20
—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 8,1971
Evaluate Corn
Farmers are busy planting their corn
and corn is a subject foremost in their
minds It is a good time to reflect on corn
farming practices
Although it ma\ be too late to make
some needed adjustments, other changes
can still be made in the current crop And
changes and improi ements can be planned
now for ne\t \ ear.
The big topic in corn has been the corn
blight Farmers can follow good manage
ment practices to reduce stress on the crop,
keep plant populations at a reasonable le\ el,
use resistant seed and other practices which
can help slow down or prevent blight. But to
a large extent, farmers are at the mercy of
nature in regard to the blight at least until
next year when most seed should be resis
tant
But the farmer does have complete con
trol over many other factors which can play
a big role in the size of his crop. These in
clude:
—Proper fertilization. This should be
based on soil tests and some of the better
farmers are even turning to tests of the
plant itself during the preceding year A*-
the cost-squeeze continues in farming, the
farmer can no longer afford to use fertilizer
Jje doesn’t need, or not to use fertilizer he
does need. Only soil tests can reliably tell
him the amount and type of fertilizer he
needs.
—Quality seed Good seed is essential
for good germination and high yield. The
variety should be capable of high yields and
suitable for the farmer’s operation and
soils.
—Weed control If weeds are allowed to
grow with the corn, the moisture and nutri
ents which the weeds take obviously will not
be available tor the corn. A good weed crop
virtually insures there will not be a good
corn crop Cultivation is still widely used,
but growing numbers of corn producers find
that herbicides do the ]ob both better and
cheaper.
'These three fertilization, seed and
weed control are fundamental in achiev
ing a good corn crop. Reports from local
farmers, educators and agri-businessmen
indicate failure m each ot these areas can
easily cost tne farmer 10 to 25 bushels per
acre of corn, depending on the degree ot
the failure Failure in all three can be dis
astrous, particularly it it is allowed to occur
year after year.
While the average corn yield, we are
informed, is in the area ot 80 to 90 bushels
per acre, our reports indicate the local
Note of Thanks
Editor, Lancaster Farming
We wish to acknowledge the thoughtful
ness of our relatives, neighbors and friends
since the sudden death of our belov ed hus
band and father Their support in many
kindnesses of cards, flowers, generous
donations toward Don’s and Gmny’s travel
expenses and the contributions to the church
missionary program as a memorial. Also,
we heartily thank all for the voluntary as
sistance with the farm work and home
work. This will always be remembered
LANCASTER FARMING
Lancastei Comity’s Own Kaim Weekly
P. O Box 266 - Lititz, Pa 17543
Office 22 E Main St, Lititz, Pa 17543
Phone: Lancastei 394-3047 oi Lititz 626-2191
Robert G Campbell, Advei Using Directoi
Zane Wilson, .uaiiugiag Eduoi
Subscription jn ice S 2 pei yeai in Lancaster
County,. S 3 elsewhere
Published .every Saturday by Lancaster
Farming, Lmtz, Pa.
becoiiu cuoj t dotage paid at Lititz Pa
17543 ■ ; ,
*sVfemb et'Oi N’ewsp >pei Farm Editors Assn
1 ! NeWS^Pei' st> t,nhch"'‘-", l Avsoc'dtion and
Association
' * \*i 1 .Ht < ** v >
Mrs. Helen Wivell
and Family
Practices Now
farmer with rich and relatively level land
so common in this area should not be satis
fied with anything less than 100 bushels and
his goal should be at least 125 bushels.
Average yields of 125 to 150 bushels,
we are informed, are not too much to ex
pect on the better, level land. This type
of yield, however, is possible only when the
farmer has mastered the basics, when he
uses good seed in ground which is properly
fertilized and in which weeds are well con
trolled
The top yields actually require that the
farmer do a good job every step of the
way. Little mistakes here and there cat
away at the bushels per acre. Other fac
tors which are important include:
—Pest control. This is one of the most
volatile and unpredictable factors. Depend
ing on the year and conditions, this factor
can be among the most important. Insects
can severely reduce crop yield. Farmers
have been particularly alerted to the corn
rootworm this year. Any farmer who had
trouble with the rootworm last year can ex
pect double trouble this year unless he acts
to stop it.
—Plant population and plant spacing
both within the rows and between the
rows. Recommendations on this vary wide
ly, depending on the capacity of the land
and the experience of the person involved
The tendency in recent years has been to in
crease plant populations, this trend is pro
bably related to better farming practices;
a.a more fertilization, better weed and pest
control, and other better management prac
tices develop to take the stress off the plant,
more plants can be grown pei acre. A word
of caution this year; unless you have blight
resistant seed, ease up on plant population
as insurance against the blight.
—Drought. While recent rains have eas
ed the situation, at least temporarily, farm
ers in April received a reminder that rela
tively wet conditions tor the past three
growing seasons cannot be counted on.
Some farmers have irrigation systems
Those who don’t should take the possibility
of drought into consideration in planning
their oierall corn management program.'
Possibility of drought should be considered
in detei mining plant population, for in
stance, since high plant populations require
high moisture levels, a high plant level field
which produces best in a wet year may be
hit hardest by a drought.
—Harvest at right stage This is parti
cularly important for silage. But it is also
important for ear corn; harvesting at the
right time is particularly important in re
ducing harvesting losses We ran a report
from Delaware last year that 15 per cent of
the corn crop is left in the field “due to
poor machine adjustment or operator care
lessness ” This field loss is particularly
severe if the corn is left in the field too long
and the stalks break easily and the ears fall
of! readily during harvest Note that a 15
per cent loss amounts to 15 bushels per acre
on a 100 bushel per acre crop It demon
strates how the little things can make a big
difference
Many other factors go into making a top
corn yield At planting time, the seed must
be spaced properly and planted at the
proper depth. Fertilizer, herbicides and
pesticides must be applied at the right time
m the right location. Equipment must be
kept in proper working condition at all
times While the weather doesn’t always
cooperate, the farmer must be ready to
take advantage ot favorable weather condi
tions Farmers can add their own list.
