16
—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 3, 1975
Increasing Profits With Total
By Edward Stroube
Ohio State University
Weeda coat the farmers of
our state untold millions of
dollars annually. Con*
servative estimates are that
weeds cause an average
yield reduction of 4 to 5
bushels per acre in soybeans
and 2 to 3 bushels per acre in
com. At today's prices, this
adds up to more than |I2S
million. Add to this the value
of yield reductions of wheat,
sugarbeets, hay crops,
IN STOCK NOW
A FULL LINE OF
GARDEN SEEDS
ond SUPPLIES
ORDERS TAKEN FOR SEEP POTATOES
DINER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
- VANILLA - GLOVES
- GREAT FIND - BOOTS
- COUGH SYRUP - RUBBERS
- COLD TABLETS - BUCKETS
- PINE OIL . HANDCREAM
- GENT-L-KLEEN
SOAP
GARDEN TOOLS
SHOVELS RAKES
FORKS HOES
AARON S. GROFF t SON
’ FARM & DAIRY STORE
R. 0.3, Ephrala, Pa. 175221 Hmkfeiownf Phone 354-0744
Store Hours 7 A M. to 9 P M
Closed lues & Sat at 5 30 PM
pastures, and other crops
and the total loss approaches
$2OO million.
Don’t stop at this point!
Now add the machinery
wear caused by running the
tons of extra material
through harvesting equip
ment, the reduction in the
quality of produce, and the
marketing dockage of
contaminated product.
The total loss turns out to
be in excess of |2SO million
annually.
All of this loss b in addition
to what U now being done for
controlling weeda such aa the
application of herblcidea,
pre- and post-planting
tillage, mowing, and in aome
cases, hand weeding.
Cost to the fanner? Not
entirely! Weeda cost the
producer and the consumer.
Any cost of production is
ultimately partially
reflected in a cost to the
consumer. Therefore weeds
are expensive to each of us.
As indicated, weeds
compete with all and con
taminate most crops. Even
though much effort is ex
pended for the control of
weeds, seldom is maximum
effort given to control of
weeds throughout the
rotation and on the entire
farm and surroundings. This
maximum effort is a
necessity if total weed
control is to be achieved.
Not only must the farmer
be concerned, but the high
way departments, the utility
companies, the ditch
maintenance supervisors,
and all others responsible for
the maintenance of non
cropland areas must present
a unified effort to approach a
zero weed loss environment.
And this does not mean for
only one or two years. It
must be continued in
definitely. If no weeds were
allowed to reach maturity
and none introduced for five
or six consecutive years in a
relatively large area, the
weed problems would be
greatly diminished. To
approach the zero mark, 10
to 20 years will be required,
depending on the weed
species present and the
cropping and tillage prac
tices used. '
The fanner must utilize
every available tool in
combatting weeds if he is to
succeed in the total weed
control approach. This will
have to be with all crops
Farm Weed Control
each year and even in his
fencerows, waterways and
other non-crop areas.
On the non-crop areas,
there is a choice of several
materials to control annual
and perennial broadleaf
weeds and brush species.
Seme of these are Banvel, 2,
4-0, Amitrole, Pramitol,
Tordon, Tandex, Hyvar,
AmmateX, Silvex, 2,4, 5-T,
2,4-DP, Roundup and others.
Do not use materials for
total vegetation control (soil
sterilants) if grasses are
desired in the non-crop
areas. In fact, one good
control for the foxtails in
fencerows is to seed a
desireable grass such as
bromegrass. Eventually the
seeded species will crowd
out the foxtails.
Herbicide Makes the
Difference
Well-managed pastures;
1. proper species, good
fertilization, rotational
grazing, clipping on
schedule, etc., often do not
need a herbicide to control
weeds. However, on
anything less than well
managed grass pastures, a
herbicide such as Banvel or
2, 4-D usually is required to
w*
»r '
'
new
9
CON
Greater capaci; ...
Operates with less
Requires less adjustment ' .. 3S
than other mower Eonditianir lS
any
Operate in heavy hay or sudax a gear faster. Full-width conditioning rolls
eliminatedead spots that waste power. And you'llfind there’sno powerless
due to side draft on hillsides or on the level.
You get increased capacity because larger diameter 44-inch reel is less
affected by changing crop conditions. And, the unique position of the reel
bats holds the crop flat so it feeds through the conditioning rolls, without
hesitation. What’s more, controlled platform float and self-compensating
roil pressure lets you move from field to field, crop to crop and rarely ever
readjust the 990.
Call us for a demonstration
MESSICK FARM EQUIP. p c unm-wi ® mu
ELIZABETHTOWN 367-1319 •• nUUlnaol « OUR
COPE 8 WEAVER CO. ™» £ mmv raino «i>
new providence 786 7351 ERB * HENRY EQUIMNC.
22-26 Henry Ave., New Berlinvilfe, Pa.
1 Mile North of Boyertown
Phone:2ls - 367-2169
C. B. HOOBER & SON
INTERCOURSE
HERITAGE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1054 S. Stale St Ephrata.PA
717-733-2283
eliminate broadleaf weeda.
Much research has been
conducted in Ohio and ad
jacent states on controlling
weeds in crop rotations. In
most Instances, a com
bination of Ullage practices
and herbicides is the most
successful approach. Tillage
operations, such as plowing,
disking, cultivating, rotary
hoeing, etc., all are effective
weed control practices if
done in time and properly,
but in most instances do not
result in total control. Other
crop management practices
such as fertility programs,
rate of seeding, time of
planting, and selection of
varieties, alter ihe weed
situation.
The selection of a her
bicide for a particular
situation is no easy task.
Consider the weed species,
the degree of infestation, the
desirable species within the
target area and in the ad
jacent areas, the crop
rotation, the soil type, and
any other factors which may
alter the selection
possibilities.
Use only the materials and
rates approved for the
situation and follow ex
MOUNTVILLE, PA
786-8231
plidtty the UM on method
and timing of application.
Know the strengU * and the
limitation! of each herbicide
which Is a candidate for the
situation.
In many situations, a
combination of two or more
herbicides is required to
result In the best weed
control. Again, timely
operations are essential for
good weed control. Don’t
Program failures - prevent
them!
If a producer is doing a
good job of total weed control
and the highway and utility
rights-of-way, or even an
adjacent landowner’s
acreage are consistent
sources of re infestation, use
influence - political, legal,
"charm” or otherwise - to
eliminate these sources.
For a total weed control
concept to be successful, it
must be operated on an area
or regional basis and
everyone must realize the
cost of weeds. Anything
short of this will revert back
to somewhere near the $250
million loss in crops in Ohio
due to weeds.
(Edward W. Stroabe, if a
professor of agronomy and
extension weed control
specialist at Oblo State
University where he is
responsible for extension
and research activities of
weed control in field crops
and tnrf.i
MARK EQUIPMENT INC.
101 Rosehill Ave., West Grove, Pa
[2ls] 869-2474
285-4538