K. Bettendorf t Librarian Agricultural Library Vm Penaa. State University |fe ACFICULTUrUI LISRArY Vol. 111. No. 20. Pennsylvania Not * Following Nation In Acreage Cuts Contrary to a national trend this spring, Pennsylvania farm ers March 1 intentions are te plant about the same number of acres to spring crops as they did a year ago. However Lancaster County farmers reported an intention tc plant five per cent fewer acres to tobacco than they did a year ago The State Crop Reporting Board said that returns from 5,000 farms show that 4,668,000 acres are expected to grow the states seven important field fcrops In 1957 the spring acreage was 4,651,000 Included in this year’s estimates are acreages for corn, oats, barley, soybeans hay, tobacco and potatoes Farmers expect to plant more barley, hay and about the same amount of corn. They have re duced their acreage of soybeans tobacco, potatoes and oats Last year, the Crop Reporting Board says, 29,400 acres of tobac co were harvested in the state the bulk of it in Lancaster Coun ty This year farmers intend to cut back by about 1,400 acres. Pennsylvania’s major crop, as usual, is-hay with 2,255,000 acres producing all types Corn is ex pected to be grown on 1,249,000 acres the same as last year and barley acreage is estimated at 240,000 in comparison with 224,-j 000 acres a year ago. Weather conditions probably will play an important' part in actual acreage planted to pota toes and grains Potato acreage might be affected because of the recent upswing m prices Esti mates show the Pennsylvania 1958 potato acreage at 49,000 is a record low The nations farmers will plant the fewest number of acres since 1917 Leading the way with a 13 per cent cut in acreage from last year will be sorghums Many western farmers got caught with this crop last fall and were faced with price and har vesting difficulties Other crops indicated for a downswing are flaxseed, down 18 per cent and tobacco, slated for 1,095,000 acres, is down 2 4 per cent from last year and will be the smallest crop since 1908. Actually most other crops show a slight rise in planting in tentions, but the rise is in the one to two per cent bracket The total acreage will be only slightly less than that of 1957, in the range of less than a mil lion acres. Corn for example, will be planted on 751 million acres up per cent from 1957, but still nine per cent below average. Wheat acreage will be up 6 6 per cent from 1957, oats, down eight per cent to 39.7 million acres, barley, down three per cent to 16 million acres, and soy beans, 24 million acres, will be a tenth larger than last year’s record high acreage •However staticions point out that weather conditions may change the picture considerably •as farmers are forced to substi tute one crop for another, or revise their plans in view ol other farmers intentions Quarryville (Lancaster County) Pa., Friday, March 28, 1958 LIKE HUNDREDS OF other Lancaster County and eastern Pennsylvania farmers, J. Wade Groff, R 7 Lancaster, had to leave the milking machine in the milkhouse and New Jersey Milk Shippers Must Have Clean Herds HARRISBURG March 26 Pennsylvania farmers shipping milk to New Jersey were advised today by the State Department of Agriculture that New Jersey will not accept milk after April 1 from herds other than those already free from brucellosis Dr. Howard A Milo, director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Animal Industry, said although Pennsylvania is certified as a modified brucellosis free state this does not mean every herd owner can continue shipping milk to New Jersey after April 1. Their herds must meet state re quirements “New Jersey says milk must come from herds without any brucellosis reactors as the result of the last herd test,” Dr. Milo ex plained. Many Pennsylvania herds fall in this category, but some in iccently certified counties have yet to attain this high rating, he said. In addition to the New Jersey order, Doctor Milo said New York has revised its regulations effec tive Jan 1, 1959 at which time they will accept milk only from “clean” herds A department spokesman said the New York and New Jersey regulations are a matter of economics that can’t be under estimated. Pennsylvania Crop Re porting surveys show approxi mately 25 per cent of the milk produced in Pennsylvania is ship ped to New York and New Jersey markets. go back to the old way of milking during the past week. Some farmers tapped trac tor manifolds to obtain vacuum to run milkers. (LF Photo) Gov. Leader Lauds Addition of Butter To Surplus Food Commdity List Governor Geoige Leader Sat urday described “as an excellent move in the right direction” the decision of the Department of Aguculture to add butter to the list of commodities available dis tribution under the surplus