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July 18, 1985 - The S-s-story of S-s-snakesPage 12A The Suffolk Times July 18, 1985 The S -s -story of S -s- snakes By PAUL STOUTENBURGH Last year when I wrote about snakes, someone told me they couldn't even read the column. The woman said she just had to turn the page. Why is it that some folks just can't have anything to do with snakes? At a recent class I taught, a young high school girl wouldn't even go in the room where a small hog -nosed snake was on display in a fool proof cage. It is certainly hard for people to get over their phobias -- and I can ap- preciate that. Some people can't eat raw clams. Guess it's all how you are brought up. In today's world of comic strips, TV, and sometimes our adult programs, many youngsters and adults are getting a warped idea of how the real world is. The big, bad wolf is a typ- ical example. Wolves, like anything else are not the bad guys they are some- times made out to be. Like all things in the wild, when understood they seem to perform their survival habits in a normal way. So it is with snakes. None are poisonous here on Long Is- land. The last rattler was killed many, many years ago when Long Island was just starting to grow. Today our snake population is only a fraction of what it was years ago. The largest snake here, the black snake, will eat almost any- thing -- with rats and mice high on its list. Surely we can do without those pesty little fellows, especially the rat. The smallest snakes, such as our garter snake, eat mostly insects and there's no doubt about having fewer of those around especially if you are a gardener or even one who likes to sit out on the patio. We've lost many of the natural pre- dators of insects. At one time we had a Focus on Nature lot of swallows and martins that were always busy over our fields and marshes. The only one we have now is the barn swallow. These, along with the various fly catchers the bird world pro- duced, did a pretty good job of keeping the flying insects down. Twenty years ago I had two dozen tree swallow boxes out on our marsh and along the pasture fence to attract the tree swallows. Today there is not one pair of tree swal- lows around. Snakes No Longer Common And so it is with the snakes that at one time were so common throughout the island. There are still some of these wiggly creatures about but far fewer than years ago. Every new home, new road, and new shopping center takes its toll. Just what snake are you likely to find around your home? Probably the one closest to most would be the harmless common milk snake. This chestnut and cream blotched fellow seldom gets larger than two feet and often finds its way down into our cellars. They don't want to be in the limelight but would rather seek the darkness away from people. When cornered, like most snakes it will coil up, wiggle its tail and look fero- cious, but then what would you expect Fabrizio's Restaurant Front St. across from Greenport theater 477 -2494 LUNCHEON SPECIALS Spaghetti wl meatballs .............. ............................... $3.00 Stuffed Shells .................... ............................... $3.25 Eggplant Parmigiana ........... ............................... $3.50 HotAntipasto ................... ............................... $5.00 Lasagna......................... ............................... $3.75 Baked Clams (4) ................. ............................... $3.50 Sausage & Pepper Hero .......... ............................... $3.50 Hamburgerw/fries ................ ............................... $2.50 OPEN DAILY AT 11:30 am FOR LUNCH AND DINNER 0� Kitchen Closed at Only pm Pizza Take -Out Only ta I neadv atm In the Boutique Women's Necklaces and Earrings Hairstylists 10% OFF Men's Haircutting (Barber on premises) • Facials • Ear Piercing • Manicures & Acrylic Nails • Pedicures • Waxing • Eva Gabor Wigs Young's Ave. Southold 765 -1120 (Just South of Mobil Station) Closed Monday Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh TREE SWALLOWS - -Tree swallows were common years ago, but of late none have shown up to occupy my nesting boxes. In the old days, they did a pretty good job of keeping our flying insect population under control. from any wild creature that is cornered by a giant? Scoop it up in a cardboard box and let it go in a remote corner of your yard. Nine times out of 10 you'll never see it again and you've done something worthwhile. You've given it a second chance to do its thing in its natural environment. We should all know the common gar- ter snake. It's a thin sort of olive - colored snake with yellow stripes along its side. It can usually be found along the path or in the garden. It will do as much good in your garden as any bug spray. The only problem is you will usually not be around to see how efficiently it works collecting the insects. The hog -nosed snake, or puff adder, is usually confined to the northern part of our East End. It likes sandy, dry places like the dune areas in Peconic