Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / May 7, 1987, edition 1 / Page 8
Part of The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Agriculture .Questions and answers ^>n your spring garden Q How do I handle gerberas? A. I'm so glad you want to. Gerbe ; ras have become quite popular in the summer border. Jewel tones of each daisy-like bloom stand out with par titular brilliance. I winter-over ger beras in a cool greenhouse and re plant them in the garden after the ground has warmed up. During sum " mer feed them once a month with cow-manure tea or 5-10-5. Gerberas like soil that is a little on the alkaline side, so mulch with wheat straw, not pine straw. Last year, after a long period of drought (period? it never stopped!) my gerberas looked tired. I scratched some dried chicken ma nure into the soil around them, gave them a big drink of water, and they took right off. Q. How long can I count on my 12 year old asparagus bed? A. Pretty long. Now, if shoot pro , . dyction was reduced in your aspara gus bed compared to former years, ? indications are you need to replant. ..With good management, however, asparagus beds should produce for at least 25 years. Fertilize bed after pro duction has stopped, mulch well to keep out weeds, and provide regular "v tnolsture Q. Why does one of my crab apples have so many suckers? A. First of all, crab apples sucker easily, and require gentle removal of sprouts from time to time. Since only one of yours is producting too many suckers, the problem may be root damage from compaction, or the trees may be too top heavy, which is unusual. You can prune judiciously, removing heavy boughs, and any that are making contact with an other. Check the soil. Crab apples like a little acidity. Q. What can I plant under my shade trees that will stay pretty and green? A. Periwinkle, that's what. Vinca minor has dark green leaves with beautiful 'periwinkle blue'; flowers in the spring. Some varieties have white or purple flowers, but I like the Mae best. Periwinkle spreads by ' creeping roots that will soon blanket "? whole area. NCSU horticultural specialists suggest planting nine plants to a square yard in soil that has been loosened with well-rotted manure. Keep watered while the plants are establishing themselves. Q. My Red Bays have developed yellow tips on their leaves. A. Not to worry, says Dr. Vince Bellis, biologist at East Carolina. Ob j viously your Bays had an overdose of salt spray lately. While on a field trip in March in Nags Head Woods, Dr. B. -pointed out that Red Bay, a.k.a. Swamp Red Bay, Sweet Bay, Laurel Tree, has the ability to move salt con tent in its moisture ingestion to the end of the leaf and right on out. This ability makes Red Bays a fine Specimen for the seaside garden, used as both a hedge and a wind break. ?Q. How large an area will a three cubic foot bag of bark mulch cover? "A. Dick Allen at State says that that much mulch will cover an 18 square foot area with two inches of mulch. Q. I'd like to raise bees here in N.C. A. You'd be in good company, Dr. John T. Ambrose at State says there are about 20,000 beekeepers in the state. Two to three dozen are com mercial operators, but the remainder are hobbyists. The number of colo nies of honeybees is 190,00 third larg est in the nation. Contact your county extension agent for information on this engros sing hobby. I don't do bees. But I can tel you what they like to eat. There are some plants that are so attractive to bees they are caled "Bee Plants," says Dr. J. In North Carolina, the most important sources of nectar and pollen ar the tulip, or yelow, popular. In the coastal plain gallsberries (Ilex glabra) are equally important. Other great bee paints are clover, goldenrod, black locust, sourwood, maple, tupelo, sweet corn, candelion, redbud, cherry, plum, peach, holly, bee balm (Monarda), aster, and se dum. Q. When do I fertilize fescue? A. You are too late, May was your deadline. Tsk, tsk. Fescue will stop growing when temperatures get too hot. If the plants are forced to grow by applying fertilizer at the wrong time, the lawn will become suscepti ble to various diseases, says Kim Powell at State. And it be all your fault. Q. Can I prune my leggy nandina? A. Only if you promise to do it right. Prune one stem at a time, some very low, some higher up, stag gering the heights of the cuts so growth will fill in at different heights. Do this as soon as possible so you won't lose the advantage of showy red berries in the fall. Q. Some suggestions, please, on white flowers to plant now for my garden wedding in July. A. Sounds elegant. Horticulturist Joe Love sugests ageratum, bego nias, petunias, portulaca, verbena, salvia, sweet allysum, cleome, globe amaranth, hibiscus, and asters. Plant white spires of gladiolus in the background, along with some tall snapdragons. Fill shady areas with green and white caladiums and white impatiens. Incorporate silver-leafed plants such as dusty miller and lamb's ears. Cut back hybrid tea roses about 60 days before the nup tials, and check with other rose grow ers in your area for advice on getting roses to the "church on time. Best wishes as you walk down that long green aisle. Don't trip on the snapdragons. 10% OFF ALL MOTHER'S DAY GIFTS Quality Clothing US 17 HERTFORD Pictured above is Brenda Allen, Leadership Development Specialist of North Carolina State University. Ms. Allen is pictured here as she makes her presentation during the re cent Minority Leadership Development Seminar. The semi nar was held last weekend (April 25) at the Perquimans Ex tension Service building in Hertford. The seminar was viewed as a big success by all who attended. Correction The cutline under the first picture on page one of last week's Perqui mans Weekly read incorrectly. The lady making the presentation in the picture was not Gloria Mitchell, but Caterpillars By STANLEY J. WINSLOW County Est. Director The nearly annual visitation of the Eastern Tent Caterpillar is upon us. The Extension Office is being bom barded with calls concerning this nui sance. Don't be alarmed? while this pest is very noticeable and annoying, it is fairly short lived and will be gone soon. The Eastern Tent Caterpillar has been observed in America since 1646. In recent years, it has made an an nual appearance in Perquimans County; stripping shade trees, swamps and generally bothering ev eryone who has any trees in their yard. It will attack wild cherry, apples, peach and plum, but it seems to love our tupelo gum; so much so that it has been known to completely strip all the gum trees in a swamp of their leaves. It will also feed on oak, willow and maple, but only as a sec ond choice. This insect passes the winter as a dark-brown collar-like mass of eggs attached to and often encircling small twigs. These egg masses are about % inch long by Vi inch in diam eter and contain several hundred eggs. They have a shiny varnished appearance. The eggs hatch in early spring as soon as the tree leaves be gin to unfold. The caterpillars gather Continued on page nine. FARM T BUREAU Insurance ? ? For Farm Barm Member* ? ? ? Lewis B. Evans AGENCY MANAGER Pat Ward Jeff L Smith AGENT AGENT 426-3636 426-7401 Church Street Ext. Hertford, N.C. NOTICE OP RIGHT TO NOMINATE BY PETITION ,J The Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) is accepting nominations for County Committee elections for Perquimans/Chowan Area Commit tee. This notice is issued to inform eligible voters of the rights to nominate candidates by petition. Copies of the petition and instructions on its completion can be obtained from your local FmHA office. Persons nominated should be currently engaged in the operation of a farm, have their principal farming operation within the County or area in which activities of the County or area Committee are carried out, derive the principal parts of their income from farming (that is more than 50 percent of their gross income must come from (agricultural produc tion), be a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted to tfte United State for permanent residence, not have an FmHA insured or guaranteed loan, and be well qualified for committee work. Nomi nations must be received in the Hertford Office no later than June 10, 1987. FmHA committee elections are open to all eligible voters without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, political affiliation, marital status, sex, and/or handicap. Dr. Brenda Allen, Leadership Devel opment Specialist, North Carolina State University. We regret the error. Bases of U.S. affluence 11 The farmer and the abundant sup ply of food he produces is the basis oo which we have been able to build the world's highest standard of living. How have farmers done this? There are several basic reasons: First, farmers have freed man power. At the time of the American Resolution, this was a nation of farm ers. Even SO years ago, over one fourth of all Americans werA farm ers. At present, less than three per cent feed our nation while sharing around a third of their production with other countries. The remaining millions of people in America have been freed to produce other goods and services. Second, farmers have freed time. The average work week around SO years ago was 50-410 hours compared to 35-40 hours now. Many things have helped, but you can be sure that if food, fiber and shelter were still cost ing 80 percent of consumer spending, workers could not have reduced their work week. Third, farmers have freed income. Fifty years ago the average Ameri can had to spend around 70-80 per cent of his income on the basic re quirements of life ? food, clothing and shelter. Today these essentials take approximately 60 percent. Fourth, farmers have freed space. When we were a nation of 107 million people, 350 million acres were re quired to grow our food and fiber. In recent years, we have harvested less than 300 million acres and our pop ulation has more than doubled. These benefits? income, time, space and better use of manpower? have all been vital to improving the 0 quality of life for every member of society. Who benefits most? Generally, we in America feel that he would makes progress possible should be rewarded for it. But the farmer? the man who has really made our improved level of living possible, often does not share propor tionally in the profits. The real beneficiary of our great agricultural progress in the Ameri can consumer.. .the average Ameri can who feeds himself only about 16 percent of his after-tax income. In this world in which we live, this is in deed a miracle. Surely, the one who produced the miracle should share more equitably in it. Homemakers calendar May 13 and 14? Country Painting Class? County Extension Office? 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Instructor from Currituck County. For information and if interested call 426-7697. May 28 ? Quick Point Christmas Ornament? Instructor? Mrs. Midge Stuller. TRY CLASSIFIEDS! 'For qualified applicants financing a General Electric major appliance on a GECC Revolving Charge Plan. After this period, 18% Annual Percentage Rate Finance Charge accrues with $0 Minimum Finance Charge. 17 7 co tl capacity. 5 01 CU ft freezer Food Saver System helps keep food fresher longer with sealed high-humtdity pan Sealed snach pack Energy Sav6r Switch Equipped for optional iceinafcer M.Kiel JBS03J Rotary infinite heat sunace unit controls T ill -lock Calrod* surface units Remov able oven door Full width storage drawer Model GSD600G Temperature Sensor System 10-year full warranty on PermaTuf* tub and door liner (ask (or details) &level wash action Energy saver drying option ^ ^ Model CB15DK Temperature Monitor warns you ot warm freezer terrperature Removable sliding basket Adjustable temperature control Built-in lock Efficient urethane foam insulation Only 46 V wide Interior light Up-front defrost drain r was | NOW 479.95 399.95 80.00 Model JEM5 IF Wide 8 cu It cavity U?e on countertop or hang from wall cabinet Word Prompt ing Display Touch to opan door latch Time Cook 1 & 2 lets you set two power levels within one time cook program Auto .Roast end *uto Defrost tO Power Levels ?a<va SAVE 40.00 Model JE 1465 Dual Wave II"* microwave system Word Prompting Display provides programming instructions Time Cook 1 A 2 Temp Cook/Hold maintains temperature until CLEAR/OFF is touched Auto Cook. Auto Detrost and Auto Roast Cooking Complete Reminder Removable Double Duty" shelf 14cu ft oven cavity Model WWA3100Q Regular wath cycta Two wMh/rinM t*mp?ratur? s??*ction? tnfgy Nvinf cold wtt ?r Hon FJM?f-no* Wtaring ?y Mm Mod* Docnow 3 cyclas including automatic parmanan* prasi and knlta 4 drying salactions including no-haat air- Huff Smooth porcalain ana mai drum -? 0? ah.** I UWAS 399.95 1 Si- I WW urn bad JSSLSSM MORE THAN A PRODUCT THf GF ANSWER CENTER S#'VC? 000 626 2000 Conv?n??nl Cred>1 Written Warranty ^ 1 ? ' *f urt?'f Help Prompt Retiebie Service_ *> ? ' *'? ' Gul'in'ff ' GE. We bring good things to life. "" Hartford Motor Co. ? US 17 South Hertford N.C.
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 7, 1987, edition 1
8
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75