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H/5/1975 -2-

California, north of Death Valley, a preserve which is part of
the Inyo National Forest. Many of these trees were seedlings
when the pyramids were built. Their life span may be more
than 5,000 years. The oldest known living tree is more than
4600 years old and is still growing. It produces seed as via-
ble seed from 1000-yr old trees. One tree cut for research
in Nevada was found by a count of its rings to be
4900 years old. These trees grow in sandstone and
limestone areas where the outcroppings of dolomite, in the
subalpine forest and sagebrush area from 9,500 feet to
the upper tree line at about 11,500 feet.

We were favored also with a volunteer article read
by Betty Hartge tracing the names of birds. Some names
come from the activity of birds, such as woodpeckers. Some names
are descriptive of the birds' appearance, as for instance the
snowy owls and the blue winged warblers. Some birds have been given their names from
their songs, like the song sparrows, and some have place
names like the Artic terns and Kentucky warblers. Some
68 birds are named for people, usually ornithologists.

FORETHOUGHT. - Sylvia suggested that it was time to put out
house plants and to take cuttings of geraniums. Poinsettia should
be cut and put out. Take of side buds of peones. Fertilize bulbs.
Transplant azaleas after the wood hardens. Sow seeds of annuals.
Cut lilacs to keep them from getting too tall. Spray dogwood
trunks. Cut old canes of forsythia. Divide primroses after
blooming. Sylvia closed by reminding us that what goes up must
first go down.