Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, May 16, 1970, Image 1
Library School of Agriculture / piafe I .' tr~ University Pork, Pq,_ 7 ■ ■ VOL. 15 NO. 25 Ben Shank, one of many neighbors who took time off from his own spring Lueck Cocks Ear for Music Of State’s Singingest Insect II you hear the sound of music whdiv you’re out in the fields in 'the next few days, you may not 'just be day dreaming or nee# a hearing aid Pennsylvania’s laigest singing insect is due to emerge from the ground in force Arnold Lueck, associate coun ty agricultural agent, predicts the insect may be at the peak of activity sometime next week. Lueck, who remembers the last time the insect was at the height of its glory in 1953, is looking forward to the occur ence, Re plans to spend some time driving around to observe an#listen to the insect 1 The insect’ It’s the periodical cicada. Make that 17 year lo cust lor most of us who might not recognize the periodical cicada name tag According to Lueck. we’ie now right on the verge of an outbreak of “brood X” (10) ot the 17 year locust Lueck explains that various broods o< the locust emeige at various years, all at 17 yeai in tervals. But biood X which is slated to emeige in within the next few days is the laigest of the broods He notes that theie's an an nual cicada also, which is seen in smaller numbers m late sum mer. This annual vauety mustn't be confused with the 17 year locust, he advises What’s it mean ioi the local farmer? Far most faimeis, not much, according to Lueck He notes that Lancaster County will not be as heavily infested as many areas of the state to the noith and west. That’s because the locust operates mostly in wood ed area* and particularly loves oak trees. planting to help a neighbor in distress, stops to replenish the fertilizer supply. Lueck. however, expects very significant numbers of the locusts in the wooded areas of Lancastei County, which are lo cated primal ily in the northern part of the county and to a lesser extent in the southern portion of the county, - - “Damage could be expected to orchard and ornamental tree located near a wooded area,' Lueck said He explained that locust in jury as “caused by the slitting ol young wood m the process o i egg laying ” He added, “The only damage would be to small .twigs and branches weakened cby.egg lay ing punctures and breaking off of the branches We e.xpect the egg laying in eaily June " Tree ownexs can expect very little egg laying on evergreens, but the locusts paiticularly like oaks Should a faimer need to control the insect, Lueck recom mends Sevm, a wettable chenu cal powdel which can be applied every two to thiee days Except foi possible tiec damage, little oi no damage is expected to fawners by the locusts “Adults do not feed oil any faim ciops,” Lueck said He noted th at the insects spend 17-yeais matuung in oi dei to spend loiu to six as adults Almost all of this time is spent in the giound Aftei the eggs hatch in the tiee blanches, the lauae fall and buuovv into the giound The fust evidence of the insects will be the appeal ance of then skins on tiee trunks The insects ciawl out of then skins They also leave holes in the giound from which they eraeige, usually during the night Under ideal conditions, huge populations of the insect can occur in an area. In some areas Lancaster Farming. Saturday. Ma\ 16. 1970 in 1953, the locusts were so thick it was impossible to walk with out crushing hundreds of them, Lueck recalled If these large populations should occur in your woods. Mr Farmer, you might do us a fa\or and let Lueck know He has kept his calendar most ly free for the next two weeks in anticipation of this unusual event and a little help could save him a lot of time driving around with one ear cocked out his car window listening for the music of the 17 year locust. It’s not too late to see the Lancaster County 4-H Clubs’ three act comedy, “Headin’ for a Weddm’ ” Curtain time is 8 p.m. tonight (Saturday) at Conestoga Working the neighbor’ l ' tield Neighbors Save Day for Farmer When Elias R Groff of Holt wood RD2 won the dooi prize at the Lancastei Livestock Feed er Auction Friday, May 1, it was the fust strong hint ot things to come What possible use could a healthy 31-year old farmer have with a cane' Since then, the answer has hit Elias hard “Little did 1 think I’d evei use that cane foi myself, instead of for pushing cows around,” Groff told Lancaster Farming. He made the remark Friday, May 8, from his bed. The cane was on the stand nearby, within easy reach Even then, Elias already had used the cane a lot and since then he’s had even more use for u And the cane is going to have a lot more use in the next sev eral weeks Elias has rheumatic fever It literally knocked him off his feet within three days after he won the cane as a door prize. But while his new ailment, which his doctor advised would keep him bed-ridden for at least six weeks, was a dominant fact of life for Ehas as he talked on May 8, he wanted the world to Valley High School. The cast, shown re cently in rehearsal, includes, from left, Darlene Nefl, Jesse Balmer, Joanne Rohr er and Ray Brubaker. $2.00 Per Ye* know about something else the generosity of his fi lends aae neighbors A bed-ridden farmer in early May is a tragic figuie because that’s planting time And Groff had barely started planting when the rheumatic pain hit him at hard he could barely stand. But his neighbors had boea coming and going all day that Friday, May 8 Elias and his wife, Marian, had counted it up. (Continued on Page 11) Farm Calendar Saturday, May 16 Youth Ministries of the Mennomte Central Com mittee, Aki on headquar ters, open to public 6 30 pm Farm Women So ciety 17, mother-daughter banquet, Rhoads Spanish Tavern, Quarryville. 8 00 p m. Lancaster County 4-H play, Conestoga Val ley High School Sunday, May 17 7 00 .nm —Fulton Grange Go (Contfaured on Page 12)