University of South Carolina Libraries
» I Vv '*■ ' THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., July 10, 1969—5-B Farms and Folks xxvxx-x xxvx:-r : r Beetles HICKORY TAVERN RECREATION FACILITY — Shown above is Tom Huffman, president of the Hickory Tavern recreation facilities. In the background is shown a very fine swimming pool, the bath houses, which include a nice meeting room, kitchen and rest room facilities. Shown is a shuffl'eboard course, car pet golf course, and other facilities. The community has invested approx imately $65,000. Those who use the facilities are members and pay a family fee of $80 a year. A loan was secured from the Farmers Home Ad ministration and is due to run for 40 years. Loans are available to other communities who are interested. Ac cording to Mr. Huffman this is a very fine addition to their young and growing community. Hickory Tavern Builds Center For Recreation BY M. L, OUTZ County A^nt Hickory Tavern young people are enjoying the heat. The new recreation facility which includes a 30 by 70 swim ming pool is certainly being used these hot afternoons. A few interested citizens in the community conceived the idea of borrowing the money and fi nancing the roject a few years back. The county FHA Office was contacted and it was found that the government did loan money for constructing recreation fa cilities. An organization was formed with a board of directors. Approximately $65,000 wis borrowed for the construction of a swimming pool, bath house, carpet golf, and shuffleboard. In addition, a very nice picnic shed has been constructed with ma terials ready to build a barbe cue facility. Tom Huffman, Agriculture teacher and President of the or ganization says the facility has meant a great deal to the com munity. Tom explained that the bath house was constructed in such a way that a very nice meet ing room was built and is used by the Lions Club and other or ganizations in the community. I asked Tom about the organi zation and membership. “We have nine directors, six men and three women, and of course, secretary and treasur- Membership fees are $80 a year per family. No new mem bers can join with out the con sent of the board members. Ac cording to Tom it is well worth it. I believe it. I was there about 2:30 p.m. last Monday and the temperature was between 95 and 100 and there were 67 children in the pool. The club has a total of five acres and has plans to construct ball parks alongwith other facili ties. I am sure the people of Hick ory Tavern are enjoying their new facility and certainly deserve a lot of credit for going through with the program and providing such a fine recreation facility for their young people. I called John Patterson, FHA Supervisor, to see if money was abailable for other communities and he says that it was available to those interested. I am sure there are other communities in Laurens County who should ex plore this opportunity and see if it could be possible to make a- vailable to their community a similar recreation facility. It must be nice to have such for a young family to grow up with. John Simmons delivered the first cotton bloom to our office. Congratulations to John and his cotton crew. Carlton Pitts was telling me that he had found two weevils in a square. That means there are plenty of them out there. Let’s do the job now. I am saying if you haven’t kept up with it then you should do your best to knock them out before they start a new gen eration. Insects and Diseases - For re commendations to control insects or diseases in lawns, orna mentals, or garden vegetables call the County Extension Of fice at 984,0021 or write 219 Lau rens St Japanese " BY HAROLD ROGERS Assistant Extension Editor CLEMSON — An upstate gar dener called his county agent recently and wanted to know, “what can I do about these Ja panese beetles?” He had a good question. This little import, a beautiful bug that seems to eat everything in sight during the growing sea son, is really hitting in some a- reas of S.C. And it looks like it’s going to cover the state. “This seems to be a foregone conclusion, that all of the state will be infested sooner of later," says W. C. Nettles, Extension’s principal specialist in entomol ogy and pathology. He suggests looking to control measures for coping with the pest The beetle is named • for its country of origin. It’s been in the U.S. at least since 1916, dis covered first in New Jersey. It has shown a steady rate of mi gration across the eastern states, spreading into the South and east ward as far as Missouri. Border areas have been more seriously affected in this state. County agents in the northern tier of Pickens, Oconee, Green ville, Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties have chartered a steady spread southward, noting pro gress of invasion by the phone calls from frustrated growers. “Oconee County has been hit expecially hard," says Nettles. On the eastern rim of the state, Marlboro, Dillon, Florence and Marion Counties have been in fested, with some invasions in Lancaster and Horry. McCor mick County is also Japanese beetle country, as is a cluster of counties made up of Aiken, Lexington and Richland. The pretty little pests look much like a June bug. Nettles describes them as “a little less than a half-inch long, shiny, metallic green, with cop- perty-brown wings.” Males and females have the same markings, but males usually are slightly smaller. The period of greatest activi ty is in the growing season, four to six weeks, then they disap pear. During this time, the fe male burrows into ground to lay eggs from which grubs appear