Supplemental Irrigation in East Illustrates Value This Year Growing number of farmers a long the East Coast - especially from North Carolina north to Mas sachusetts - are learning a dra matic lesson in 1957, about the value of supplement irrigation, the U. S. Department of Agricul ture says. Supplemental irrigation is the practice of bringing water to crops during short to medium dry spells in humid regions. Rainfall along the East Coast - particularly in the region between the ex treme end of the coast - has been well below normal this year, caus ing considerable crop damage. Irrigation in Delaware, Pennsy lvania, and Connecticut are cases in point. In Delaware, irrigation systems numbered 124 at the start of the 1957 growing season, and it is reported that a number of addi tional farms were brought under irrigation as the drought develop ed this year The same thing hap pened in Connecticut where sever al new irrigation systems have been installed since the growing season started Pennsylvania has already added 20,000 irrigated acres to its total of 17,000 report ed for the most recant official irri gation census, made in 1954. These experiences are being repeated up and down the coast where irrigation has grown enor mously in popularity in the last few years Traditionally, the nor mally well-watered East was be lieved not to need irrigation. (Del aware had only 20 irrigated farms as recently as 1953) The fact is, however, that supplemental irrig ation is making a valuable contri bution to farm prosperity in the area Some of the facts on eastern irrigation are these 1 There was a 70 per cent in crease in irrigated acreage in 28 selected eastern States between 1949 and 1954, according to the 1954-55 census During the same years, the West’s mciease in irri gated acreage totaled 10 per cent A total of 546,000 acres was irri gated in the 28 eastern States in 1854. This figure makes a vivid contrast with the scant 39,000 acre irrigated in the same region dur mg 1939. 2. Supplemental irrigation is becoming popular in States that ha\e never known the more dra matic manifestations of aridity common to the west - such as dust storms and long-term drou ght. For example, m 1954 the three leading States in the 28- States area in term of irrigated acreage were Mississippi, with 151,772 acres irrigated, and New York and New Jersey with about 60,000 acres apiece 3. Besides tiding the farmer over short dry spells supplement al irrigation used in conjunction with fertilizers has promoted dramatic increase in per-acre yields. It is especially valuable where intensive cropping is the rule as it is in the East. Conseq uently, irrigation is being applied to a wide variety of high-value crops. These include vegetable, tobacco, corn, citrus fruit, nee, Irish potatoes, cotton, berries, and nuts. Even pasture has been aided profitably by irrigation. Six major crops - - nee, Irish potatoes, past ure, corn, cotton, and tobacco - - account for three-fifths of the total irrigated acreage. 4. More acres of nee than any other crop are irrigated in the 28-State area and most of this is produced- in Mississippi. New York grows nearly two-fifths of the irrigated Irish potatoes, and New Jersey is the largest single grower of irrigated tomatoes, with 5 000 acres About a third of all irrigated tobacco is grown in North Carolina, but irrigated corn is not concentrated in any parti cular State. 5. Among eastern farmers the bulk of irrigation is confined to l small acreages. Thirty-eight per cent of the farmers irrigate fewer than 10 acres per farm, and anoth er third irrigate from 20 to 99 acres. Only a few irrigate more than 100 acre. Although the growth of irriga tion has been spectacular in the 28 States studied, the total acre age is still only a fraction of the national total of close to 30 mil lion acres. Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida, east of the Great Plains but not included in the 28-State study area, account for about 2 million acres. There are more than 27 million irrigated acres in 17 Great Plains and West ern States. The East has a total of about 650,000 irrigated acres, according to the, latest available figures Total acreage irrigated in a humid region depends upon rainfall in a particular year During wet years, farmers automatically cut down on the acreage irrigated During dry years farmers are pre paied to Tfngate considerably more than the 65t),000 acres Sources of water, ditnbution systems used, and the costs of irrigation are variable