IB—-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 14, 1961 County Woodlots Vanish, Planning Director Says Lancaster County has hardly any more woodland than the city of Philadelphia, County soil Conservation District Directors and Associate Directors were told Monday night. C. Bilkley Foster, Lancas ter County Planning Direct or, told the conservationists that urban sprawl is put ting a greater burden on the farmer than any other seg ment of the population. Foster outlined the devel opments taking place in the county andproposed to the farmers present that they begin an immediate program to develop a county p’an. “First you must decide what kind of a county you want,” Foster said, and then the detailed plans can be worked out. At the present time, Lancaster is fourth fr om the bottom in a list of counties according to the percentage or remaining woodland. With only 13 7 per cent of our land area in trees, Lancaster county has barely more woodland than the city of Philadelphia, he said. Foster pointed out the absence of any large pub lic parks in the county and the difficulty and prohibitive expense involved in purchas ing enough acreage in the county for a park. By use of a series of maps showing the development of housing areas around the city and boros, the planning director showed the group heavy concentrations of dw ellings on the two most pro ductive soil types in the co unty. He also pointed out that the urban growth is taking place in the areas of the countv with the poorest water supplies. With 55 per cent of the county surface area compos ed of limestone, Lancaster County is one of the best agricultural areas but one of the poorest for building, Foster said. He said build ings and roads have been known to cave in from cav erns in the limestone. Sew age disposal and water sup ply become a tremenduous problem in the lirhestone areas. In 1958 and ‘59 water samples from one third of all wells and springs tested on request were found to be unfit for human consump tion. During those two years the Pennsylvania Depart ment of Health condemned 483 wells and springs as contaminated. In addition, every migrant labor camp m the county in 1959 was found to have contaminated water supplies. The problem of sewage disposal is not now a serious problem for the farmer, but where houses are pushed closer and closer together, the problem becomes more and more difficult. As the urban areas (or mrban areas as Foster de fines an area which goes di rectly from rural to urban without going through the suburban stage) push furth er into the farmlands de mands for utilities will push the taxes for the farmer higher and higher. Foster cited examples m Fall Fertilization Spread, Bulk or Bags Small Grain 5-10-10 0-14-14 0-20-20 Hay Topdressing 0-14-14 0-20-20 0-15-30 Control Weevil This Fall Dleldrin with fertilizer or direct application PHONE EX 2-4963 ORGANIC PLANT FOOD CO. GROFFTOWN BD. Next to the Waterworks the county where develop ments first requested streets then lights, curbs, and po lice protection. Next came the request for public wat er, and in every case the in stallation of public water without public sewage dis posal brought on much great er contamination of water supplies. With the request for ser vices in rurban areas, town ship officials are forced to raise taxes on the farmer Many farmers have tried to meet the tax burden by sell ing off a lot or two for de velopment, but as soon as a farmer sells off one lot he is in a vicious cycle, Foster said. As soon as one or two new From HORNCO FEEDS..... improvements to serve business farmers! TWO OF THE COUNTRY'S LEADING DAIRY SPECIALISTS D. E. Horn & Co. is proud to announce the appointment of these two men to their dairy department. and give benefiting advice to dairymen. Mr. Van Pelt is responsible for pioneering many new approaches for feeding dairy cattle and many top dairy production records have resulted from his knowledge and guidance. Mr. Botto is one of the first men to pioneer artifically . breeding of dairy cattle in the state. He is highly qualified as a dairy Judge and his ability to lay out feeding and management programs for dairy cattle is unsur passed. CALL YOUR HORNCO DEALER OR SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, ARRANGE AN AP POINTMENT TO HAVE MR. BOTTO OR MR. VAN PELT HELP YOU WITH YOUR DAIRY PROBLEMS. FEEDS D.E.HORN&CO.,Inc. ](ork,pa. Phone 2-7867 houses are built and new way in tax&s. He said Lancaster county services are demanded, taxes Foster urged the farmers has a good balance of. Indus go still higher and the cycle to decide just what kind of try and agriculture, 'but tax builds. Foster said Berks a county they want and then es are levied on a township County planners have found push for zoning laws to level. He said too many far that' unless a house costs help produce the desired re- mers fight zoning laws be sl,Boo it does .not pay its suits. (Turn to page II) EDWARD J. BOTTO These men are known throughout the country Introducin There is No Finer Dairy Service Available in the Country. Let Us Show You How a Good Dairy Specialist Can Help You. “ >£> << + VWyjft >C S 4 >. "J V'V*. . D. H. VAN PELT lor their. ability to service