4—Lancaster Farming, Friday, February 84, 1956
Lancaster County’s Own Farm Weekly Newspaper
Established November 4, 1955
Published every Friday by
OCTORARO NEWSPAPERS
Quarryville, Pa. Phone 378
Lancaster Phone 4-3047)
Alfred C. Alspach .
Ernest J. Neill
C, Wallace Abel
Robert G. Campbell
Robert J. Wiggins
Subscription Rates: $2.00 Per Year
Three Years $5.00; 5c Per Copy
Application for Second Class Mailing Privileges Pending
There was a day when corn headed straight for the
crib or shock, when hay went straight to the mow or stack,
and grass grew only for pasture feed.
But today efficiency has changed the picture.
Trench silos have come into increasing importance. In
terest has gained tremendously.
' - Just the other day. when the weather was almost as
miserable as could be, a couple score turned out at the
Harry Griffith farm operated by Bob Groff down in
southern Lancaster County to see and hear what opportuni
ties a trench silo offers.
■ Lancaster County farms are limited acreage-wise.
Every acre must produce to the utmost, but Bob has-har
vested a couple hundred tons of feeds from nine acres of
sorghum-sudan-soybean combinations. He sought to cut his
cost of producing milk, to cut the expensive process of buy
ing hay to carry his Holsteins through the winter.
Out west and down south farmers turned to trench
silos and bunker silos three, four, five years ago, when con
tinued drought trimmed feed crops below the bare mini
mum. Drought-burned corn, hays, grasses, all went into
silos. Even in the corn-rich Corn Belt, where dry weather
checked the crop at knee-height, bulldozers were busy, dig
ging out hillside pits. Sometimes even weeds went into the
silage, plus Johnson grass, small grains, legume hays
anything that could be salvaged to produce feed.
It saved many herds. Out in Kansas, Francis Perrier
of Greenwood County, said “Silage I had stored in 1950
is what has kept me from going out of the registered Angus
business, because it has furnished my stock with roughage
for the last five years.” The 700 tons he stored that year
had to last through five years of flood and drought. In 1951
floodwaters completely covered his trench silo, full at the
time, but there was no apparent damage to the emergency
store.
Even the proud Corn Belters, who once could see
only corn in cribs, turned to silage. And silage saved-their
stock. In the flat fields of the Mississippi Delta country, on
the bluegrass lands of Kentucky, in the hills of the Ozarks,
grass silage came into its own insurance against drought.
In Lancaster County, silage is gaining prestige, as
a cost-cutter in a phase of agriculture that is aware of in
creasing production and marketing costs. It’s a safe bet
you’ll see more and more trench silos being dozed out of
the fertile fields of the Garden Spot.
Out in Missouri, hundreds of farmers have decided
to take action to boost hog producers’ income by a billion
dollars next year.
Here is the three-point program outlined at a meet
ing of the Missouri Farm Bureau:
1. Selling 10 per cent of sows and gilts;
2. Marketing 1955 fall-farrowed pigs at 210 to
220 lbs and
3. Working with all groups in an effort to pro
duce hogs with more red meat and less fat.
“If we reduce our pork supply by ten per cent,” said
E. M. (Smokey) Woods, Missouri Farm Bureau livestock
marketing director, “we will increase the hog producers’
income by one billion dollars next year.” He added that
selling hogs 10 lbs lighter would reduce lard tonnage by
about 300 million lbs and the total jpork and lard supply by
3 to 4 per cent. “This reduction,” he continued, “will add
$1 to $3 cwt to the price of live hogs.”
But one farmer attending the conference capped
the climax when he said. “Let’s dispel once and forever
that we’re looking for government controls to help us out
of this situation, and God help us if the government does
step in.”
Even with the wet chill, the soggy snow, the cold
days and the \ arm days of February, there are signs of
Spring in Lanca -ter County. There’s a tinge of green in the
lands, ready to burst forth, impatient as a race horse at
the starting gate. The Groundhog says Spring can’t be far
off. The restless earth is ready to burst at the seams with
a cloak of green. Soon will end the dull drab of winter, and
the finest season of all will creep up long before the
garden tools are oiled, long before seeds are all purchased.
Man’s impatience to get back into the fields is equalled only
by the impetuous coming of Spring.
STAFF
TRENCH SILOS
HELPING HOG PRICES
SIGNS OF SPRING
Publisher
Editor
... Business Manager
.' Advertising Director
. Circulation Director
50 Years Ago
This Week on Lancaster Farms
(This Week In 1905)
By JACK REICHARD
Tax Guns, Legalized
Fist Fights Suggested
The nation’s tax structure was
as hard to fix in 1906 as ui 1956.
