Page 5

H/6/1987-2-

20 on the 1st. May had 3.24 inches of rain and a high of 90 on the 30th and
a low of 36 on the 5th. No one was able to comment as to whether the rain
fall was up or down but Polly Conlon mentioned that Sweetbriar's resident
honeybee hive swarmed 4 time so far this year.

The bird report mentioned a scarlet tanager sighted in Pennsylvania. Caroline
Hussman told of a friend who raised a robin from 2 days old to adolescence
and freedom. Robins were mentioned to be good birds to foster parent.
There was a part albino sparrow sighted at Friends House. The second brood
of bluebirds has been started at Quailhill. The feistiness of housewrens was
discussed - they were said to be vicious. Carolina wrens have disappeared at
Quailhill but are doing well at Clifton and Jack Pine. Some had feared that
last winter's copious snowfalls may have driven the Carolina wren population
southward for a spell.

There were no committee reports and no new business.

Sylvia Woodward thanked Beth Bullard for making an effort to include her in
the Society's activities. It was said that such gestures mean a lot to those
members who have had to take on a semi-active role and can't contribute
fully as they once did.

Questions;
How to prune chrysanthemums - prune and pinch until July 4th. Pinch bud
close to next set of leaves..
Caroline Hussman's friend wants the proper identity of a vine called Potato
Vine which has big heart shaped leaves and pods. No luck - familiar sounding
but a picture in a horticultural encyclopedia would be easier to identify -
especially if it had a name under it.
Priscilla Allen wanted to know about large scale poison ivy control. Advise
is to use Roundup in a sprayer reserved exclusively for herbicides and be
careful not to spray anything undeserving of a horrible death.
Louise Canby wondered about the roses (Courier roses I think she called them)
growing abundantly along the roadside - identified as multiflora roses ranked
by some along with Priscilla's poison ivy.
A question was raised about the old minutes. Did they bring plants that we
sometimes assume to be the actual fruit or vegetable? Yes. However, our
predecessors were a very competitive and ingenious bunch whose exhibition
pieces were more like veritable swordplay compared to our relaxed and good-
hearted offerings.
Ellen Hartge brought a piece of diseased rhubarb - the brown bumps were
attributed to snail damage.
Nancy Preuss following up by askimg how to repel snails short of ringing the
garden with French gourmands. Snail pellets, slug & snail bait, human hair
and ashes was recommended.
Cicada stories were requested. Recipes were being given out in Baltimore.
Said to taste like asparagus. Also good for fish bait. Shells mentioned as
principal ingredient of ancient Chinese cosmetic cream.
Has anyone seen any cabbage looper? No and rejoice for their absence.
Anyway to take cutting from rose bush. Yes right now. Take new growth, roll
in rootone, and plant in peat. Do 10 cuttings of 6 eyes maybe 8 inches, 1/8
inch under leaf. Then take leaf off. Bury 1/2 way at an angle. Leave 3
leaves.