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H/ 7/ 1991 -2-

July 2, 1991, Pi Acres, page 2

From the Havilands came cherries, squash, cucumbers, and beets.
From Riverton came daylilies, phlox, purple cornflower, blanketflower, and
coreopsis.

From Riverside came zucchini, yellow squash, cumuber, hungarian wax peppers, daylilies, shasta daisies, zinnias, yarrow, bee balm, and tickseed.

We followed the Exhibits with the Bird Report and the Dead Bird Report. Mo
Chance reports more hummingbirds than ever and what does one do about
bees raiding the hummingbird feeder. Advised to fashion a screen around the
feeder tude tip that the hummers can get thier beak through but keeps the
bees away. Mistaking this as an opening for pointedly pointless questions, a
crank asked when beaks become bills. I think it was our host so we ignored
him and went on to the Dead Bird Report. John Hartge related how Sam
Haviland and a friend shot a number of crows and distributed them to select
gardeners and orchardists in the area. Proper use of the cadavers involve
hanging one in a prominent spot where the crows will gather in a raucous
convention and reach the consensus that such a place should be shunned.
Somehow this led to Buzz Hussman telling how he took a groundhog in a
havahart trap to the animal shelter. They killed it and a couple weeks later
he got a letter saying that the animal did not have rabies. (This is the man
who told the squealing pig story last month). According to Buzz the
authorities will pick up suspected rabid animals but will not test them for
rabies unless expressly requested. Nobody ventured any questions but Ted
mentiond that the foxes were quiet mangy. One of the treatments
involves ecouraging the afflicted animal to cross Route 108 during rush hour.

The only committee report regarded the microfilming effort. Filming the
minutes extends through 1987 and remaining entries will be processed in
October. $5.00 was due from each member at the August meeting payable
to Mo Chance.

Questions

Lyle Mader has seen black squirrles nearby. How common. Getting more so.
The black squirrels started around the National Cathedral some years ago and
now the population extends beyond the beltway in many areas.

Iduna Hanel has tomatoes with brown and wilted leaves. Probably early
blight. Treat appropriately.

Ellen Hartge annoucned that Riverside has a crop of kittens available to
willing homes.

Mary Seiler went to Mt. Vernon and was suprised to see a large pecan tree
there. How common are they in this zone? Not necessarily common but
there are a number of older houses in the area with large, thriving trees.
Newer northern strains being introduced offer larger nuts and better harvests.

Caroline Hussman asked whether a thin skinned pepper she had in her garden
gets it characteristics from the hot, dry weather or its variety. Most
probably variety.