Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I t THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C.. April 9, 1970—5-B FARMS and FOLKS Pepper: Not So Hot BY HAROLD ROGERS Assistant Extension Editor CLEMSON - South Carolina’s hottest agricultural industry has been forced into the deep freeze of oblivion by the import-labor problem. That’s another way of saying that hot-pepper growing in this state has had it, unless it can be mechanized. imports from such places as Ja pan, Africa, Turkey, India, some of the places where they have warm climate, an abundance of people, and cheap labor,” Young says. Now, the only hope as far as the future of hot peppers in S. C. is concerned is to breed a plant with fruit suitable for me chanical picking-today's ma chine-age agriculture. And here at Clemson Univer sity, they’ve started work on a breeding program with the hope of developing varieties that can be harvested mechanically. If successful, pepper could make a comeback. The red peppers have been a money-making specialty crop in the Pee Dee section of the state since 1904. Now, the imports have killed it. It's a story repeated so many times with farm production. John Martin, associate profes sor of horticulture in Clemson’s College of Agriculture and Bio logical Sciences, has tackled the giant breeding project. He's no stranger aroung the pepper beds. Clemson has worked with pep per since 1941, and back in the early 50's when the industry had a particular problem, Professor Martin was able to develop the "Carolina Hot" variety which served well for many years. Because of the high cost of hand labor and the thin profit margin, a product is priced out of the market. Most of the times, the imports from countries across the seas where they may pro duce it for one-tenth our cost figure prominently in the trouble. J. Givhans Young of Florence has been one of the big boos ters of hot pepper production in the Pee Dee. His father intro duced plantings in the state short ly after the turn of the century and since then it had been suc cessful in varying degrees. ‘It's been a big thing in our area at times, and has helped a lot of people supplement farm income," Young says. Average production for the past 15 years has been 30 to 35 car loads a season. In the peak year of 1950 they shipped 65 carloads. That's about three-quarters of a million dollars coming into the economy," Young notes. Last year, they shipped less than one carload. This year, the Florence-based organization doesn t plan any pepper plant ings at all. ‘We Just can t compete with In the current project, some 1,700 pepper varieties, obtained from many different countries, have been planted in the green houses here. ‘We hope that something can be developed that will lend itself to some of the vegetable harves ters already in use,’ Martin says. “If this doesn't work, we may have to modify a machine or build one from scratch." It'll be a tedious, time-con suming task. ‘What we've got to do, ’ the pro fessor says, "is breed a plant with a combination of desirable charactenstics—uniform ripen ing and a fruit that can be sep arated from the plant easily, probably by vibration." Add to that, the disease-resis tance needed, the fruit qualities demanded by the processor, and you get some idea of the scien tific scope involved. W’ork here will be principally with hot peppers, but Martin feels that if these can be adapted to mechanization, so can other peppers which have been grown in most parts of the state. Swine Production Swine production is on the in crease in Laurens County. Lau rens County’s climate is highly suited for barley production and grain sorgum production. It is also ideally suited for graz ing on which brood sows do well. Recently Gary Osborne of near Clinton, won the championship at the Blue Ridge Stock Show in Spartanburg. Gary, along with his dad, DonOsborne, have some out standing meat-type animals. Shown above is Don Osborne with a Duroc Boar. This boar was purchased from Joe Maca- resk of Darlington for $250. Mr. Osborne and Gary have 27 brood sows and plan to expand to 40. District Conservationist Reverend Guy H. Smith Jr., pastor of the Ora ARP Church and chaplain of the Laurens Soil and Water Cnnservation District, was the keynote speaker on Soil Stew ardship at the Spring Conference for the West Piedmont Associa tion J Conservation Districts in Anderson Tuesday night, March 31. Also on the program was Mr. John Jackson, newly appointed Conservation Education Coordi nator. Mr. Jackson discussed plans to work with the schools and Conservation DistrictSuper- visors throughout South Carolina in the promotion of conservation education and the development of outdoor nature classroom. Attending the meeting from the Laurens District were Reverend and Mrs. Guy H. Smith Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Milton Y. Blakely, Ryan B. O’Dell. CHAPLAINS MEET: Reverend Warren Fowler, Chairman of the State Council of District Chap lains, assisted by Reverend Guy H. Smith Jr., Chaplain of the Laurens Conservation District, and Reverend Marion Clark, Chaplain of the Chester Conser vation District, conducted a one day conference Thursday, April 2, 1970, at the Wade Hapton Hotel in Columbia. District chaplains and repre sentatives of District Board of Supervisors from all over the State were in attendance. “How to Assist Districts in the Promotion of Soil Steward ship and Environmental Quality" was the theme of the conference. Keynote speaker for this meet ing was Dr. William Ellison, Professor of