The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

u OronýoWeeklyTIlm es, Wedriesday, Septen ber 20, 1,995 - 15 Nature Notes with -Ducks Unlimited "The Mighty Phragmite" Its proper name - phragmites - makes it sound like a crawling crea- ture, or a disease. But phragmites, also known as "phrags", is, ln fact, a marsh cane found in wetlands al over the worid. Delta Marsh, Manitoba is an example of a phrag mars.h. t is estimated to be 70 percent covered with phrags. Marsh managers rarely rank phrags as a pre- ferred species of vegetation. Seldom are they used as food by wildlife and, once established, phrags domi- nate other vegetation and are difficuit to control. That's becaulse they are hardy, adaptable perennials that can be found growing in sand to dlay and most any- thing in between. But the same char- actenistics that cause it to be a pesi plant can also cause it to be of benefit. It often thrives where very lîttle else wil grow, thereby serv- ing as cover that prevents erosion. Aong the coastal marshes of the Gulf of Mexico a wide band of phrags often protects the marshes from hurricanes and storms. The steep banks of many rivers would erode at a rapid rate if it were not for the phrags growing along the shore. In many mnarshes, phrags are typicaliy found growing aiong the levees of creeks or at the edge'of lakes. Here, phrags not only prevent erosion but even accumulate sediment during floods resulting in a build up of ground level over the years. In winter, snow drifts accumulate in the phrags more s0 than most other marshes vegetation. These driftsare utilized by mink, muskrat and particularly otter. The drifts mnelt in the spring and repleffish marsh water levels. With the exception of the tropical and semi-tropi- cal stands, the above- ground portion of the plant dies over the winter months. These dry stands of phrags are easy targets for fire. Fire can be a stimulant to growth, but also used as a means of controliing the spread, of phragmite stands. With the co-operation of the weather, a stand can be bumned twice in one growing season. This reduces height and density the following year. This is only a tempo- rary control as the stand recovers over two to three years. The kind of burn necessary for more perma- nent control is harder to obtain. That's because the organic soils that phrags most commoniy grow in are wet and low., The fire must get to the root of the'matter and this can only happen if the area dries naturally or is drained. Man has used phrags as thatching, novelty crafts, to build hunting blinds, and even for floral arrangements. In nature, the more diverse an ecosystem is the more productive it is. When, they aren't the dominate plant, phrags add to a marsh's diversity. you of the Orono Weekly Times did flot corne straight to your door, remnemfber our subscription drive starting Monday September 25 WEEKLY TIMES Serving East Clarington since 1937 The movement for active, healthy living RECIPE 0F THE WEEK Comýpliments of the Orono Bulk Food Store End of Season Pickle 36 medium green tomatoes 6 medium onions 2 swee green peppers 2 sweet red peppers 1 hot red pepper 1 cup water 2 cups cider viniegar 6 cups brown sugar 5 tsp. sait 5 tsp. curry powder 5 tsp. celery seed 1. Coarsely chop tomatoes, onion and peppers. 2. Put in large pot add 1 cup water, simmer gently for 15 minutes. 3. Drain well pressing out ail liquid., 4. Add vinegar, brown sugar, sait and spices. ý 5. Bring to a boil, simmer gentiy for 5 minutes. 6. Pour into sterfle jars and se ai. Yield approx. 9 pints. Put mnore money in your pocket and a lot less in your garbage at ORONO BUILK i-àFOOTDS 5331 MAIN STREET, ORONO 983-1143 We now have CAKE PAN RENTALS Shop at home service - pick-up or 1home delivery ava iable WATCH FOR WEEKLY SPECIALS!!! BALLS RADIO & T.V. REPAIR REPAIRS TO MOSTMAKES» STEREOS, COLOUR AND B&W T.V.s AND V.C.R.s P.O. Box 27 R.R. 2, Orono, Ont. (905) 983-5721 COMPLETE CAR & TRUCK REPAIRS DIESEL ENGINES- CUMMINS, DETROIT & CAT RADIO DISPATCHED TOW TRUCKS MOBILE MECHANICAL SERVICE TRUCK R.R. 1, ORONO, ONTARIO 4 MILES NORTH 0F 401 LOB 1MO ON HWY. 115&35 PHONE (905) 983-9151 MASARU KARATE CLUB SHORIN-RYU Classes for Children and Aduits :NowAvaiIabIe .' .Martial ""Arts Supplies.. Rick Jones, Newtonville 905-786-2793 SERVING DURHAM REGION SINCE 1841 FUNERAL SERVICES PRE-ARRANGED & PREPAID "'Uhfere tProfessiona( Etiquette Lv Important' Funeral Directors Paul R. Morris Robert E. Wîiliams Gary M. Conway Doug R. Rutherford ANSWERING YOUR CALL 24 IIOURS 4 DIVISION ST. BOWMAN VILLE Happenings 0(cnt. Monthly Breast Care Session Free, one-one- one breast self- examination sessions with a trained female health professional are being offered the last Saturday of every month at Memorial Hospital, Bowmanville. Sessions are one hour long. To take advantage of this service, eall MHB's Diagnostic Imaging Department at 623-3331 ext. 5400. The next session is Saturday, September 3th. Camp Samac Art Festival Oshawa Art Association will be holding its Fourteenth Annual Art Show and Sale of Original Artwork of 67 local artists. To be held at Camp Samac Friday, September 22 - Sunday, September 24 Admission is Free.. Book Sale The Clarke Museum and Archives will be holding their Giant Second Book Sale on Saturday, September 30 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Donations of books for the sale may be dropped off at the Museum Tuesday- Sunday from il a.m. - 4 p.m. Card Party Results, The euchre results for the Orono Town Hall: high scores Minnie Taylor 89; Ann Julicher 84; Charlie Campbell, Hazel Murphy and Don Thompson each with 79. Low score Tom Wilson. Draw winners Shirley Gordon, Hazel Murphy, Olive Little, May Tabb, Mary Henderson and Martha Clark. Euchre -is held every Wednesday night at 8 p.m. Lunch supplied. The first card party of the season for the Orono Sr. Cees was also held in the Oddfellows Hall on September 14. There were 5-1/2 tables in play and a total of 8 games were played. Winners George Carson 65; Marie Gîbson 63 and Mary Henderson with 62. Low Charlie Miller. Bingo prize winner Charlie Campbell. October \_12th will the next card party for the Sr. Cees.