The important thing is that the farmer
understand all these factors and how they
relate to his own operation He needs to
evaluate the importance of each of the fac
tors and establish his own priorities in wink
ing toward a better corn program.
While 80 bushels per acre was a
yield a lew years ago, costs hate gone up
and standards of hvmgdiave risen. To meet
rising costs and to insure his own competi
tive position ,m the locale-economy. the co n
pi oducer must dojhe job better each jvear..
To Spray Tent Caterpillars it lives in the soil and stays un-
The webs in which these in- der cover Termites work in the
sects live will soon be appearing wooden structure of buildings
m crotches and limbs of trees and destroy them A new Penn
and shrubs Spraying should State Circular, #550 on Ter
start as soon as the webs are mites, is available from the Ex
foimed because the young tension Office
worms aie easier to kill Spray
with either Sevin, Malathion, or
Methoxychlor. two applications Everything points to a banner
about a week apart aie suggest- SC) yb ean year Exports have
(d Just treat the web (or tent) , ,
area, it is not necessary to spray risen - domestlc use has Increas ’
the entire tree If spraying is e d, an d there is a drop in carry
not done, these caterpillars may over beans fiom last year It is
defoliate most of the tiee or still questionable if soybeans
shrub can match corn for total feed
To Eliminate Termites
One of the most destructive
insects to wooden buildings in
this part of the country is the
subterranean termite Their
activity is often discovered in
the spring when the termites
swarm and maj be found in sun
ny windows of basements, attics,
and other places The worker
teimite is seldom seen because
WHICH WAY
ARE WE HEADED?
Lesson for May 9,1971
Background Scripture* Kosea 1 1, 4 1 9:
75 1 0 84 8
Devotional Reading Hosea 616
It took Leonardo DaVmci two
years to paint his great master
piece, “The Last Supper ” One of
the reasons it took him so long
was his painstaking attention to
details. This was particularly true
in his selection of men to serve
as models for
Christ and the
twelve apostles.
Sometimes he
seal died for many
days before he
found precisely
the face he want
ed.
Rev. Althouse Two fa ' eS:
one man
After a long search, he found
a young inan who seemed quite
suitable to sit for the character
of Jesus The faces of each of the
twelve weie painted in turn The
last of these was to be Judas For
a while he searched without suc
cess in finding the face he wanted.
He was looking for a man who
would look the part of a cheat
and betrajer. These character
flaws had to be evident in his
face
After a time, he found a man
who seemed to be precisely what
he wanted Evil was etched in the
model’s face. Dissipation showed
in his eyes So the artist hued the
man He would make an excellent
Judas.
When the face of Judas was
completed and the sittings were
ovei, the man broke down and
sobbed Turning to the astonished
artist, he said - 'Two jeais ago I
was the joung man uho sat for
the face of our Lmd Jesus Since
that time I have lived a life of
sin and conuption and it has n aud on ou , lmts copy^ t , d ib y J,
brought Tile row to the place Division Of Christian Education, Nqtionql
%\here I can be no TiiriaQ m tine CojmciMthtPiufch«so#CfvasfintHou.SA.
I „ L 1 e jUOaS ln this Released by Community Rf.is Sorvicn.)
pictme ” j j j
NOW IS
THE TIME..,
By Max Smith
Lancaster County Agent
To Consider Soybeans
nutrients per acre, or total cash
return, but if a farmer is going
to grow soybeans, we suggest
that 'he adopt the practices
which will increase yields Soil
testing is the place to start, then
select an adapted high-yielding
variety, place fertilizer separate
from the beans, and use a recom
mended herbicide for weed con
trol The 1971 Agronomy Guide
gives additional details
The power to corrode
The prophet Hosea had seen
this hind of decay, first in his own
wife and, then, in his nation. Pre
sumably, she had left him to live
in adultry with Another man. In
time, it seems, she probably be
came a prostitute, going from
man to man As her moral life
corroded from within,, her physi
cal body within and her whole hf&
began to show the results. It ap
pears that she finally fell so low
that she was no longer attractive
enough to ply her trade and when
Hosea comes to bring her home,
he must first buy her out of
slavery. It must have seemed to
him that she was no longer the
same woman. Sin had done its
work with her, too.
This, Hosea observed, was also
the case with the nation of Israel.
Her moral decay began in allure
ment to the idolatrous practices
of Israel’s neighbors Just as Co
mer had been united in marriage
to Hosea, so the people of Israel
had a similar bond, a covenant.
And, just as Comer had broken
her marriage relationship to Ho
sea by infidelity, so Israel was an
adultress, having broken her cove
nant with the Lord and turned to
other gods Like Corner, she had
sold her priceless heritage for the
pleasures of self-indulgence.
A thing of wood
Hosea pointed to some of the
ob\ ious signs of Israel's moral de
cay theie is swearing, lying, kill
ing, stealing, and committing
adultly; they break all bonds and
murder follows murder. Are not
those signs as evident today? Are
we not plagued with violence,
profanity, dishonesty, and sexual
decay?
The piophet ridiculed the prac
tice of worshipping idols ima
gine worshipping something
you’ve made with your own hands!
No wonder the moral level is so
low when worship is that crude.
Today we do not practice that
kind of idoltry. Yet, do w'e not
make things with oyir hands and
then worship them? Don’t wi let
man-made things take-over and
dominate our lives? ■ I
The young man who hact' sat
for DaVinci was headed in the
wfong direction. Which way] ar£
we headed today? t , i