Vol 11. No. 42 THE NEW STATE POULTRY QUEEN is Miss Margaret McPherson, New Park, York County. She was selected Saturday at Dutch Days in Hershey. Runner-up was Miss Penny Hoffman, R 1 Catawissa, left. Countians Win Two Seconds In Contests Lancaster County entries batted 000 by losing four contests over the past weekend. But two of the contestants came m second In the state poultry cooking contest held Saturday at Penn sylvania Dutch Days at Hershey, W R Hutchinson came in sec ond Winner was Mrs Mann Wel ler, North Race St, Richland, Lebanon County. And m the state Peach Queen nnals, Miss Joanne Gamber of Lancaster lost out to Miss Rose Mane Fries, 16, of Chambersburg M the peach desert baking con test Saturday in York Miss Fries naked a Bavarian cream pie State poultry queen for 1957 is a York Countian, Miss Margaret McPherson, 18, of New Park A enn State freshman this fall, iss McPherson plans to go into some phase of radio or television dramatics. Runner-up in the contest was Miss Penny Hoffman, R 1 Catawis sa ’ Columbia County. The queen was crowned by Miss Elizabeth Erb. Judges were Miss Mary Rissinger, Penn State; Dr. M. W. Allam, University of Pennsylvania; and Richard Clark, WFIL-TV, Philadelphia. (LF Photo) Red Rose DHIA Issues First Report Of Production Under New System The first report on dairy herd improvement records under the new,machine record keeping sys tem was issued this week by the Red Rose DHIA. The records are for the month of June; however it includes only those herds which had been com puted by July 10 Some herds tested in June, therefore, will not appear in the current report. Curtis E. Akers, head tester who prepares the report, said that these herds will be included next month. The herd having the highest monthly butterfat average wa that of Ivan G. Martin, R 1 Eph rata. This herd averaged 1,284 pounds of milk and 52 pounds of butterfat. The herd of R John Yost, R 2 Narvon was second with The junior division of the poul try cooking contest was won by Miss Kathryn Yoselson, R 1 Mont rose. Runner-up was Miss Pauline Long, Myerstown. The Lancaster County contest ant was Miss Barbara Eby, 1013 Lititz Pk., Lancaster. Quarryville (Lancaster County) Pa,, Friday, Aug. 30, 1957 1,310 pounds of milk and 48 pounds of butterfat. The highest 305 day record was completed by a registered Holstein owned by John C. Met zler, R 1 Christiana. This eow pro duced 19,707 pounds of milk and 723 pounds of butterfat. Second high 305 day record was completed by a registered Holstein in the herd of Albert R Fry, R 1 Manheim. Her record is 17,044 pounds of milk and 707 pounds of butterfat. Here are the 10 top herds in June: Herd Milk Fat Ivan G. Martin 1,284 52 R John Yost 1,310 48 Harry S. Mumma 933 47 A. W Wickenheiser 1,304 52 John O. Hershey 1,182 47 Edwin N. Kurtz 1,303 46 John C. Metzler 1,226 45 Marvin A. Eshleman 1,303 45 Clair H. Witmer 929 45 Amos M. Stoltzfus 1,249 45 The usual of cows above 70 pounds of butterfat will not be avaiable due to the change in record keeping systems. Drouth Damage $l2 Million; Tobacco, Hay Crops Hardest Hit n/ i Total drouth damage this year is estimated at $12,050,331 by County Agent Max M Smith in a special report released Monday This would be a loss of about 32 per cent from the bumper crop of 1956 and 40 per cent of the value of the 1955 crop Leader Says Four Counties Need Federal Aid Governor George M Leader said this week that although for mal requests from Bucks, Mont gomery, Berks and Chester Coun ties for federal drouth aid have not reached his desk, that he can “in good conscience recommend Federal disaster aid.” This' statement followed his tour of the drouth stricken coun ties. “As a man who has spent most of his life on a farm, I think I know a little about what farmers believe The farmers we talked with on this trip are typical of farmers throughout the State. They make a habit of standing on their own two feet, with reliance m themselves, and they don’t' ask for any kind of help unless they really need it,” the Governor added “It looks to me as if some areas will get only one-tenth of the nor mal yield of corn, one-third of the tomato and potato crop and that the beans are completely dried out.” United Kindom Taking Less U.S. Produced Lard Although total lard imports by the United Kingdom during the first five months of 1957 were up considerably from the same months of 1956, the U.S. share of this market dropped from 86 6 per cent during the January-May 1956 to 65 8 per cent for the same period of 1957 Now Is The Time . . . Max Smith returns next fall. TO DETERMINE FORAGE NEEDS It might be wise to survey your hay and silage needs for this winter and try to locate your supply before next spring. If drouth conditions are removed m the near future, it might relieve this buying pressure and purchases could be made later in the fall. From all appearances at this time roughage prices will advance in this part of the country. TO PREPARE FOR WINTER OATS Winter oats should be seeded in Lancaster County during the middle of September (10th to 20th). LaConte or Dußois are the recommended varieties at the rate of two bushel per acre. They should be seeded on well drained soil and either a 4-12-12 or an 0-20-20 fertilizer applied Not any nitrogen on soils where lodging is a problem. TO BEWARE OF “SILO FILLER” DISEASE Silo-filling time is at hand and many crops of drouth-stricken corn are being ensiled. This requires a word of caution because of the poisonous gas that may form m the partly-filled silo or in the silo chute during or short ly after the filling operation. These nitrate gases are more severe when filling with stunted corn in dry weather. Operators should not go into the silo alone and not before running the blower for sev eral minutes to remove any dangerous pocket of gas. Smith based his figures on a average of the 1955-56 crops v.hich would make the overall loss about 35 per cent of normal. Hardest hit, according to Smith,, is the silage crop which is cut 50 per cent At a 40 per cent loss are corn, hay, pasture, and pota toes, 30 per cent of the value of the tobacco crop is lost; a third of the vegetable crop, a quarter of the oat crop, and a tenth of fruit crop However in dollar value, the tobacco is hardest hit. $3,399,210 will be lost by county farmers in. reduced yields and**quality this year. The nexT'Kighest figure is hay at $1,873,400 followed closely by vegetables at a loss of $1,200,* 000. The barley, wheat and ry© crops, harvested before the dry weather had a chance to affect them, are listed as normal. In addition to actual losses from crops, Smith listed $472,000 as lost by farmers in trying to establish new hay seedings He estimated that most of the new seedings are a 60 per cent loss. The light rainfall which fell generally throughout Lancaster County Sunday is not expected to help, the 'Situation appreciably. For most crops it was a case of too little too late. With only 20 inches being re* ported at Lancaster, the rain did little more than settle the dust. In the southern part of the Gar* den Spot more rain was reported, A heavy thundershower deposit* ed at least half an inch of ram generally, according to unofficial observers. The parched northern town ships failed to better themselves much with only about .20 inches being measured. Heavy rams fell in New Jersey and Maryland effectively breaking, the drouth in those states. New Jersey, hit earlier by the hot dry spell, had requested federal drouth aid, only to be refused by President Eisenhower By MAX SMITH County Agricultural Agent TO BREED FOR FALL PRODUCTION Many efficient dairyment are making a special effort to have miximum milk production in the fall and early winter when milk prices are more favor able. It seems like good management to sell a product when the prices are the highest. The delay in breeding of cows at this time in order tO‘ fresh in August or September may mean greater $2 Per Year
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