food plan The Governor, in thanking those whose effioits had made the move successful, expressed grati tude to Sen. Joseph Clark (D-Pa ) in particular Governor Leader commented “The addition of butter to the li=l of foods now available—corn meal, wheat flour, cheese, rice, and dried milk is an important action. Not only will it help re- duce butter surpluses, but it will LowestJStorage Supply of Keystone Potatoes in 9 Years Reported The lowest storage supply of Pennsylvania - produced potatoes in nine years was reported on Kej stone State farms as of March 1, according to the State Depart ment of Agriculture. The Pennsylvania Crop Report ing Service says the equivalent of 1,100,000 bags of 100 pounds each in potatoe storage places was a decline of 1 million hundred weight since Feb 1, and was 500,- 00C hundredweight below March 1 storage stocks a year ago Potato stocks on hand nation al!} on Manfi 1 this year were 20 per cent below a,year ago and 9 per cent less than the 1949-55 average. Pennsyvama production of fall potatoes m 1957 was 6,142,000 augment the diet of hungry peo pie “I hope the Department of Agri culture will soon add such foods as dned beans and peanuts to its list Not ony do we have sub stantial surpluses of these foods, but we can use ihem to round out the diets of those eligible to re ceive them “I also hope that the Depart ment will step up the pace of its hiving with money already ap propnated for the fiscal year of 1958, and that it will begin to buy foods in abundant, as well as sur plus supply This has been sug gested in new legislation offered V>y Senator Proxmire of Wisconsin this week. hundred-weight from 1,200 fewer acres than a year ago. The 1957 crop was 20 per cent under the 1956 output of 7,706,000 hundred weight and 31 per cent below the 1949-55 average In addition to the downward trend in acreage planted to po tatoes, Department observers said much of the crop reduction in 1957 can be attributed to changes in the farm crop program. In recent years, fewer farmers 'have been growing potatoes for home use because they find it is cheaper to purchase potatoes from an outside source The capital in vestment for proper potato grow ing equipment is prohibitive for the farmers who in the past had small patches planted to potatoes. Weather Bureau Caught Again By Heavy Snow The Weather Bureau was caught off-guard a second time last week as a load of wet heavy snow was dumped on Lancaster County Beginning Wednesday evening, the storm was supposed to be only “snow flumes ” By the time the storm stopped Thursday, up to 30 inches of snow had fallen, causing thou sands of dollars worth of dam age, leaving some 75,000 homes without lights and electric pow er and an equal number with no phone service Farmers, as a group, suffered more from the storm than did any other segment of the coun ity population. In a heavy dairy county such as this, power for •electric milkers and 'bulk milk tanks are almost a necessity. Farm homes, as well as city homes, were left dark and in many cases cold, as eleetrm pow ered oil burners were left pow erless Home freezers without ■nower caused the spoilage of much meat and other frozen food Water pumps, too, were out The eastern part of the county showed deeper snow accumula tions from the off-shore storm Measurements showed that up to 38 inches of snow fell -in several areas Fortunately there was no drift ing and roads were opened much faster than in the proceed ing storm. But unlike the light fine snow of the February storm, this snow was wet and heavy, breaking phone and electric lines, snap ping limbs from trees and crush ing buddings by virtue of it’s sheer weight Several families were sickened by carbon monoxide fumes when they tried using charcoal inside buildings to cook. The fumes caused some persons to be hospitalized Several devices were pressed into service to provide farm power and comfort Gasoline engines were stripped from pow er lawn mowers to pull pumps. Some farmers tapped the trac tor manifold to get vacuum to run milkers. Many drained milk from bulk tanks into cans and used the deep snow as their cool ing agent. Reports of milk spoilage were not as numerous as 'had been expected. However several tanks were reiected becaus- the temp erature of the milk had become too high to be transported. Poultrymen with chicks under electric brooders and heat lamps also suffered heavy losses. There were reports of chicks being hauled out by the spreader load by some farmers. Layers and older birds were little affected as temperatures remained mild. Their owners however, were hard put to keep feed and water before them as the automatic machinery sat helpless with no power Winter ended officially March 20. S 2 Per Year
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