10—Lancaster Farming,'Saturday, July I<K 1971- Corn Outlook Still Favorable Reports so far indicate that the South ern Corn Blight is spreading into all parts of the country. While this is not encouraging, the re ports also indicate that the number of fields infected is not large and that the infected fields are widely scattered, except in some areas, mainly in Indiana and Illinois. Ex cept for the Southern states, which were hit hard last year and turned largely to're sistant seed this year the heaviest rates of infestation appear to be generally in the same areas that were hit hardest last year. It would appear that most of the infec tions which have occurred have stemmed from shelling and moving corn which was infected last year. We’re not sure what this means yet. One obvious recommendation which has al ready been made many times is that farm ers should not shell or handle blighted corn in such a way that it will contribute to the spread of blight. We recognize, however, that this may run contrary to economical management on the particular farm. Animals simply have to continue eating and economy dictates that the farmer continue using manage ment practices and equipment which is 'available to meet the needs. However, the farmer should weigh pos sible adverse effects on his corn crop of spreading blight against additional costs which may be incurred in using other feed Water Pollution Our report in the July 3 issue on the water survey by elementary agricultural students in the Eastern Lancaster County School District may have presented some, surprises to some of our readers. But the basic finding that about half of nearly 800 water systems checked in the New Holland area are polluted actually is not news to many officials who are aware of Lancaster County geology and water tables and conditions. Many of these officials have been saying for years that a very high per cent, possibly half, of all non-public water systems in the county are polluted. The importance of the Eastern School District survey is that it is the first exten sive and reliable survey which has been made to confirm what has always been suspected. While it is obvious that many citizens have been using polluted water for years without any known adverse effects on health, it is also true that in some instances polluted water has been at least a contribut ing factor in adverse health. In addition, polluted water poses future disease and health problems. Looking to the future, it is clear that as farm operations, particularly the number of" livestock and volume of animal waste, in creases along with new residential develop ment, the pollution problem will grow. Actually, the pollution problem will likely grow much faster than the numbers of animals and people because of build-ups of LANCASTER FARMING Lancaster County’s Own Farm Weekly P. O. Box 266 - Lititz, Pa. 17543 Office: 22 E Main St., Lititz, Pa. 17543 Phone; Lancaster 394-3047 or Lititz 626-2191 Robert G. Campbell, Advertising Director Zane Wilson, Managing Editor Subscription price; $2 per year in Lancaster County: S 3 elsewhere Established November 4,1955 Published every Saturday by Lancaster Farming, Lititz, Fa. Second Class Postage paid at Lititz, Pa. 17543. Member of Newspaper Farm Editors Assn. Pa. Newspaper Publishers Association, and National Newspaper Association sources until the present corn crop matures. Based on reports so far this year and experience gained last year, we believe that it is too early to predict what the blight will do to the crop this year. It would appear that the blight needs moist conditions .to spread effectively. Moist conditions in corn fields usually do not occur extensively until the corn crop is near maturity. As the stalks near full growth and the corn begins to form—this is the period when the ground will be shaded and moist conditions can occur. The extent of moisture, however, will de pend very heavily on weather. With hot, dry weather, blight apparent ly would have a hard time causing much damage. But with cloudy, humid and wet weather conditions would be ideal for spread of blight and damage to the corn . crop. • Weather so far has been nearly ideal for corn production and the crop is off to a vigorous start. This in itself should be favorable. Healthy and vigorous corn, as well as early corn, we are informed, is much less subject to blight than corn which is under stress and late in maturing. Overall, despite early infestation, re ports so far indicate that the local corn crop outlook continues to be. favorable. While this could change rapidly, we think farmers should still be optimisitic at this time. - What to Do? pollution which already exist and because nature tends to purify a certain level of waste, but at a certain point it cannot do so any longer. The evidence is growing that the point at which nature can take care of the pollution problem has already been passed. The key question, of course, is what to do about the problem. We suggest that at the very minimum, persons using well or spring systems be aware of whether their water is polluted by having periodic tests made. This way, if health problems do occur, the water can be checked out as a possible source of the problem. Better still, possible clearing up of the problem should be studied. Sometimes, the water system can be improved to eliminate sources of contamination. Or we under stand that chlorinators or ultra violet light systems can be installed to eliminate prob lems stemming from coliform. In attempting to solve the problem, care should be taken to deal with reliable persons to make sure there really is a prob lem and that any actions taken actually do solve the problem. Reliable laboratory an alysis is just as important in evaluating the condition of water as it is in determining the condition of soil and fertilizer needs. If the problem is high nitrate count, however, it cannot be economically treated in a private water system. Since nitrate poisoning can be fatal to