10— Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 24. 1974 IllllllllllllllllllllllllltllllllllllllllllllllllllltllllllllllltlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllUllltlllllllllllillltllllltlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Farm Commentary iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiii Fortunes have been made and lost, bank accounts - and hearts - have been broken on the strength of the information contained in the USDA's annual August crop report Here are some highlights from that report, received this week Corn--The first forecast of 1974 corn production by the Crop Reporting Board at 4,966 million bushels is 12 percent below last year, but the fourth largest of record The yield at 77 8 bushels is down sharply from last year's 914 bushels Sorghum Gram--Production is forecast at 619.0 million bushels, 34 percent less than last year’s record crop, and 24 percent less than 1972 Yields are expected to average 45.6 bushels Feed Gram-Production of corn, sorghum, oats, and barley combined is forecast at 175 million tons, 15 percent less than last year All Wheat-Forecast production of 1,840 million bushels is up 8 percent (128 million bushels) from 1973 but Less gram fed to livestock, somewhat lower gram exports, yet food use of gram will hold firm, perhaps even go up a bit during 1974-75 But, gram carryover will still be down sharply next year Those were among the prospects outlined m the latest USDA Supply and Demand Estimate Reports issued last week, one day after the crop report While domestic use of wheat during 1974-75 had once been seen as high as 810 million bu and exports as high as 1050 bullion bu, domestic use is now seen at from 758 to 808 million bu and exports at 900-million-l 0 billion bu Food use is seen at an "inelastic” 532 million bu, seed use around 76 million bu, and feed use now down to 150 million bu Carryover, once seen at 432 million bu is now expected to be in the 332 - 382 million bu range Corn supplies, once seen at 69 billion bu, domestic use at 4.8 billion bu and exports at 1 2 billion bu Now, Cattle imports were up slightly during June, but imports of live hogs continued to run well above their 1973 pace At 79,950 head, cattle imports were up 5 pet from a year earlier But, hog imports totaled 25,748 head, 2Vz times that of June U S meat imports down sharply m June At 786 million lbs, those covered by the Meat Import Law (mainly fresh and frozen beef and veal) were off 14 pet from a year larlier All red meat imports (those covered by the Import Law, plus cannned and preserved beef and veal, and all pork and lamb, mutton » **• u * ' . , - vr r i Crop Report Highlights is 4 percent less than the July 1 forecast Winter, durum, and other spring wheats all showed declines from last month. Food Grams-Production of wheat, rye, and rice collectively are expected to total 61 million tons, 8 percent more than 1973 Oilseeds-Production of soybeans, cottonseed, peanuts, and flaxseed combined is forecast at 47 million tons, 14 percent (8 million tons) less than last year. Soybeans--The first estimate this season for soybean production is 1,314 million bushels, 16 percent (252 million bushels) below last year’s record output because of reduced acreage and lower prospective yields All Tobacco-Forecast of all tobacco, at 1,968 million pounds is up 13 percent from 1973 Flue-cured at 1,274 million pounds is up 10 percent and burley at 563 million pounds is up 25 percent. Here’s What It Will Mean corn supplies are seen at 5.4 billion bu , domestic use at 4.1 - 4.3 billion bu and exports in the 750-900 million bu. range. Food and seed use/once seen at 435 million bu, is now seen as high as 455 million bu. But, feed use, once seen at 4.4 billion bu., is now seen at 3 7-38 billion bu And, carryover, once seen at 854 million bu, is now seen at 340-360 million bu. Feed gram supplies, once seen at 250 million tons, are now seen at 196 million tons: domestic use, once seen at 174 miltion tons, are now seen at 152-157 million tons; and exports, once seen at 416 million tons, are now seen at 24-30 million tons Food use, once seen at 17.6 million tons, now seen at 17 8-18 2 million tons But, animal feed use, once seen at 156 million tons, is now seen at 134 5-139 million tons. And, feed gram carryover, seen only a couple of months ago at 343 million tons, is now seen at 13 6 -15 million tons, the lowest since 1948 Hog Imports Continue Up 1973 The Jan -June totals. Cattle, 473,259 head, down 21 pet. from a year earlier; Hogs, (all from Canada) 98,028 head, 2Vi times the Jan June 1973 total Meat Imports Off In June and goat) totaled 122 8 million lbs. for the month, down 13 pet from a year earlier The 6-month totals Meats covered by the Import Law, 555 9 million lbs, down 7 pet, all red meats 857 3 million lbs, down 4 pet. from a year earlier. WHATEVER YOU DO Lesson for August 25,1974 Background Scripture: Colossians 3:1 through 4:6 Devotional Reading: Colossians 3:1-11. What are Christian relationships? Sometimes we idealize what it means to be a Christian to the point that the gospel seems to become irrelevant to us. We think of a Christian person as one who is nearly perfect in terms of righteousness, of a Christian home as one in which there are no problems, of a Christian church as an ideal fellowship free of imperfections, and of a Christian community as one which is quite untainted by evil of any kind. Forgiving each other If our experience is something less than these idealized images-as it almost always is-we are likely to be disillusioned and may even lose hope in the gospel because its aims seem so unattainable. Almost no one can ever match our expectations of what a Christian is supposed to be, including and especially ourselves. Our homes will always seem to have been judged and found greatly lacking. Our com munities