and, of course, the dry and arrid (continued on page 14A) Preparation For First Visit There has to be a first time for everything and that includes your child's first visit to the dentist. Much of the preparation will be up to the parents. Here are some suggestions: Don't give your child the opportunity to hear "neighborhood experiences." It's best to tell a child about a dental visit the night be- fore. Of course, always refer to the dentist as "our friend." Convey the feeling that dental visits are a part of growing up. Don't offer rewards or indicate that there is anything to fear. In fact, such words as hurt, grind, drill, etc., should be eliminated from the dental vocabulary. Say that your dentist intends only to examine and that he will always ex- plain what he is going to do. Make appointment day easy for your child. Make no other plans for him or her that day. If possible, the appointment should be made early in the day. This may be the most difficult advice of all -- but children are usually most cooperative if parents are not in the treatment room. Rest assured, all findings will be discussed with you after the visit. Joseph J. Lizewski D.D.S. Depot Lane, Cutchogue 734 -6290 Custom Column Services Page 14A The Suffolk Times July 18, 1985 75 Years Ago July 16, 1910 Married Again: Greenport people are greatly interested in a little ro- mance in the life of Major W.M. Combs, so well known in Suffolk County. The Major is taking a second honeymoon with the same woman; in other words, he has lately married the woman to whom he was wedded twenty -eight years ago and from whom he has been separated for a long period. The facts of the case, so far as they are stated here, are that shortly sub- sequent to the birth of his daughter he and his wife had an estrangement and separated. The girl turned out to be a charming young woman, but ill health attacked her and she died several weeks ago. The mother and father met at the fun- eral. The had not seen each other for years, but mutual sorrow softened the hearts that had hardened, and a new and better understanding was reached. A few days later they were re- married and are now on a honeymoon. For the past two years Major Combs, who is a professional life insurance man, has been engaged in touring Long Island in the interests of the Mutual Benefit Association of Suffolk County. His many friends here will rejoice with Let's Look Back him in the happy re- union. Successful White Sale: The ladies who have worked so earnestly during the past winter in preparing articles for the White Sale for the benefit of the Eastern Long Island Hospital realized their efforts had not been in vain when they cleared about two hundred and ten dollars last Thursday afternoon on the piazzas of Chequit Inn. Nearly everything was sold, and the members of the Society wish to thank most sincerely the persons who so kindly patronized the sale. The cake and ice cream tables offered the best of their kind from many of the Island homes. At the last meeting of the Society a most sincere vote of thanks was ex- tended to Mr. and Mrs. George W. Crook for their courtesy in permitting the ladies to use the spacious piazzas of Chequit Inn, also to Mr. Gilbert, the florist, for the palms and ferns used in the decoration, and to Messrs. Griffing & Young for their donation and kind assistance on the afternoon of the sale. Agway 50 Years Ago July 19, 1935 $3,500,000,000 in the Hole (an Editorial): Uncle Sam went "in the red" during the fiscal year ending June 30, by about $3,500,000,000. How seri- ous a threat does this constitute to our prosperity? Let us set aside our political ideas, and consider the proposition from a purely business point of view. The national wealth of our country was computed in 1928 to be $360,000,000,000. That wealth has shrunk because of depression, and it is doubtful that it is over two - thirds of that figure today. On that basis, the United States spent 1 1/2 percent of its wealth last year in an effort to recover prosperity. During the four previous years it went into the hole about $6,600,000. So the United States government in five years has gone "in the red" about $10,100,000,000. This represents some- thing over four percent of our national wealth. On the face of it, it is not a very Bug S Sale Great savings now through July 24th 25 watt (covers 3/4 acre) Reg. $44.99 $34^^ N c,. v7 .2,1V Bug Killers • ideal for the patio, porch and outdoor cooking area • operate for just pennies a day (62- 3633,34,35) 50 watt (covers 1 1/3 acres) Reg. $74.99 $59 177 80 watt (covers 1 1/2 acres) Reg. $94.49 $79" Youngs Avenue, Southold 765 -3432 713 Pulaski Street, Riverhead 727 -6690 A G W1. AYF� — Your • • big proportion. But the government might get into a position like that of a man who has some really valuable real estate, but can't sell it, or find anyone willing to make a de- cent bid on it. Such a man is wealthy from one point of view, but might not be able to pay his bills. The final test of a government's abil- ity to pay