infants during their first few months of life, persons with infants on water systems with high nitrate counts should definitely find an alternative water source during the crucial period of infancy. Farmers should keep in mind that animals can also be poisoned by high con centrations of nitrates in water. While we have no indication that this is a factor in animal deaths locally, it should be consider ed as a possibility if unexplained deaths do occur. An obvious solution is a public water system. However, this is extremely expen sive and impractical in most rural areas. While there is no uniform solution to this problem of contaminated water, farm ers should remain aware that the problem is extensive and can affect both their families and their fanning operations. NOW IS THE TIME.. By Max Smith Lancaster County Agent To Control Wasps Hornets, yellow jackets, and wasps are all of the wasp family and should be controlled. They are getting more common m many areas and often attack hu mans and may cause serious ill ness. Most of these stinging in sects may be eliminated by spraying their nests at night, when there is less danger of getting stung, with a chlordane spray; aersol bombs may be bought containing materials to kill all members of the wasp family. It is suggested that heavy clothing and a bee veil be worn to reduce danger of serious stings. To Beware of Lightning An old saying that lightning never strikes in the same place twice may be but it is certain that some places are more dangerous than others during electrical storms. The greatest danger period is just Help Us Serve You Don’t assume we know about your farm organization’s meeting. To get your meeting on our Farm Calendar, it’s safer to assume we don’t know. Remind us by calling 394-3047 or 626-2191 or by writing to Lancaster Farming, 22 E. Main St., Lititz, Pa. 17543. You’ll be helping us to serve you better, P.S. If you’re not sure you told us already, we don’t mind hearing from you again. THE PROBLEM WITH GOOD MEN Lesson for July 11,1971 Background Scripture: Deuteronomy 17: 14*20, Judges 9 B-15, Mark 12 13-17; Romans 13*1*7, Timothy 2 I*6 Devotional Reading* Romans 12*1*13 Reinhold Niebuhr, the great American theologian, once noted that “not much evil is done by evil men.” To the contrary, “most of the evil is done by good people who do not know that they are not good.” Along this same line he concluded that the First World War had been “made inevitable not by bad peo-.- pie who plotted against the peace of the world but by good people who had given _ . . over their con- Rev. Althouse science into the keeping of their various political groups.” The problem with “fatness" Niebuhr was commenting on the tragic tendency of Christians to “leave politics” to others. Many of the failures of our society can be attributed to a failure of Christian citizenship All too of ten we have been content to live our complacent lives quite indif ferent to rendering any more to ‘ Caesar" than we have had to. This is the meaning of the par able which Jotham tells in Judges 9.8-15. The occasion of the par able is a crisis in the life of the Hebrew confederacy. Gideon, the great man of God, is dead. One of his descendents, Abimelech, an evil man, has successfully plotted before the rain begins to fall. Single trees out in the open or wire fences are especially dan gerous places during electrical storms. It is not uncommon for a single bolt of lightning to kill a group of cattle under a tree or along a wire fence. When losses do occur, farmers are urged to get a veterinarian examination to verify the cause of death; this will be needed for insurance claims. To Draw Soil Samples The summer seeding of alfal fa is less than a month away and small grain fields will soon be prepared for the fall seed ings. To have a complete soil on this ground is good soil man agement and strongly recom mended. Soil that needs lime should have it worked into the topsoil before the legume or small grain seeding is made. Lime and fertilizer go together for maximum crop yields. the deaths of almost all Gideon’s other descendents. Ruthlessly, he seizes power for his own selfish aims Jotham, one of the few of Gid eon’s other descendents who es capes, tries to rally the good but indifferent men of Shechem. Abi melech’s tryanny is possible, he realizes, so long as the men of Schechem fail to respond to his challenge. So he tells them a story of how one time the trees sought a king. Going first to the noble olive tree, they ask: “Reign over us” (Judges 9:8), but the olive tree responds: “Shall I leave my fatness, by which gods and men are honored, and go and sway over the trees?” Unfortunately, the olive tree loved its prosperous existance and did not want it disturbed for the sake of exercising responsibil ity. The same was also true of the fig tree and the vine. Thus, be cause the capable trees refused to rule, the trees in desperation turned to one who was not fit to rule, but at least willing: “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come you, and reign over us!” (9:14). And the least capable tree of all became the ruler. Tyranny doesn’t “just happen” One of the things that this par able should teach us is that poor government, corruption, and even tyranny do not “just happen.” Wc find ourselves ruled by evil men, very often, not because they have waged a campaign to seduce us, but because we have actively (not passively) allowed them to fill the vacuum of leadership in our communities and nations. In the parable, the bramble bush did not seek to become king; the trees turned to him’.because the capable trees could not be both ered with' the responsibility The problem with good men, all too often, is that they sit back and leave the world to those who are not good. (Based on outlines copyrighted by the Division of Christian Education, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Released by Community Press Service.)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers