VoL 11. No. 40
TOBACCO CUTTING started this week throughout the
county. Here John A. Harnish, Lampeter, makes the first
few cuts in his eight acre field. Prospects for the 1957-
crop have sjhrunk by 2 45 million pounds under the searing
July sun and now are estimated at 46.5 million pounds by
the USDA. This years crop would be 4.5 million pounds
under the 1956 yield (LF Photo)
Garden Spot 4-H Members Off
To Flying Start at State Club Week
Two Lancaster County 4-II
agricultural judging teams took
state championships and two 4-H
home economics demonstration
teams won blue fibbon awards
Tuesday as competition in the
33rd annual 4-H Club Week got
underway at University Park.
The Lancaster County Softball
Team was also victorious, run
ning over the Montgomery Co
unty team by a lop-sided 9-1
score.
The livestock judging team
and the poultry judging team
took state championships Blue
i ibbons won in clothing demon
stration, and poultry foods dem
onstration. Second place awards
stration. Second place awards
were won by the swine judges,
flower judging team, livestock
Rough & Tumble Engineers Reunion
To Be at Kinzers this Weekend
Steam engineers from over the
state will congregate at Kinzers,
Pa, Thursday through Saturday
for the ninth annual reunion of
the Rough and Tumble Engi
neers Historical Assn., Inc
The event will start with daily
devotions at 10 a.m. During the
three days threashing, flailing,
thread .power, sweep power, saw
and shingle mills, will be in op
demonstration team and the
tractor demonstration team
The dairy, foods demonstration
team and the home improvement
team took red ribbons.
The vegetable judges did not
fare so well, coming irl seventh
in an event won by Northamp
ton County and the dairy demon
stration team was 14th. Blair
County took first place in this
event.
Individual state champion live
stock judge was Donald Welk,
R 1 Strasburg. James Hess. R 1
Srasburg was second and Donald
M. Herr, Refton, was fifth.
Additional contests in electric
demonstrations, dairy demon
strations, and vegetable use, de
monstrations were held Wednes
day.
eration.
In addition there will be hobby
and model engines, contests,
movies, a ladies hobby' show,
parade and various evening en
tertainment.
The center of attraction dur
ing the event will be, of course,
the steam engine
Steam_ cooked food will be
available.
Quarryville (Lancaster County) Pa., Friday, Aug. 16, 1957
Henning Outlines Steps
For Drouth Relief Bids
Drouth Moves
Westward: Some
Rain Expected
HARRISBURG—The Pennsyl
vania drought appeared to be
moving westward as some re
gions reported poor crop condi
tions for the wek ended Monday,
the State Department of Agricul
ture said Wednesday.
c -cl areas from Indiana
to ie ctte Counties and into
Lawrence County repoit wilted
'corn, poor hay crops> and burn
ed pastures. .This has been the
general condition of crops in
southeastern Pennsylvania for
more than a month, observers
r said
The Pennsylvania weekly crop
and weather summary shows
scattered showers are expected
in most of the State on Friday
and Saturday, but the U. S.
Weather Bureau says the rain
fall is not expected to exceed
one-fifth of an inch
Last week a few scattered
local showers brought some re
lief to farmers, but the eight
county southeast still suffered
from lack of arm. Pastures con
tinued poor and second cuttings
of hay were too short to be har
vested Some farmers left hay in
the fields to be grazed. In some
areas of the western part of the
"State farmers began feeding
winter supplies to cattle.
In some areas farmers are cut
ting corn for ensilage while some
value remains in the plant. Ears
have not sized because of the
moisture deficiency. Many fields
tasseled although plants were
less than one foot high.
Early peaches have been in
markets for the last several
weeks and the anticipated crop
for Pennsylvania Peach Time,
Aug 15-24, is expected to be
sizeable. Pennsylvania apples are
appearing on local markets. All
fruit requires rain to size pro
perly,- the Department pointed
out.
Holstein Assn.
Reports HIR
Herd Results
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. The
Holstein-Freisian Assn, of Amer
ica reports the completion of a
new lactation average by the'
registered Holstein herds of the
following Lancaster County
breeders:
Robert C. Groff, Quarryville,
19 cows, averaged 12,231 pounds
of milk and 456 pounds of but
terfat.
J. Lester Stauffer, Manheim,
14 cows, averaged 14,499 pounds
of milk and 509 pounds of but
terfat
Mrs Mary B. StOltzfus, Mor
gantown, 30 cows, averaged 12,-
513 pounds of milk and 505
pounds of Ibutterfat.
Pennsylvania State University
supervised the weighing and test
ing of the herds’ production in
the Herd Improvement Registry
of the breed association.
All records were made on
two milkings a day on a 305 day
mature equivalent basis.
HARRISBURG With drought damage to farm crops
piling up losses day by day in southeastern Pennsylvania,
State Secretary of Agriculture W. L. Henning today out
lined steps that farmers in stricken counties should take in
requesting disaster relief. Requests for information have
been increasing daily, he said.
The procedure in requesting federal assistance was
outlined by Secretary Henning as reported by the Penn
sylvania USD A Disaster Committee established under
federal law.
Top Plowman
To Be Decided
At Dutch Days
HARRISBURG Leland H-
Bull, Deputy State Secretary of
Agriculture, will present award to
the best plowmen of Pennsylvania
Aug. 22 during the observance of
Pennsylvania Dutch Days at Her
shey, it was announced today.
State finalists in contour and
level land competitions will de
monstrate their tractor-jockeying
ability. Pennsylvania winners will
be eligible to enter the national
finals at Peebles, Ohio, Sept. 18
The world’s title will be decided
at Peebles on Sept. 19 and 20.
The contest, which will climax
several months of regional con
tour and level land competitions,
is an educational event co-sponsor
ed by the Pennsylvania State Uni
versity, the State Department of
Agriculture and agricultural or
ganizations and federal agencies.
The Pennsylvania plowing pro
gram will be held in conjunction
with the four-day Dutch Days pro
gram expected to attract more
than 5,000 persons to Hershey.
Persons over 16 years of age are
eligible to enter, Bull said. He re
ported that the contest regula
tions specify only moldboard
plows can be used.
Now Is The Time...
By MAX SMITH, County Agriculture Agent
TO BEWARE OF POISONOUS PLANTS All livestock cravej
green forage at any time of the year. The present drouthy pasture)
conditions may mean that your stock will eat poisonous plants Jhat
they would normally refuse. This has been the cause of numerous!
losses in prior years. Nightsade, butter-cups, milkweed, pokebenpes,,
hemlock and celandine are common to this area and will kill if
consumed Inspect your pastures before losses occur.
TO CUT FORAGE CROPS WHEN READY The-’harvesting of
temporary silage or hay crops should be done according to the stag©
fo maturity and not by the calendar. The extreme hot dry weather
has developed many of thsse seedings ahead of the calendar sched
ule; therefore, we feel that harvesting should also be done earlier —
soybeans when the small green bean starts to form in the pod; Sudani
grass at heading time; and sorghum when the seed head begins to)
turn brown and the seed is in dough stage. Mixtures of the above
crops will need to be harvested nearest to the maturity stages.
TO CONSIDER DUAL WHEAT One of the needs of the East
ern livestock producer is a winter wheat that can be sowed early
for pasture and still produce a crop of wheat. This variety has been
developed and is now available. “Dual” wheat may be planted early
in September without fear of Hessian Fly trouble. It may be pastured
this fall and lightl ynext spring and still produce a good crop. Thisi
new variety led the state m yield during the* 1957 season. Clean cer
tified seed should be used.
TO WAIT FOR MOISTURE FOR SUMMER SEEDINGS It is
advised to wait for a soaking ram before seeding alfalfa or any other
legume; to seed it in the dust may result in a hard crust forming on,
top after a hard ram. This may interfere with quick growth and hurt
your stand. The recommended period for summer alfalfa seedmgs
is from Aug, 10 to 20
TO MAKE PLANS FOR COVERING HORIZONTAL SILOS
Research work has shown that it pays to exercise special effort m
sealing any horizontal silo. Plastic covers or felt paper with sawdust!
or ground limestone are the two best covering materials. Surface
spoilage will be reduced and better silage will result. This should be;
covered within 48 hours after the silo is filled. '
$2 Per Year
Of the eight southeastern conn*
ties most seriously aftected by dry
weather, farmers in. four have
taken the first step toward re
questing disaster relief. Farm
leaders representing various agri
cultural and allied organizations
have held meetings to determine
by vote if disaster conditions exist
in the county Such action has
been taken in Berks, Bucks, Ches
ter and Montgomery Counties No)
such move has been made to datei
in Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon)
or Lehigh Counties
When a decision is made to
seek disaster relief a County
USDA Disaster Committee is ap
pointed. This group then makes a
detailed survey of all contribut
ing causes including reports on
rainfall, feed crop losses and dam
age to new hay seedings.
The County committee then
hies its report and request with
the Pennsylvania USDA Disaster
Committee, Arch V. Ritts, chair"
man, in the Harrisburg office o£
the Pennsylvania U S. Agricultur
al Stabilization and Conservation
Committee of which Norman C.
Dale is administrative officer. No,
formal requests have been re
ceived to this time, Dale said to
day
When one or more county re
quests are filed Ritts will call a;
meeting of the State USDA Dis
ater Committee. If the appeal isi
approved, Governor Leader will
be notified of the action If he is
(Continued on page 11)