Page 8

H/8/1949-1-

The Porches. August 1949.

The picnic meeting which was scheduled for Triadelphia
in July having been called off because of the extremely hot
weather which characterized mid-summer of 1949 throughout
the entire Eastern seaboard and much of the middle West,
our fourth meeting of the season was enjoyed in the cool
rooms and on the pleasantly shaded veranda of The Porches.

Acting Chairman Hurrey called the meeting to order;
reading of the minutes was delayed until after the presentation
of the articles by appointed readers, at which time the minutes
were approved without change.

Anne Miller read for absentee Sylvia Woodward "What Do Garden
Birds Really Eat?", from the Home Garden, July 1949. Supported
by a mass of research data on the contents of stomachs of birds
of the thrush family, and of swallows, phoebes, peewees, bluejays,
and many other commonly found birds at various seasons of the
year, the author admits that many varieties raid our fruit
and vegetable crops in a vexing manner, but maintains that even
the least popular birds eat pests and weed seeds. He closes
his artiole with the paragraph:-

'Most authorities agree that we would have a hard time
existing on this earth if it were not for the birds. Weeds,
mice, and insets would certainly get out of hand, as would
parasites of many kinds. Birds are part of the natural balance,
and we will be anything but wise if we upset that balance.'

William Hill read, from August 1949 The National Geographic
magazine, excerpts from "Our Vegetable Travelers" by Victor R.
Boswell, Principal Horticulturist, United States Department of
Agriculture. This article is profusely illustrated with paintings
by Else Bostelmann, and is presented in so interesting a
way that a leizurely reading of it is recommended as pleasant
and rewarding homework for any members who have not already
taken time out to this end.

Excellent Forethought Notes were brought to us by Rebecca
Small:- keep after the weeds in August; late celery needs hilling
now; sew peas twice in August, and spinach for a fall crop; use
Bordeaux freely, and watch egg plants and potatoes for bugs;
mertensia can be moved now, being dormant; clip seeds off annuals
to prolong blooming; slip English Ivy for house growing; stop
feeding roses; divide and replant iris; move Oriental poppies
now (in summer only). And she ended her reading by giving us
Tennyson's "The Brook".

The list of exhibits was read by Emmaline Hill, and the
variety of flowers, fruits, and vegetables was so great and
the speciments so beautiful that your reporter cannot help
wondering if our grave concerns about garden matters are
fully justified.

Meteorologist Edward Iddings reported an average morning
temperature of 74° and a total rainfall of 5.25 inches for July.