—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 29. 1972 6 Mushroom Harvester Devices for automatic cutting and gathering of commercially grown mushrooms have been developed by agricultural engineers at Pennsylvania State University. The equipment includes an oscillating saw or cutterhead and airstreams and an air suction chamber to pick up the cut mushrooms and move them to a storage bin. Using the innovations, a har vester—the first of its type—has been built and tested by Dr. Sverker Persson and associates at Penn State. Engineer in charge of the project, Dr. Per sson says the equipment can be a vital step toward complete mechanization of mushroom production. Harvesting, he claims, is the only major phase of mushroom production still lacking suitable mechanized equipment. The harvesting machine, patented recently, can be used where mushroom trays are brought by fork lift truck to a Mow/ditioner... Mows, conditions, swaths or windrows in one pass Mow/ditioner from Avco New Idea is a triple-threat haymaker. In one pass around the field, you mow a 9-foot swath, condition the material and leave it in a fast drying swath or in a fluffy windrow. Cuts field time as much as 65%, reduces operating costs and minimizes soil compaction. Perfect for making hay and silage in crops such as alfalfa, clover and grasses as well as in taller crops such as sorghum and sudan hybrids. Like this idea? Then come in and see what kind of a deal we can put together. Together. A. L. HERR & BRO. , Quarryville LANDIS BROS., INC. Lancaster CHAS. J. McCOMSEY' & SONS Hickory Hill, Pa. N. G. HERSHEY & SON Manheim ROY H. BUCH, INC. harveting center in the mushroom plant. These developments at Penn State’s agricultural experiment station are the latest phases of a long-time program to improve mushroom production. Research to date has helped Pennsylvania mushroom growers produce a crop valued at over 55 million annually—the largest source of cash income from crop production in the Com monwealth. This amounts to about two-thirds of the nation’s supply of mushrooms and one third of total world production each year. Only recently did studies of mechanized production become an integral part of mushroom research at University Park. Penn State marketing experts and leaders in mushroom science determined that competition from low labor costs in other countries will soon require complete mechanization of U.S. mushroom growing to maintain profitable operations. You get positive, smooth feed to two full width rolls one rubber, one fluted steel with tapered ends — which provide just the right combination for non plug, positive, yet gentle conditioning. -A. B. C. GROFF, INC* i New Holland LONGENECivER FARM SUPPLY Rheems STOLTZFUS FARM SERVICE Cochranville, Pa. KINZER EQUIP.'CD. Kinzer Devised The oscillating saw or cut terhead works through a one-foot! wide row of mushrooms in the four foot long tray in about 20 seconds, Dr. Persson says. The present cutterhead must pass 1 back and forth over the beds four times to harvest a tray. When fully developed, the machine will feature four cutterheads har vesting the full tray in one pass. Most machine-harvested mushrooms have the same quality as hand-picked mushrooms, Dr. Persson af firms. The ideal mushroom strains for mechanical har vesting should have fairly long stems and should not form clusters. Practically all mushrooms from one sprouting or “flush” should reach suitable size for harvesting in one or two days. The machine will harvet less than ideal mushrooms but with reduced capacity and increased losses. Such mechanical harvesting leaves the mushroom stumps in the bed, instead of pulling them as in hand harvesting. The technique shows no problems and especially has no effect on yields or santiation. The stumps! disappeaV gradually within a couple of weeks. New growths called “pins” start very close to the old stumps. Additional research is needed. Dr. Persson points out, before the 'harvesting techniques are per fected. Above all, studies are needed of the economic con sequences of a wide variation in mushroom size. Further analysis must be made of the possiblity of using mushrooms with slight damage. Certainly Lasso gets all kinds of foxtail: Yellow. Green. Giant. Control three foxtails for the price of one. Apply Lasso in corn or soy beans and get 'em all. Plus lots of other grasses like crabgrass and fall panicum. And broadleafs like pigweed, too. In short, no matter which foxtails have been your problem weeds, get rid of them (and a lot more) with Lasso. That's what you expect from your herbicide. P. L ROHRER & BRO., INC. Broiler Chicks Continue Dowi The placement of broiler chicks in Pennsylvania continues on the decline. The Pennsylvania Crop Reporting Service says that although last week’s total of 1,162,000 was still a scant 2,000 more than a week earlier it was 17 per cent below the figure of a year earlier. The 10 week average, however, ■ I a Remington 5 typewriter you want! a Polaroid- Super Colorpack IV camera kit Buyers of New Holland equipment Coming Ware 1 eiectromatic are always rewarded with years of percolator and skillet dependable service Now, from April a Bulova" watch, his or hers 1 through May 31,1972, you can get an additional reward When you buy Your reward will be shipped directly a new New Holland baler, automatic to you as soon as New Holland is bale wagon, forage harvester or notified of the sale So don't delay' mower-conditioner in April or May, Come in soon and see the machines you can collect one of five valuable that are rewarding to buy and re gifts warding to own C. E. Wiley Quarryville, Pa. is holding about even with i«, A reversal of the trend is foreseen in the near term as placement of eggs for broil type chick hatch are down f< per cent over the previous w< and the three-week average is one per cent from the co parable period last year. & Son inc. SMOKETOWN, PA. Phone Lane. 397-3539 Phene - 786*2895 n 19'
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers