Marcoting

Rodrigue left for a trip to Mananjary (that city on the coast that I strongly dislike) on Monday leaving me the only person working in the nursery for three days. I used the time to reorganize our native palms and marcot litchi trees. Marcoting or air layering, for those of you who don’t know, is a simple and effective method of replicating certain varieties of fruit trees. Using a branch of an existing tree, you peel away all the living bark cutting of the supply of water to the leaves on the branch. You then cover the area with something wet and porous (we use moss, thin barks, or manure mixed with sawdust) and secure it with clear plastic. Wait about a month and a half until the branch sends down roots, cut the branch down, cut all the leaves off, and stick it in the dirt. Presto! You got yourself a new tree.
For me, marcoting is a work related excuse to spend the entire day climbing trees and playing with sharp knives. When I was eight, this would have been my dream job. Litchi trees are incidentally extremely fun to climb. The branches are unnaturally strong and flexible meaning I never worry about a branch being able to support my weight. In order to get the best marcots, I have to climb to the highest part of the tree and stick my head out of the canopy to ‘work.’ Typically these trees are occupied by one or more chameleons who eat all the ants and other nasty bugs so I don’t have to worry about that either.
Many of you have written me expressing concern about rodent problem in my house so I thought I would give you an update in the Rat War.

The news from the front is good. Although the Michael-Sharbaraz coalition has been unable to strike any fatal blows to the Rodent Axis, tactics used by the allies have forced enemy forces into a strategic withdrawal to positions beyond the front door. Beginning in February, all food items were sealed in the government issue metal trunk to prevent their capture by the enemy. The rats retaliated by laying waste to a series of dish scrubbies and destroying a wooden cooking spoon. Additionally, the rats initiated ‘Operation Squeaky’ spending all night romping and making noise safe in their attic-fortress trying prevent the other inhabitants of the house from getting any sleep. When neither of these measures was successful, the rats unleashed their most destructive and powerful weapon: poop. Each night axis forces would leave new stink-mines in strategic locations around the house. They focused their efforts on the kitchen and clothing storage areas of the house.
After keeping up their assaults for almost two months the rodents, facing an increasingly large kitten and still without a consistent source of supplies, moved their center of operations else where. Rodrigue and his family have no metal trunk and his home and food supply offered a tempting target for invasion. Others found the oranges falling from the tree behind the house more to their liking. The allies, however, are taking nothing for granted. There is no way to guarantee another invasion will not take place once the oranges run out or Rodrigue’s house becomes too crowded. Next week Sharbaraz will be deployed to counter the infestation at Rodrigue’s while Michael seeks further council at his In-Service Training Conference in Montasoa. Stay tuned for more updates.
In other news, there are new volunteers in the area. The newest set of trainees swore in on the 4th and four of them are being installed in my area. Two are near Farafangana, about 280 kilometers south of me, another is near Ashley and the fourth is near Fianarantsoa. With all the new people, Peace Corps has resurrected the Volunteer Action Committee (VAC). The VAC is a six-member council that meets with the administration three times a year and each committee member is responsible representing the volunteers in his or her region. Last week I was made the VAC representative for South-Central Madagascar. Being a member of the VAC is a honor, and I wish I could say that I had earned it but at this point I am the only volunteer in the area with access to Fianarantsoa (the regional capital) and consistent cell phone coverage so it sort of happened by default. None the less I am really excited about being a VAC member and I take the new responsibility gladly and seriously.
On Friday I will be heading to Montasoa for In-Service Training (IST) and I will be there for the rest of the month. Internet access will likely be spotty so there may not be another post until June (sorry) Hope you are all well, thanks for the letters!!