Biology at Erskine College who spoke on ‘Is the Sky Falling?" In addition to Reverend Guy Smith, Jr., the Laurens District was represented by Milton Y. Blakely, District Supervisor. The theme for Soil Steward ship Week, a nation-wide obser vance, is “Resource and Renew al," and underscores the respon sibility which every citizen has in dealing forth rightly with cur rent issues involving steward ship of renewable natural resour ces. The Laurens Soil and Water Conservation District and some 3,000 companion Districts throughout the nation along with their State andNationalAssocia- tions are sponsoring the event for the 16th consecutive year, during the week of May 3 - 10, accord ing to Ryan F. Lawson, chair man, Laurens District Board of Commissioners. The Laurens Conservation District will distribute, upon re quest to churches of all faiths, program blanks, bulletin inserts, posters, and booklets created particularly for this year’s ob servance. Rev. Smith Speaks On Soil Stewardship F. Lawson, J. W. Tinsley and J. BY J. B. O'DELL HOW CAN I? BY ANNE ASHLEY Q. How can I remove surface discolorations from my bathtub? A. Mix a paste of baking pow der and peroxide, apply to the discolored areas and, after this has dried, wash it away — and the original luster should then be restored. Incidentally, this is also a very good method of brigh tening up the finish on your re frigerator. Q. How can I renew some ran cid butter? A. Break the butter up and put into fresh milk. Allow it to ab sorb the milk, drain thorough ly, then wash in cold waited wa ter, and work it again into the desired form. Q. When applying new enamel paint over an already enameled surface, how can I prevent it from running? A. Try adding a little corn starch to your enamel. Q. Have you any tips on the easier application of oil stains or water stains on raw wood? A. Try using a cellulose sponge, instead of a brush. A sponge will require less fre quent dipping, and will make it easier to regulate the amount being applied. And in addition, the square edges of the sponge help when working in corners or along edges. Q. What can I do when burn ed starch has accumulated on the bottom of my electric iron? A. Disconnect the iron, allow it to cool, then apply a paste to areas. Wipe the iron with a slight ly damp cloth and follow with a dry one. This should do the trick. Q. What is a quick and easy way to lubricate a stubborn zip per? A. Just by stroking an ordi nary wax candle over the teeth on both sides of the zipper, you can give it the necessary lubri cation for easy operating. Q. How can I keep my cof fee pot sweet and clean inside? A. Sprinkle salt into the pot, rub well all around with a damp cloth, then rinse with boiling wa ter. Many other tips like this are contained in my new household- hints book. Q. What can I do about shoes that have mildewed because of damp storage? A. Scrub with a han^ brush dipped in lukewarm soapsuds, preferably a castile soap. Wipe them with a damp cloth, and then give the shoes a day or two in the sun before polishing them. Q. What will kill honeysuckle vines? Some have runners among pines and other small trees I would like to save. They are also in areas where I may want to grow vegetables or flowers. J. H. C., Greenville. A. The best material available is 2, 4-D. Apply one tablespoon plus a surfactant (ask your dealer) to three gallons ofwater r When sprouts recur, repeat treat ment until all growth is killed. It’s more effective if applied in the spring before blooming. The 2,4-D spray is safe among trees if kept off the foliage. Where the honeysuckle is growing on the foliage, cut vines near the ground and spray the plant when new growth comes. A word of caution: 2,4-D will injure or kill most broadleaved plants and shrubs. Be careful to prevent spray drift to desirable plants. There’s no harmful soil residue, so vege tables and flowers can be plant ed safely two or three weeks following the use of 2,4-D. -- Dr. C. N. Nolan, principal Ex tension specialist, agronomy. SPRING MEETING The Rev. Guy H. Smith, pastor of the Ora A.R.P. Church, will be the visiting preacher for the Spring Meeting. The Special Services Will Begin WEDNESDAY. APRIL 15 Through SUNDAY. APRIL 19 7:30 P. M. There Will Be No Service Saturday Night Provideiice Assodate Reformed Presbyterian Church South Broad Street Clinton, S. C. WBETHR Qua/Z/i/, fa Service for tbur foodDl Dixie Crystals or Domino SUGAR 5-Lb. Bag i—i with 9&00 or More Grocery Order, Please! JELLO All Flavors 3-Oz. Pkg. Bake- Cut-Rite WAXED PAPER 125 Feet 27c Shortening Limit : 1 With $5.00 or More Grocery Order, Please! TOPP DRINKS 12-Oz. Cons All Flavors Puss ’N’ Boots Liver Flavor CAT FOOD IS'/z-Oz. Can 10c Double "Q" or Searchlight Pink SALMON Tall Can Limit: 2 With $5.00 or More Grocery Order, Please! “No Limit’ Cloussen or Sunbeam [ot Dog or Hamburger BUNS of 8 Plantation Pride, Sweet Mixed PICKLES .... Pint Jai .... 29c Del Monte 20-Os. Bottle Plantation Pride 12-Ox. Jai PEANUT BUTTER 29c Nabisco 14-Ox. Pkg. Pecan Shortbread COOKIES .... 47c Texise, Dish Detergent Quart Bottle AQUA LOTION 37c Van Camp No. 2 Can PORK and BEANS 21c * CATSUP .. 29c Fresh Lb. GROUND BEEF 59c * A-G 12-0*. Pkf. ^ WIENERS 47c W Austex 1%-Lb. Can * SPAGHETTI & MEAT BALLS 39c| McKenzie’s Frosen 18-Os. Bag CROWDER PEAS 45c Fresh, Krisp Yellow 2 Lbs. Embers 18-Lb. Bag ^ ONIONS 23c CHARCOAL 59c ^ prices effective April s-io-n U.S. Gov't Inspected Fresh Dressed FRYERS 33c lb. 29c lb. Cut Up Whole CUNTON MILLS STORE - LYDIA MILLS PHONE 83341710 FREE DELIVERY SERVICE .Vi