenii , mostly all greenhouse grown, and a fine collection of R. neriiflorum . Dr. Bradley then introduced Mr. Del James, another species specialist also from Eugene.

Mr. James read a paper on James Barto, a pioneer in introducing Rhododendrons to the Pacific Coast. This was an excellent paper on a great man in the field of rhododendron collecting and one which will be printed in a future Quarterly Bulletin. Mr. James concluded his talk with the expressed wish that the A. R. S. could make a lasting memorial to James Barto for his untiring work and efforts in establishing such a fine collection for posterity.

Mr. Marshall Lyons of Eugene was then introduced. He showed many slides of the Barto collection and other rhododendrons in the Eugene area. Some fine pictures were shown.

The meeting was turned back to President Sersanous who introduced Mr. John G. Bacher of Portland who had just returned from a trip to Costa Rica where he had taken some 1000 pictures of tropical. flowers and plants. These pictures we hope to have the privilege of seeing at some future date. Mr. Bacher was highly indignant of his treatment by the Communists in Guatemala where they took away his visa for 24 hours without so much as a receipt. In Costa Rica his treatment was better and he was able to enjoy the country. One comment was that their parks are very well planted and maintained, all the work being done by volunteer efforts of the garden clubs. This talk was most interesting and though a far cry from rhododendrons everyone found it highly entertaining and informative.

Meeting adjourned.