its bills is not the proportion of the national wealth or income that has been spent, but whether the people will bear the load of taxation without throwing it off. There might come a time when taxation was so heavy that the people would become incensed about it, and lie down and refuse to pay. It Was Hot Friday: According to Superintendent J.C. Back of the Shelter Island and Greenport Ferry Co., who is the Champion Story Teller of the Lowell Thomas Tall Story Club, it was some hot in Greenport last Friday. We all agree that it was hot, but perhaps not quite as hot as Superintendent Back claims. Mr. Back and a helper by the name of A. Ryder, of Shelter Island, were busy painting traffic lines for the ferryboat at the foot of Main Street. Or at least Ryder was doing the painting while Supt. Back bossed the job. Suddenly Mr. Back noticed, accord- ing to his story, that Ryder's shoes were starting to smoke and burn from the heat of the concrete road. Despite the intense heat, Back, fearing that his workman might be burned up, went out in the burning rays of the hot sun and ordered Ryder to seek a shady spot. 25 Years Ago July 15, 1960 Banks Merge: The past weekend saw the merger (marriage) of the First National Bank of Greenport with the Valley Stream National Bank and Trust Co. under the title "Valley Na- tional Bank of Long Island." Three years ago, The First National Bank of Greenport installed the first fast service, drive -in customers window on Eastern Long Island. Focus... (continued from page 12A) stretches of the Pine Barrens in the center part of our island. It is so docile that anyone can pick it up and usually it will hardly resent your handling it. As a matter of fact, this snake is the tamest of all snakes. It is called puff adder because it puffs out its head to make itself look more fierce. Being re- lated to the cobra, you can see how and why it acts as it does. Remember the Indian playing a flute and the cobra all puffed out swaying in front of him? A Four- Footer The black snake is our largest snake, sometimes reaching a length of over four feet. It is a beautiful constrictor that usually stays by itself but occasion- ally you'll find one wandering in your path. Being so big it startles people but give it a moment and it will slither away, wishing for only the chance to find a mouse or rat for dinner. We have pencil -size snakes, like the ring- necked snake that is dark in color with a beautiful yellow ring around its neck. And then there's the worm snake, which is brown in color. You find it in rotted wood and debris on .the forest floor. All make up the harmless and in- teresting and often unappreciated part of the world around us. Occasionally we'll find snakes that live under our back porch or we find them sunning themselves on a particu- lar rock each day in our garden, but mosty snakes are transients looking for food. They are good neighbors, harmless and one of God's creatures, so let them live and try to enjoy having them with us this short time -- for surely their days are limited. {'•ll;e = The Suffolk Times The S -s -story of S- s- snakes It) PAUL STOL TKNRI'RGH 1.:art ve.ar when 1 wrote about snakes. someone. told nie they couldn't even re•:td the column The woman said she List had to turn the page Why is it that �a nie folks Just can't have anything to ,io with snakes.' At a recent class' I :.ought. a young high school girl we�uldn't even go in the room where a ,mall hog - nosed snake was on display on ,i fool proof cage It is certainly hard for people to get ,ver their phobias -- and I can ap- I,i .•(late• that Some people can't eat raw arcs Guess it.s all how you are i•r•wght up In today's world of comic - trips. TV. and sor9[4141rErg. our adult Iai..rrams, many youngsters and adults sir, getting a warped idea of how the real world is. The big. bad wolf is a typ- ical example. Wolves. like anything Ise are not ti ie bad guys they are some- times made out to be. Like all things :n the wild. when understood they seem i„ perform their survival habits in a normal way So it is with snakes. None are poisonous here on Long Is- land The last rattler was killed many, many years ago when Long Island was Just starting to grow. Today our snake population is only a fraction of what it was year ago The largest snake here, the black snake, will eat almost any- thing -- with rats and mice high on its list Surely we can do without those Iirsty little- fellows, especially the rat. The smallest snakes, such as our garter make. eat mostly insects and there's no doubt about having fewer of those :around especially if you are a gardener or even one who likes to sit out on the patio We've lost many of the natural pre - dators of insects. At one time we had a Focus on Nature lot of swallows and martins that were always -busy over our fields and marshes. The only one we have now is the barn swallow. These, along with the various fly catchers the bird world pro- duced, did a pretty good job of keeping the flying insects down. Twenty years ago I had