Eye Appeal High,
So Are Demands
Gloxinia takes a little
more tender loving care
than most plants, but
it's worth the effort.
Hardly any houseplant
can match this one for
showy eye appeal.
Here are some help
ful hints from
Agricultural Extension
Service specialists at
North Carolina State
University that may
help make your exper
ience with gloxinias a
successful one:
Selection of soil is im
portant. Plants do best
in a soil mixture that
contains at least 50 per
cent organic matter.
One successful potting
medium includes by
volume, one part soil,
two parts peat moss and
one part perlite.
Most gloxinias are
started from tubers.
Tubers that measure
one and one-half inches
across should be potted
in five-inch pots, larger
tubers should be potted
in larger containers
with the concave side
up.
The tuber is set in
place and just enough of
the mix is added to
barely cover it. The
final step is watering to
the point of saturation.
Now plant the pot in a
warm location, ideally
over bottom heat.
Newly potted plants
may require watering
every three to fouc days.
More mature plants
may.require watering
more frequently. Never
allow the soil to become
dry and hard.
After the plants start
leaf growth, fertilization
should begin. Use a high
analysis liquid fertilizer
such as 20-20-20. Follow
manufacturer's recom
mendations. Fertilize
established plants every
five to six weeks when
actively growing. Over
fertilization results in
stunted plants, burned
or dried leaf margins
and wilted or even dead
plants.
Gloxinias should be
grown in a temperature
range of 65 to 70
degrees.
Place gloxinias near a
south or west window
during the winter. Too
little light causes
"leggy" plants. Plants
should be protected
from direct sunlight af
ter May 1.
Gloxinia plants should
be given a short rest in
the fall. As soon as the
leaves die, repot tubers
for the rest period. Pot
ted tubers can be kept in
a dark place until the
new growth appears.
Water the soil enough to
prevent the plant from
wilting. The rest period
varies from several
weeks to two months.
When regrowth begins,
the entire cycle is re
peated.
Courthouse Squares
\f BUMPER STICKERS
always stay on
LONGEP WWEK1 A
CANDIDATE WINS.
Warren County 4-H'ers who participated in the
North Central District 4-H Day held Saturday at the
Agricultural Extension Office in Tarboro are shown
above, left to right They are Ivan Alston, Sharon
Jefferson, Chrissandra Henderson, Clarissa
Mayfield, Reginald Pierce, Jackie Mayfield, Wan
da Seward, Michele Durham, Lynnette Barnes and
Valerie Sims. The theme of the evening wu com
munication!, including Interpersonal com
munication, cultural arts, radio, TV, newswrittng
and being ambassadors for 4-H. The next district
retreat will be held at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp
near Reldsville on April 12-14.
(Extension Photo by Woolard)
Save On Winter Heating Costs
Give your house a
quick once-over before
it gets too cold and look
for cracks and joints
where winter can seep
in. Plug these with
caulk. It is an effective
way to keep heating
costs down, according to
Agricultural Extension
Service specialists at
North Carolina State
University.
Caulking should be
used where two dif
ferent materials or two
parts of the house meet,
the specialists explain.
Such areas would in
clude the joints between
window frames and
siding, spacing between
window sills and siding,
cracks between porches
and the main body of the
house, and cracks where
chimney or masonry
meets the siding.
Estimating the num
ber of cartridges of
caulking compound you
will need is not easy,
since the amount will
vary with the size of
cracks to be filled. But
rough estimates are a
half cartridge per win
dow or door, four car
tridges for the foun
dation sill and two car
tridges for a two-story
chimney.
It doesn't take much
skill to apply caulking.
But before .starting you
will need to clean the
area to be caulked.
Remove paint buildup,
dirt or old caulking
materials with a
caulking solvent, a putty
knife or large screw
driver.
Drawing a good bead
of caulk may take a lit
tle practice but
whatever you do, make
sure the bead overlaps
both sides for a tight
seal.