Recommendations of all kinds
were submitted for consideration,
50 years ago. One tax-minded
citizen, in 1906, favored the im
position of a heavy federal tax
on all firearms in the country,
pointing out that Americans no
longer were compelled to shoot
wild life in order to live, or go
about armed to protect their
lives and property. A $2O tax
was suggested on all guns and
pistols, which he claimed would
not only produce needed revenue,
but also reduce annual inten
tional and accidental homicides
50 per cent. The defender of tax
on firearms said: '“Tax the guns
out of existence, and legalize fist
fights for the settlement of per
sonal difficulties”.
Tree Stump Removal
A. Major Problem
A major problem of farmers,
50 years ago, was the removal of
tree stumps (from valuable farm
land. A correspondent of the Am
erican Cultivator recommended
the following procedure: “With
an inch auger, bore a hole in the
center of the stump ten inches
deep and put into it about one
half pound oil of vitriol and cork
the hole up tight. In six months
the whole stump and roots will
become so rotted that they can
be easily eradicated”.
Rural Mail Carriers
Reported News
Down in the heart of Texas
many farmers were reported us
ing a novel scheme to obtain
news and other information from
rural mail carriers, 50 years ago.
A blackboard was placed above
the mail box, with a box of chalk
conveniently nearby, for the post
man to chalkup the price of cot
ton and other market quotations.
The idea was said to be popular
among farmers and carriers.
Paid $lB,OOO For
Shorthorn Bull In 1906
At a sale of thoroughbred cat
tle held at Chicago, a party of-
Argentinian buyers paid $lB,OOO
for a Shorthorn bull, reported a
record high in the United States
up to 1906.
Farmhand Highest
Paid Laborer In 1906
An -expert on labor stated
there was no labor worker in
the United States who drew high
er wages for the same amount
otf work than hired men on Am
erican farms. The average farm
hand wage in 1906 was reported
at $35 per ..month, in addition to
board, room and washing.
25 Years Ago
2,500 Carloads Of _
Tomatoes Imported Annually
Twenty-five years ago this
week Arthur Brisbane, noted
newspaper columnist, reported
the United States was receiving
2,500 carloads of tomatoes an
nually from the Los Mochis sec
tion of Mexico.
L. C A. E. A. Met
At Lancaster
Dr. John Henry Frizzell and
Miss Rosalin Jewett, of Pennsyl
vania State College, were guest
speakers at a meeting of the
Lancaster County Agrictulture
Extension Association at Lancas
ter, 25 years ago this week. Oth
ers who spoke briefly included
H. S- Nolt, F. S- Bucher, H- S.
Sloat and MiSs' Anne Forbes.
Fulton Grange Members
Hear Agriculture" Head
At a meeting of the Fulton
Grange, * southern Lancaster
County, 'with Worthy Master
Charles A. McSparran, presiding,
the Hon. John A. McSparran,
State' Secretary of Agriculture,
spoke on the duties of his office,
25 years ago this week.
Mad Qogs Terrorize
Neighborhood
Farmers residing, in the Nine
Points and Nickel Mines areas,
were on the alert for several mad
dogs terrorizing: that. neighbor
hood. One fanner, a steer and a
pumber of farm dogs were re
ported bitten.
H. N. Suavely Elected
E.F.E.'Director
H. N. Snavely, a progressive
farmer of Willow Street R-D.l,
was elected a director for a three
year terra bf The Eastern Farm
ers’ Exchange, at a meeting held
at Springfield. Mass,
Combine $1,525 in Sale
By Joseph, Donald Gehron
Highlighting the auction by
Joseph and Donald Gehron in
Little Britain Township, was a
combine bringing $1,525, a trac
tor at $4OO, heifers from $7O to
$l3O, cultipacker $lO5, and low
wagon $l9O.
Kersey Bradley auctioned.
Bsckcroua tcHpUr#: Luka 18:1-31;
10 * 11-27.
Divotlontl Reading: I Corinthians
0:16-27.
Faithful in Little
* f
Lesson for February- 26, 1950
Everybody ha* some kind of
a chance in this world. We all
-sometimes think we would do bet
ter if we had the same chance the
next man has; but we may be de
ceiving ourselves. Jesus tells a
story about three men each of
whom had' the
very same chance.
Each was given
the same sum of
money, and told
to make what he
could out of it.
One man in-
creased the money
ten times; one
multiplied it by
five; but the third Dr. Foreman
man did not even try. What if he
had tried 7 Considering the sort of
man he was, a pessimist and a
self-confessed coward, it can be
doubted whether he' would have
been able to do as well as the
other two did. At any rate, Jesus
calls our attention first of all to
the fact that even if everybody
had an equal chance, not every
body would do equally well with it.
Gifts of God
We call'persons ••gifted” when
they have some remarkable tal
ent or ability. When we say this,
we mean, or we ought to mean,
that a man’s capacities are not
his own invention, they are Qod’s
gifts. Two thoughts go together
here and must not be separated:
the first is that what we have to
start with and the opportunities
which life brings us along the
way. are really gifts of Goa. The
other thought is that God expects
us to develop these gifts, take ad
vantage of these opportunities, do
something with what we have,
Caruso the famous tenor said
once, modestly, that he deserved
no credit for his magnificent voice.
He was born with an extraordi
nary muscular development in his
vocal cords, something possessed
by few men. Most men could not
be Carusos no matter bow hard
they try. On the other hand, if
all Caruso had done was just to
Blue Ball Dwelling Sells
For $16,500; Clock $290 -
IGeorge Dosch,-Rl East Earl,
purchased the home offered*by
the estate of Emma M. Burk*
holder at Blpe- Ball for $16,500
in public sale. The double brick
building has a four-car garage,
and a Jot 96 by 480 feet. Execu
tors of the estate were David H.
Martin and Henry H. Hoover.
Fifty shares of Blue Ball Na
tional Bank stock sold from $ll5
'to $llB per share, selling in
blocks of five; a grandfather’s
clock went at $290 and « set of
six old-fashioned chairs $46.50.
Auctioneers were Paul Z.
Martin and Frank L. Steller.
Engle Cow Top $342.50
In Nickel Mines Sale
A top of $342.50 on cows and
$167-50 on heifers was scored
in the public sale held Monday
by Aaron Engle, near Gap on
the Nickel Mines Road.
' Leroy Zook, Atglen auctioneer,
also sold one tractor at $5OO.
another at $405; cow clippers $27,
cultivator $l5O, grain drill $237
and a hay drier $l4O.
Tractors Bring $1,700 and
$BBO in Martin Auction
In the Harvey H. Martin sale
midway - between Oregon and
Landis Valley, tractors- sold for
$BBO and $l7OO. Abe Diffenbach
and Charles Bachman were auc
tioneers.
Other items sold included
cows up to $270, corn $44 a ton,
combine $490, manure spreader
$3lO, milking machine $290, bar
ley $l2O per bu., culti-packer
$125, corn planter $l5O.
take his throat lor granted, never
learn tinging, never go through
the long discipline ol the operatle
star, the world would never have
been thrilled by that golden voice.
God’s gifts plus our . work, that it
the divine plan.
Nothing Toe Small
'All this is timply the principle
which the church call* “steward- 1
ship.” It it simply recognizing!
thkt what God gives us, we arej
expected to use and make the;
most of, in his service. The trou- 1
ble right here is that most of us
are rather like that third man in,
Jesut’ parable We see these big,
able people going “great gunt,”
we tee what wonderful things oth
ers are doing, and we know very
well we can’t do anything like
that ... to we don’t try to
anything. Now It should be noted
that in this little story, the return
ing king does not say to the seo
ond man, who made only five
pounds, “You rascal, why didn’t
you make ten like this other
man?” On the contrary he is
pleased with the man, promotes
him. What God really despites
is not small results; what he des
pises is refusing to try. We are
not reasonable before God for
not being brighter or stronger than
we are We are responsible for
what we do with such ability as
we have, whether small or great.
In the Church
S.ee how this works out in the
life of the church. A superintend
ent asks a girl to take a children’s
class. Oh no, she jan’t do it, she
says, backing away. She hasn’t
had expeuence, she isn’t a pro
fessional school teacher, she
hasn’t had a lot of education, she
isn’t like- that brilliant Mrs. So
and-So who was such a whiz of a
Sunday school teacher for twen
ty years. So what? Suppose she’*
not a topnotcher? She has had
little brothers and sisters, she
can learn the Bible, she lovea her
Savior and she loves children too.
Stewardship, for that girl, is not
what she can do with Mrs. So
and-So’s brains and experience,
it’s what she is willing to do with
her own. Or take a man _who is
elected to a minor position in the
church He doesn’t think he ean
do much in that office, so he de
clines it. But the question still
is—not, what can he do with an
office he doesn’t have? But, what
will he do with the office he does
have? Another man does not con
tribute to the church because he
has next to nothing he can give.
He is afraid of comparisons. But
God does not ask; How do you
compare? Only: Are you faith
ful?
(B*u< u aatllnaa aopjrrichUd ky Mi
Division of Christina Education, Na
tional Cauncll «f (ho Chnrchca of Chrlok
In tho U. S. A. liltuil by Oommaaily
Vttsa Service.)