next season. Grubs feed onroots and underground stems of plants, particularly grasses. They could be the source of a lot of lawn troubles, although the Clemson entomologist says “we haven’t seen as much of this in the state as in others." The adults will feed on almost everything -- a list covers more than 275 different plants - but they do have preferences. One of their choices is fruit. “They will attack fruit of plants exposed to bright sunlight,” says Nettles, “massing on ripening fruits and feeding until nothing edible is left. ” They seldom touch unripe fruit. “They also congregate and feed on flowers,” he adds, “and they seriously injure corn by eating the silk as fast as it grows.” This keeps the kernels from forming. When the beetles attack foliage, such as bean or other leaves, they chew out the tissue between the veins, leaving a lacy skele ton, a pattern suggesting orien tal design. Control is possible, but rather demanding because of heavy and repeated infestation. For home gardens Extension suggests three insecticides: Sevin, Malathion and Methoxychlor. Insturctions for usage will be on the label, and they should be followed to the letter. County agents also have information on this. * * * BOLL WEEVIL Boll Weevil Reports - Reports are coming to the office of high infestation of boll weevil in the Laurens Community. We recom mend that farmers check their fields constantly and bring these insects under control. Recom mendations are available at our office. Trail Ride Is Planned By County 4-H BY THAD REEVES Assistant County Agent A trail ride is being planned for Laurens County in conjunc tion with the 4-H Clubs. The date for the ride will be Saturday, July 19, and it will be held on U.S. Forest Service land below Clinton. The base for the trail ride will be the hunt camp at the Brick House Crossroads on Hwy. 66. We are planning to meet at the Hunt Camp at 9:30 a.m. and ride a trail before lunch. After lunch at the Hunt Camp, which must be furnished by the individual, we will ride another trail. The trail ride is open to any one regardless of age. The only requirement is that you bring your own horse. Anyone interest ed in going on this ride please caU the Laurens County Exten sion Office at 984-3021. We would be glad to have you come along. Farm Market News BY M. L. OUTZ County Agent VEGETABLES Green Beans, BU HPR, $4-5 Okra No. 1, BU BKT, $8-8.50 Field Peas, BU HPR, $2.50-3 Squash No. 1, BU, $4-4.50 Pinks Tomatoes, BU, $5-7 GRAIN Easley Market Wheat, $1.20 Oats, $.70 Barley, $.90 HOGS Columbia Market Choice No. 1’s, Steady $24.75 CATTLE Columbia Market GC CH Butcher S&H, $29-44, Good GD CH Veal Calves, $35-41. TIPS FROM CLEMSON HOME & Q. How often and how much should I water my lawn? A. For most conditions, one inch of water per week is ade quate, especially for Bermuda, Zoysia and other warm-season grasses. Two common grasses, fescue and bluegrass are very susceptible to most hot weather diseases. They should have one to two inches of water every couple of weeks, when the temperature is no higher than the low 80’s. Apply water at one setting, slow enough to prevent run-off and ex cessive puddling. A common mis take is to apply small amounts of water at a fast rate. -- C. V. Privette, assistant Extension specialist, agricultural engi neering. Q. When is the proper time to dig King Alfred Daffodils and Darwin tulips to move to a new location for blooming next spring. Mrs. E. L. R., Greenville. A. King Alfred Daffodils can be dug just as soon as the tops die down. Tulips are more exacting and should be dug as soon as the bulb coat is light brown in color. Bulb coat color can be determin ed by making periodic examina tions after tops die. After dig ging, shake loose soil from the clumps and spread them out to dry as rapidly as possible. Avoid dry ing in direct sunlight. A dry cel lar with subdued light is best for tulips. -- E. V. Jones, assist ant Extension specialist, horti culture. Q. I had an English Walnut tree to die from leaf spot. What’s the cause and cure? Mrs. C. B., Slater. A. English Walnut trees are not generally grown in S. C., there fore we have no information on the kinds of diseases that would attack them. Leaf spots are symptons of diseases which may be caused by different micro organisms or by other things such as nutritional deficiency or en vironmental damage. We would have to examine some of the leaves before attempting to sug gest a cure. -- F. H. Smith, as sociate Extension specialist, pathology. Q. My children are frequently bringing in insects and wanting to know what they are. How can I get them identified. A. Try the general referent* books, or one of the low-cost manuals which have illustrations on insects. Most common damag ing insects can be identified ty County Extension Agents, who have close liason with specialists here at Clemson University. A bulletin, "Collection and Preser vation of Insects," is for sale by the Superintendent of Docu ments, USDA, Washington, D.C., for 20 cents. It should be help ful in identification. -- W. C, Nettles, principal Extension spe cialist, entomology and plant pathology. The self-made man is often something less than perfect as a designer. Banish those worries! I can help you with a com mon sense protection pro gram that gives you the life insurance protection you need and can afford now, then after you retire a monthly check for years and years More and more thoughtful husbands and fathers are taking this route to peace of mind Shouldn't you? Why not call me — without obligation — today? JAMES E. FURR Box 223, Clinton, S. C. 833-2089 O Metropolitan Life New York N Y