Co. Farm Inputs Spending Is $llB Million in # 69
Lancaster County farmers
spent some $llB million during
the last census year, 1969, for the
purchase of livestock, feed, seed,
fertilizer and chemicals, ac
cording to the U.S. Department of
Commerce
Of the county’s 5,323 farms
included in the census, 3,075 or 57
per cent, were reported to have
had production expenses in ex
cess of $lO,OOO for the year.
The bulk of the farmers’ ex
pense was for livestock and
poultry and for the feed to keep
these animals.
A total of $37,596,810 was spent
in the county for livestock
animals and poultry.
The feed bill for these birds and
animals came to nearly the same
amount, $36,428,277
A breakdown of the feed bill
shows that $29,538,252 was used to
purchase commercially mixed
formula feeds.
Salaries paid for hired farm
labor in the county amounted to
$6,089,210 of the total figure,
while only $2,291,448 went to pay
custom operators and contract
type labor.
Commercial fertilizers took a
chunk of the total amounting to
$4,403,962, while the lime industry
got $363,958.
Agricultural chemicals in
cluding pesticides and herbicides
cost the county farmers $777,768
and all forms of petroleum
products to operate their farms
cost them $2,885,280.
The cost of seeds and plants
cost county farmers $1,764,458 m
1969.
The total expenses for farm
business needs that year ran
roughly a third higher than were
reported by the government m
1964,
Not included in the report was
the cost of farm equipment, sales
for which support a whole in
dustry. Lancaster County far
mers during the census year had
Penn State Scientists Report
Using Bacteria Spray on Gyp
Scientists at Pennsylvania
State University are using a
bacterial preparation to control
gypsy moth infestations of oaks
and other trees, it was reported
November 29 at the annual
meeting of the Entomological
Society of America in Los
Angeles
The ingredient is a microbial
insecticide known as Bacillus
thuringiensis. announced Dr.
Lancaster Farming. Saturda
equipment valued at nearly $47
million.
Included were 10,738 tractors.
Based on the 4,328 farms
reporting in this category, county
farms average 2.4 tractors each.
William G. Yendol, Penn State
associate professor of en
tomology.
Using sprays of this bacteria,
Dr Yendol and associates have
reduced substantially the
number of gypsy moth larvae
compared to larvae on unsprayed
trees
Loss of leaves is no greater
than 25 per cent in sprayed areas,
compared with 50 to 95 per cent
defoliation in untreated areas, he
said
The bacterium produces
disease in the gypsy moth larvae
but is harmless to man, wildlife,
and beneficial insects, Dr
Yendol reported. He said the
bacterial spray is produced Dy
three commercial companies and
has been registered for use on
more than 20 agricultural crops
To become infected, larvae of
the gypsy moth must eat bac
terial spores After eating these,
larvae usually cease to feed and
die within three or four days.
Thus, complete coverage of
foliage is vital in using this
bacterium, he pointed out. He
indicated the spray is not ef
fective as a contact insecticide.
Timing of the application is
important, Dr Yendol explained
from his preliminary findings
Spraying should be correlated
with foliage development,
usually when leaves have ex
panded 30 to 40 per cent Such
timing will place the bacterium
on foliage when the first and
second larval stages, the young
forms existing between molts,
begin to appear.
White and red oaks were the
dominant tree species in 12 one
quarter acre experimental plots
used in the spring and summer of
1971 The material was applied
with a truck mounted mist
blower The spray was used at
■ 1 1\
Farmway ssw
GUTTER CHAIN REPLACEMENT
FOR ALL MAKES OF CLEANERS.
This chain will out pull and out wear any
other gutter chain on the market.
The new nickel alloy chains, Vt" has a minimum break
test of 54,000 lbs Twice the strength of any other
chain. When comparing quality and price it has no
equal.
This chain will fit any gutter cleaner on the market. It
never hurts to do a thing right. Talk to your Farmway
man, you'll see.
SHENK'S FARM SERVICE
Lititz RD4
December 11,1971
A total of 490 self-propelled
combines were reported to be
owned by county farmers while
both corn pickers and bailers
figured out to number slightly
more than one to a farmer.
Success
sy Moth
two rates, 16 billion and 8 billion
international units per acre in 20
gallons of finished spray . The two
doses produced no significant
differences in larval control.
The spray remained effective
four weeks after the last ap
plication Persistence of the
bacterium is important, Dr.
Yendol affirmed, since the larvae
may hatch over a three to four
week period.
The first treatment was made
May 27 and two additional ap
plications were made at 10 day
intervals. The experiments were
carried out at four different plots.
Dr Yendol cautioned that
further field testing is needed
with Bacillus thuringiensis
microbial insecticide, placing
emphasis on the timing and
methods of application.
He observed that defoliation of
oaks was greater than for other
trees because of larval
preference for oaks
My Neighbors
i
“Someday, son, all this
will be yours—if you work
for the' government..
Phone 626-4355
13