two dozen tree swallow boxes out on our marsh and along the pasture fence to attract the tree swallows. Today there is not one pair of tree swal- lows around. Snakes No Longer Common And so it is with the snakes that at one time were so common throughout the island. There are still some of these wiggly creatures about but far fewer than years ago. Every new home, new road, and new shopping center takes its toll. Just what snake are you likely to find around your home? Probably the one closest to most would be the harmless common milk snake. This chestnut and cream blotched fellow seldom gets larger than two feet and often finds its way down into our cellars. They don't want to be in the limelight but would rather seek the darkness away from people. When cornered, like most snakes it will coil up, wiggle its tail and look fero- cious, but then what would you expect y_ tnutttnnumuuntuuuuunnituuututnmunnumtuuututunuuumutumtuuuutntuttauumttutnttttwxttttutnp Fabrizio's Restaurant Front St. across from Greenport theat,;Q477 -2494 2F ? s LUNCHEON SPECIALS Spaghetti wimeathalis Stuffed Shell% Eggplant Parmigiana Ilot Antipasto Lasagna Baked ('lams(4I Sausage & Pepper Ilero Hamburger wttries muuunnuulmuipttl 11111110 FOOD OPEN DAILY AT 11:30 am FOR LUNCH AND DINNER Kitchen Closed at 10 pm Pizza Take -Out Only $3.00 $3.25 $3.50 $5.00 $3.75 $3.50 $3.50 $'2.50 E jnita's beauN Salon In the Boutique" Necklaces and Earrings 10% OFF Women's Hairstylists Men's Haircuttin (Barber on premises) July 18, 1985 Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh TREE SWALLOWS - -Tree swallows were common years ago, but of late none have shown up to occupy my nesting boxes. In the old days, they did a pretty good job of keeping our flying insect population under control. from any wild creature that is cornered by a giant? Scoop it up in a cardboard box and let it go in a remote corner of your yard. Nine times out of 10 you'll never see it again and you've done something worthwhile. You've given it a second chance to do its thing in its natural environment. We should all know the common gar- ter snake. It's a thin sort of olive - colored snake with yellow stripes along its side. It can usually be found along the path Pssst... Interested in someth 1 ng shady9 Frohn hocfer or in the garden. It will do as much good in your garden as any bug spray. The only problem is you will usually not be around to see how efficiently it works collecting the insects. The hog -nosed snake, or puff adder, is usually confined to the northern part of our East End. It likes sandy, dry places like the dune areas in Peconic and, of course, the dry and arrid (continued on page 14A) `'Vie�r/s On ® Dental Healtlj by Dr. Joseph Lizewski ic====o4 Preparation For First Visit There has to be a first time for everything and that includes your child's first visit to the dentist. Much of the preparation will be up to the parents. Here are awlue suggestions: Don't give your child the opportunity to hear "neighborhood experiences." It's best to tell a child about a dental visit the night be- fore. Of course, always refer to the dentist as "our friend." Convey the feeling that dental visits are a part of growing up. Don't offer rewards or indicate that there is anything to fear. In fact, such words as hurt, grind, drill, .etc., should be eliminated from the dental vocabulary. Say that your dentist intends only to examine and that he will always ex- plain what he is going to do. Make appointment day easy foa' your child. Make no other plans for him or her that day. If possible, the apppintment should be nude early in the day. This may be the most difficult advice of all -- but children are usually most cooperative if parents are not in the treatment room. Rest assured, all findings will be discussed with you alter the visit. piazzas of ('hequit. Inn. Nearly everything was sold, and the members of (he Society wish to thank most sincerely the persons who so kindly patronized the sale. The cake and ice cream tables aff re a hest of their kind from ma of the Island homes. At the last meeting of the Society a most sincere vote of thanks was ex- tended to Mr. and Mrs. George W. Crook for their coutt.esy in permitting the ladies to use the spacious piazzas of Chequit Inn, also to Mr. Gilbert, the florist, for the palms and ferns used in the decoration, and to .Messrs. Griffing & Young for their donation and kind assistance on the afternoon of the sale. Agway Slugger Sale ,.. ...,... . i . ... .. a.a .. M.. a.u• ideas, and . consider the proposition from a purely business point of view. The national wealth of our country was computed in 1928 to be $360,000,000,000. That wealth has shrunk because of depression, and it is doubtful that it is over two - thirds of that figure today. On that basis, the United States spent 1 1/2 percent of its wealth last year in an effort to recover prosperity. During the four previous years it went into the hole about $6,600,000. So the United States government in five years has gone "in the red" about $10,100,000,000. This represents some- thing over four percent of our national wealth. On the face of it, it is not a very ;s now through July 24th 0 7 Bug Killers • ideal for the patio, porch and outdoor cooking area • operate for just pennies a day (62- 3633,34,35) 50 Watt (covers 11/3 acres) Reg. $74.99 80 watt (covers 11/2 acres) Reg. $94.49 $5999 $799' 5-3432 727 -6660 • ltiic� l� Lne people wouia oecome Incense° about it, and lie down and refuse to pay. It Was Hot Friday: According to Superintendent J.C. Back of the' Shelter Island and Greenport Ferry Co., who is the Champion Story Teller of the Lowell Thomas Tall Story Club, it was some hot in Greenport last Friday. We all agree that it was hot, but perhaps not quite as hot as Superintendent Back claims. Mr. Back and a helper by -the -name of A. Ryder, of Shelter Island, were busy painting traffic lines for the ferryboat at the foot of Main Street. Or at least Ryder was doing the painting while Supt. Back bossed the job. Suddenly Mr. Back noticed, accord- ing to his story, that Ryder's shoes were starting to smoke and burn from the heat of the concrete road. Despite the intense heat, Back, fearing that his workman might be burned up, went out in the burning rays of the hot sun and ordered Ryder to seek a shady spot. 25 Years Ago July 15, 1960 Banks Merge: The past weekend saw the merger (marriage) of the First National Bank of Greenport with the Valley Stream National Bank and Trust Co. under the title "Valley Na- tional Bank of Long Island." Three years ago, The First National Bank of Greenport installed the first fast service, drive -in customers window on Eastern Long Island. Focus... (continued from page 12A) stretches of the Pine Barrens in the center part of our island. It is so docile that anyone can pick it up and usually it will hardly resent your handling it. Asa matter of fact, this snake is the tamest of all snakes. It is called puff adder because it puffs out its head to make itself look more fierce. Being re- lated to the cobra, you can see how and why it acts as it does. Remember the Indian playing a flute and the cobra all puffed out swaying in front of him? A Four - Footer The black snake is our largest snake, sometimes reaching a length of over four feet. It is a beautiful constrictor that usually stays by itself but occasion- ally you'H find one wandering in your path. Being so big it startles people but give it a moment and it will slither away, wishing for only the chance to find a mouse or rat for dinner. We have pencil -size snakes, like-the ring - necked snake that is dark in color with a beautiful yellow ring around its neck. And then there's the worm snake, which is brown in color. You find it in rotted wood and 'debris on the forest floor. All make up the harmless and in- teresting and often unappreciated part . of the world around us. Occasionally we'll find snakes that live under our back porch or we find them sunning themselves on a particu- lar rock each day in our garden, but mosty snakes are transients looking for food. They are good neighbors, harmless and one of God's creatures, so let them live and try to enjoy having them with us this short time -- for surely their days are limited. • 1 ra.nung Local homeowners will have the opportunity to beautify and permanently eliminate outside house painting with.the 1985 in- sulated Alcoa Solid Vinyl Siding at limited discounts to create neighborhood interest in the durable insulated siding never needing painting. Offer expires two weeks from this publication date. Economy - minded home- owners desiring to beautify and permanently improve their prop- erty the modern way, may qual- ify for limited offer discounts by telephoning the authorized con- tractors, National Vinyl Prod- ucts of Greenport at 477- 2871. Unlike old- fashioned sidings which dent, discolor and require expensive repainting and repair, the new woodgrain Solid Vinyl has 36 times the color, is almost 25 percent thicker and now comes in new colonial colors. "Since - the -- -color is - elear- through, you don't have to worry about nicks, scratches or chips, and it will not warp or conduct electricity • like aluminum," Changing Times Magazine re- ported to American homeown- ers. While it may cost more, it lasted at least 30 percent longer than other sidings, the Washington -based magazine disclosed. Designed to give the home the natural beauty of freshly painted wood, without defects of repainting, the Solid Vinyl .panels are installed by factory- trained specialists right over wood, stucco, cement or shing- les. Money- saving is also pro- vided with a half -inch insulation blanket nailed to the wall before the siding is installed. Unlike paint, the building maintains this appearance per- manently, warranteed by the manufacturer for 40 years. Homeowners desiring to qualify for this money - saving offer should telephone immediately 477 -2871 since this offer is li- mited. Call any time, operator on duty. Bank Budget Plan Available. PAID ADVERTISEMENT