will seem hopeless and quite beyond redemp tion. The Bible, however, is a good antidote to our overidealized images of Christian relationships. The Book of Acts and the epistles of Paul give us many views of both individual Christians and congregations that are anything but perfect or even near perfection. For example, Paul counsels the Colossians: “forgiving each other” (3:12). What need would there be for Paul to give them that advice if the congregation at Colossae were relatively free from conflict? In fact, if the people there were ideal, there would be no reason for Paul to advise “compassion, kind ness, lowliness, meekness, and patience” (3:12). Nor would he have to speak of “forebearing one another” and what to do “if one has a complaint against another” (3:13). In other words, the gospel, although it challenges us to the highest possible type of living, anticipates human failure and provides for it through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Admonish one another A second indication that things at Colossae were less than ideal is to be found in Paul’s admonition for the Colossians to continue to grow in spirit. If the church at Colossae were even near perfect, there would be little need or room for growth. Actually, Paul is indicating that the church is not so much a place for those who have “arrived,” as for those who are still making the journey. Paul's counsel is still relevant for the churches and congregations of today, for many Christians ob viously believe they have “arrived” and that growth is | NOW IS I THE TIME... Max Smith County Agr. Agent Telephone 394-6851 To Control Weeds In New Alfalfa Seeding Alfalfa stands seeded late in July or early August will soon be needing some at tention for weed control. The best time to kill seeds is when they are small (1 to 2 inches) and at this stage they may not be easily visable and therefore, nothing is done to control them. Later in the fall the weeds come along faster than the alfalfa and then it is too late to get good control. When alfalfa is seeded without a nurse crop, a weed control spray is needed either before seeding or several weeks after. Spray to prevent a weed problem, and do not wait until weeds are crowding out the young plants; that is usually too late. To Make The Most Of The Cora Crop This is always good advice but some years it is difficult to know the best way to harvest and market the com crop. This year we hear of some who are planning to sell their crop because of the current high prices. I wonder if these prices will hold until later m the fall when the com must be harvested and stored. Cattle and hogs have usually been a good outlet for all feed grains, but at this time there is some question if these feeding operations can be profitable. The making of the corn crop into silage is the best way to harvest the maximum pounds of feed nutrients. Com cut in the full dent stage for silage and put into a good silo or well manged trance will always be a good feed and in most years very much in demand. If the great majority of cattle and hog feeders decide to sell their com rather than market it through their animals, we Farm Calendar Sunday, August 25 East Point Open Horse Show 10:00 a.m. on Route 15 near Liberty, Pa. Monday, August 26 Reading Fair through Sept. 2 Wednesday, August 28 1974 State Plowing Contest at Ag Progress Days, Bloomsburg, Pa. 7:00 a.m. registration: 9:30 a.m. instructions on contest: 10:15 a.m. contest begins. 2:30 p.m. awards program. for others. “Let the word ot Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another ...” (3:16). No one, Paul is saying, ever is that near perfect that he has outgrown his need for the word of Christ and the ad monishment of his brothers. No, the goal is ever before us: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything m the name of the Lord JeSus 1} could have a depressed corn market, cheaper feeder animals, and much higher priced beef and pork next summer. To Make Pasture And Lawn Seedings Late August and early September are the very best times to make new seedings of pasture and lawns. The cooler weather of the fall months with average moisture will give the plants an excellent start. The place to start planning for this new seeding is a complete soil test. I’m amazed at the number of folks who make these sew seedings without learning the lime and fer tilizer needs of the soil. These materials should be worked into the soil before the seeding is made so they will do more good and correct the needs much quicker. If the seeding operation is done properly the first time, it should not have to be done over in a few years. Also, the seeding of waterways should be done late summer or early fall in order to establish a tough sod for the future. To Control Rodents The rat population is far too high on some county farms and in the rural areas. These rodents can do con siderable damage and when colder weather arrives they will be coming to the farm buildings. Prevention is much easier than eradication. We urge a good clean-up program and the use of concrete to fill up broken walks, floors, and to repair foundations or stone walls that make good nesting places for them. Costs of production are too high to permit rats and mice to reduce farm income. Good management requires that rats and mice must go. KSvV.w.v.v? Ag Progress Days featuring exhibits, educational programs and craft demonstrations. Bloomsburg Fairgrounds Intersection of routes 42 and 15, Bloomsburg, Pa., Columbia County. Thursday, August 29 Ag Progress Day at the Bloomsburg Fair grounds, also rain date for the state plowing contest. South Central Pa. Cham pionship Dairy Show, Farm Show Building, Harrisburg, 9:30 a.m. Editor’s Quote Book Men are apt to prefer a prosperous error to an afflic ted truth. Jeremy Taylor
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