You can fill extra wide
cracks with oakum,
glass fiber insulation
strips or similar ma
terials. In those places
where you can't quite
fill the .gaps, finish the
job with caulk.
Caulking compounds
come in rope form, also.
You can fill extra long
cracks easily this way.
Just unwind the caulk
ing compound and force
it into the cracks with
your fingers.
There are three basic
types of caulking ma
terials. Those with an oil
or resin base, those with
a latex, butyl or poly
vinyl base and those of
the elastomeric group.
The oil or resin base
caulking materials are
readily available. They
have a life expectancy
of 5 to 10 years. Oil or
resin base caulking
materials will bond to
most surfaces. They
have a tendency to
shrink, become brittle
and fall out.
The second type of
caulking materials are
the latex, butyl or poly
vinyl based compounds.
They are more durable
and expensive than oil
or resin base types. This
group has good
resistance to
weathering and should
last roughly 10 years.
A third type of caulk
ing material, the elasto
meric caulks, are the
more durable and the
most expensive. This
group includes silicones,
polysulfides and poly
urethanes. They offer
excellent weather
resistance and could
last 20 years or more.
Some caulking com
pounds are tinted to
match various house
stains. However, most
people still use caulks
that are white, light
gray or tan.
Want Ads
LOST
LOST: SMALL BLUE
tackle box at Nocarva
Marina. Reward. Call
257-1932 after 3 p. m.
OA. It, UK.
FREE
GIVE AWAY: 2 KIT
tens and one cat. Need a
new home, 257-2269.
Oct *<
OPPORTUNITY
NOTICE
Warren County De
partment of Social Ser
vices will accept appli
cations for the position
of Eligibility Specialist I
through November 7,
1984. Worker in this
position interviews in
dividuals seeking assist
ance from the public
assistance, medical
assistance or food
stamp programs, main
tains the caseload and
performs reviews.
THOUGHT FOR
FOOD by GOULD CROOK
Honey Muffins
'/* cup margarine
Vi cup honey or sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cooked Riceland Rice
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups sifted all-purpose
flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
I tsp. salt
'/: tsp. baking soda
Beat margarine and honey
(or sugar) until light. Add
eggs and rice and continue
beating 2 to 3 minutes. Add
milk and dry ingredients that
have been sifted together. Stir
with spoon only until well
blended. Fill greased muffin
pan Vt full. Bake at 400° for
20 minutes, or until done. Re
move from pan at once. Yields
1 dozen muffins.
If homemade pickles
are shriveled, too much
salt, sugar or vinegar
may have been used at
the beginning of the
pickling process. Stick
to standardized recipes
for best results.
Minimum education and
experience: High School
graduation and three
years clerical or para
professional experien
ce; or graduation from
high school and two
years experience within
a social services eligi
bility program; or an
equivalent combination
of education and exper
ience. Appointment is
made from a competi
tive service register of
persons tested by the
stgate personnel
systems. Information
and applications can be
secured from the local
office at 538 W. Ridge
way St., Warrenton, N.
C. Warren County is an
Equal Opportunity Em
ployer.
Oct M.31-C.
NEED TO LOSE
weight? Learn about a
no-nonsense, healthy
weight-control program
that really works! Let
us show you how to lose
weight and maintain the
loss. Call Mrs. Perry at
257-2120 or Miss Patsy
Alston at 257-3052.
SeptJMfc
/•
WARREN COUNTY
ambulance EMT must
possess a valid N. C.
driver's license and
must be an N. C. certi
fied EMT. Applications
may be obtained at the
ambulance office at 201
East Macon Street at
the Warren County Jail,
Warrenton, N. C.
Warren County is an
equal opportunity em
ployer.
Oct. 24,31-c.
HOME HEALTH
nurse, MedVisit, Inc.
has a full time position
for a registered nurse to
work in Vance, Gran
ville and Warren Coun
ty. Excellent benefits.
Day time position with
some calls. Apply at
MedVisit, Inc., Ruin
Creek Rd., Henderson,
N. C. 1-800-682-6670.
Oct. M, Jl-c.