depending upon a number of factor About half the farmers in the 28-State f * - v<- ♦ , Purina-fed steers gain 251/2% sell 50$ per 100 higher Sometimes it’s hard to see the difference in feeds j'ust by looking ajt them. Same way when you listen to the sales stories. So Lester Kreider, of Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania, ran his own split feeding test. Out of a group of 20, he separated six steers and put them on a ration of com and cob .chop, barley, mo lasses, and Purina Steer Fatena 32% • with stilbestrol. The other 14 steers went on the same ration except for the protein supplement. A competi tive brand was used as a direct comparison. Mr. Kreider paid $17.60 -per hun dred pounds for the six Purina-fed cattle. 300 pounds (average per FEED PURINA... YOU CAN DEPEND ON THE CHECKERBOARD .V.'.V.V.V.VVV. Warren Sickman S. H. Hiestand James High Gordonville ■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■ iiii i-UA mmrmuumumi ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ region studied draw their water from rivers or streams, and about five per cent get it from lakes or ponds About 20 per cent use springs and another 20 per cent use wells The remainder, located near large population centers in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Massachusetts, tap municipal re servoirs. Sprinklers are the most popu lar method of irrigating in the East. About four-fifths of all farmers use them to water more than two-thirds of the irrigated acreage. Between five and 10 per cent use fixed overhead pipes, often in tandem with spnnkleis. About two per cent use portable gate pipe, five per cent use ditch es, and another five per cent, chiefly rice farmers, practice flooding. Average investment in these in stallations is $5,500 a farm. By States, though, the average invest ment ranges from $2,800 to $lO,- 000 a farm Average cost per acre * I Pennsylvania feeder runs own split feeding test... ICO DAYS LAIER... Pcquea Salunga J. Fred Whiteside Kirkwood in the region in $l5O, with a range by State of $5 to $5OO an acie. Total acreage irrigated has a marked effect upon cost Farmers with fewer than 10 acres of irri gated land have an investment of close to $5OO an acre, while those irrigating more than 100 acres are investing $9O an acre and less Cost figures include the pur chase of sprinkler or other distri bution equipment, dulling wells, constructing storage ponds, buy ing pipe, or preparing land The 28 elected Eastern States l on which these irrigation figures were compiled are. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachu setts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York New Jersey, Pennsyl vania, Maryland, Delaware, Vir ginia, North Carolina, South Caro lina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississi ppi, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Missouri and lowa , .H ->1 ''Ur. steer) and 100 days later, he sold them for $21.00 per hundred. Aver age daily gain was exactly 3 pounds. The fourteen head on a competitive ration were slightly higher quality cattle, and cost Mr. Kreider $18.50 per hundred. Yet after 100 days on feed, they showed only 2.39 pounds daily gain, and brought 50(1 less per hundred at market than the six Steer Fatena-fed steers. NAME YOUR RATION Low roughage—high grain, high roughage—low grain ... or any where in between, there’s a Purina Steer Fatena feeding program to help give you top results. The man who runs the Store with the Checker board Sign in your community will be happy to talk it over with you. Wenger Bros. Rheems John J. Hess II Intercourse—New Providence John B. Kurtz Enhrata Lancaster Farming, Friday, August 23, 1957 Blend & McGinnis Atglen Charles Hollinger Egg Production Contest Winner With an average production of 81 per cent over eight months, Charles Hollinger, R 2 Lititz, won the egg laving contest sponsored by Eby’s Mill Inc, Lititz Feed conversion was 3 8 Others placing at the top m the contest were Howard Marlin, R 2 Lutz; Graybill Hollinger, R 2 Lititz; Noah W Kreider & Song, R 3 Manheim, and Melvin Bucher, R 1 Lititz Awards were presented at a dinner meeting Thursday at War wick High School Auditorium, Lititz Speaker was Dr. Leo Curtin, associate director of McMillen Mills research-staff His subject was “Feed Today and Tomor- row ” I# 9 * Lester Krerder, Mt Joy, Pe’-nsylvonio more B. F, Adams Bird-in-Hand Snader’s Mill Mt. Airy John J. Hess Kinzers—Vintage 7
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers