AFS
The Early Years
by Madalyn Drago
When Mary Hassett, widow
of Chuck Hassett our Bulletin
Editor for 10 years, died she left
two binders of mimeographed
and photo copied Bulletins
from 1930 until 1954 (not a complete
set). The Eureka Branch
recognized the importance
of these binders and upon my
visit to the Branch, asked me
to bring them to the AFS Historian,
Cathie MacDougall. I
waylaid them to excerpt some
interesting articles, comments
and news of the early years of
the American Fuchsia Society.
June 1931: The meeting was
held at the University of California
Library in Berkeley,
membership was 154 people
and cost $1. Berkeley Horticultural
Nursery announced that
51 hybrids came from England
and they made 1600 cuttings to
be released in September. Even
then they were concerned with
nomenclature and duplicate
names.
May 1938: There were four
meetings a year in January,
May, August and October.
Sometimes they would meet
at the San Francisco Public
Library and other times, in
member’s homes. A woman
frequently mentioned due
to hosting garden tours was
named Harriet Fuchsia Lewis.
November 1938: First contributing
article which showed,
even then, that the Editor was
writing most articles. The results
of a balloting started a year
earlier for 12 favorite fuchsias
(ended up with 13) Non-Pariel
(and Ballet Girl which are the
same), Rolla, Marinka, Countess
of Aberdeen, Sunset, Rose
of Denmark, Cascade, Royal
Purple, F. macrostema alba,
Blue Moon, Swanley Yellow,
Mrs. Rundle, and Pink Pearl.
January 1939: In a message
about the next meeting (on
Sunday at 2 pm). As a novel experiment,
door prizes will be
offered to members. You may,
if you please, contribute a potted
fuchsia plant.
March 1939: AFS decided to
have 9 meetings a year, many
on Wednesday evenings. There
was an article on using cyanide
gas to kill aphids and whiteflies,
although it didn't work on
mealy bugs.
May 1939: Getting ready for theSpecial Fuchsia Show on Treasure
Island in the Floricultural
Bldg. of the Golden Gate International
Exposition from July
22 to August 4 featuring 150
varieties in pots and the newest
hybrids as well as cut flowers
in porcelain trays.
October 1939: A heat wave of
97 degrees for 7 consecutive
days (something unheard of in
San Francisco) almost put an
end to that show.
February 1940: Miss Alice
Eastwood (early organizer of
the AFS) reported that the exhibit
in the Hall of Flowers at
Treasure Island brought in
new members and Certificates
of Merit were awarded by the
Governor of California. Also a
report on the first meeting of a
Branch in Southern California
(Long Beach).
April 1940: Sixty-six years ago
the Society was wrestling with
the same questions as now.
This is from the Editor, G. Niederholzer “For some of us there
is an irresistible temptation to
keep on trying (hybridizing)
and also the fact that new varieties,
the result as some see it,
help keep interest alive. There
is also a flood of ‘novelties’ many of which are hardly deserving
of the word. There are
those who want restrictions
or control, others believe that
law of survival of the fittest
is strong enough to prevent a
deadly flood of new varieties.
Believing that an organized
control is not only impossible
but undesirable for various
reasons, would it not be useful
to go back to the once tried
and on account of opposition,
dropped system of listing
‘preferred’ varieties? But who
would dare to assume authority
for choosing such?”
June 1940: The GO AHEAD
was given to members in other
localities to form branch
groups, San Mateo, Palo Alto,
Santa Cruz, San Jose, Hayward,
Richmond, Santa Barbara and
Portland.
August 1940: Publicized many
fuchsia shows. “The highlight
of this season's activity will be
a special Fuchsia Fan Convention
with the California Horticultural
Society on September
16th in the rooms of the Commercial
Club, California Streetin San Francisco (admission is
.50).”“Did you ever see fuchsias
rival successfully with
orchids? Well, they did for 1
day in a window display of the
world's finest flower store, Podesta-
Baldocchi (SF)”
October 1940: “In these days of
political turmoil and threats of
ill over much of the world, the
land with its fields and gardening
brings to their devotees a
dignity, a peace, a humble selfreliance
which makes them the
great hope for sanity among
all mankind.” During the war
years there were many quotes
regarding the advantages of
flower gardening.
November 1940: Discussion
of thrips and control measures
using pyrethrum oil spray or
tartar emetic and brown sugar
or nicotine oil.
August 1942: Reprinted from
the Sunday Examiner that a
jury of 12 well-known fuchsia
experts (all men, it seemed)
chose the best Hanging Fuchsias.
Pared down to 16 including
Cascade, Marinka, Mosesworth,
Mrs. Victor Reiter, San
Francisco, Fandango, Princessita,
Mrs. Rundle and Galli
Curci were the listed ones that
are still popular.
November 1943: AFS dues still
$1 and Christmas Party garden
gift values should be no more
than 25 cents.
January 1947: With paid membership
of 1600 and about 13
Branches, the Bulletin gets
larger with 4-6 pages. Many
more articles on fuchsia culture.
The new introductions
covered 1½ sheet of 8 ½ x 11
papers. Announced the first
fuchsia show by the Puget
Sound Fuchsia Society, apparently
a Seattle Branch of the
AFS.
October 1947: Credit was given
to the San Mateo County
Branch for their display at the
San Mateo County Fair. Their
specimen bloom tables held
475 varieties all labeled by
name and growth pattern.
Editor’s comment: The good
old days, November 1943, membership
dues $1.00 and Christmas
party gifts should not be
more than 25 cents.