10—Lancaitar Farming. Saturday. June 14, 1975
Farm Commentary
by Dick Wanner
Cattle Prices May Be
Reaching Peak
Many in the livestock and meat
trade think that cattle prices have
about reached their high point, but
others think the prices could be
nudged up another $2 to $3 before a
retreat develops. They add that a
cash price of S6O or so a hun
dredweight is possible, but this will
depend on how tight supplies are, the
weather and consumer reaction to
climbing retail beef prices. Dry
weather could bring a rush of grass
fed cattle from rangelands to market,
and that would take some heat off
choice-grade beef prices, analysts
say.
Earlier this year, cattle feeders
indicated that marketings of gram
fed cattle during the spring would be
at the lowest level in a decade.
There’s a record number of cattle in
the U.S., most livestock specialists
agree, but more of those being
marketed are coming direct from
grassland ranges, or are being fed
just a little gram. One specialist
estimates that marketings of grass
fed cattle in the third quarter will
total 2.8 million, up 1.3 million from a
year earlier.
Fed-cattle marketings probably will
increase this summer, too, but at a
slower rate. One analyst estimates
Winter Wheat Projected
The Agriculture Department’s
forecast for 1975 winter-wheat
production showed hardly any
change from the record 1.61 billion
bushels projected May 1.
Reporting on conditions as of June
1, the Department said ram had
slowed wheat harvests in Texas and
other parts of the southern Great
Plains, leading to projections that
production might be down one million
bushels.
Winter-wheat yields are currently
expected to average 32 bushels an
U.S. production of butter and non
fat dry milk continued up during
April, but output of American cheese
continued off. Butter production, at
101 million lbs., was up 14 pet. from a
year earlier. This was the 11th
straight month output has exceeded
that of a corresponding month a year
earlier It was also the highest single
month’s total since June 1972
Meanwhile, production of nonfat
dry milk, at 111.5 million lbs., was up
17 pet. from a year earlier. This ’
Corn Is In
While there had been some con
cern earlier that corn crop might not
get in, it has Or just about had as of
June 1 The Weekly Weather and
Crop Bulletin reports that 96 pet. of
at 1.61 Bil, Bu.
Butter Output
Continues Up
that the second quarter marketings
of fed cattle might be about 4.8
million head, down 1.5 million from a
year earlier. The marketings could
rise to 5.4 million in the third quarter,
which would be just a bit under the
year-earlier level, he says. He sees a
further increase in the fourth
quarter, with marketings reaching
about 5.9 million, which would be
400,000 more than in the final period
of 1974.
Meat packers apparently are ex
pecting prices of grain-fed cattle to
hold up during the next couple of
months. Last week, packers con
tracted for grain-fattened cattle to be
delivered in July and August at prices
ranging from $46 to $5O per 100
pounds, according to the American
National Cattlemen’s Association.
The amount of contracting increased,
the group said.
Trading m wholesale beef
yesterday was meager and mostly
packer-to-packer; prices were mostly
unchanged. Wholesale pork trading
was active and prices rose slightly.
Futures prices for cattle, hogs and
pork bellies closed mixed yesterday.
Analysts said further reports that
consumers were resisting high red
meat prices induced some traders to
sell contracts.
acre, up from 29.5 bushels for the
1974 crop but well below the 33.1
bushels an acre in 1972.
In the past decade, the depart
ment's June 1 estimated for winter
wheat has exceeded the final harvest
figures for six years by an average of
46 million bushels.
Spring-potato production as of
June 1 was estimated at 17.6 million
hundred-weight, 3 percent less than
the May 1 estimate and 27 percent
less than the 24.3 million hundred
weight produced in 1974.
marked the 12th straight month
output has been above that of a
corresponding month a year earlier.
But, output of American cheese, down
for the sixth straight month, hit 153
million lbs., off 14 pet. from a year
earlier.
The Jan.-Apn! totals: Butter, 385
million lbs, up 22 pet, nonfat dry
milk, 372.4 million lbs., up 31 pet;
and American cheese, 549.7 million
lbs., down 17 pet. from a year earlier
The Ground
the corn was m the 14 States that
produced 88 pet of the national total
last year. Moreover, 100 pet. of it was
m lowa, Illinois and Kansas
KOINONIA
Lesionior June IS, 117$
Background Scripture: To Control Canada
Jeremiah 28: 1-8; Luke 24; Tblatle
13-27,44-49; John 20: 30-31; I One of the best times to do
John 1: 1-4; 5:13. the most harm to a Canada
Devotional Reading: John Thistle plant Is to cut it as the
5:39-47. blossoms (or buds) are
In the Greek New developing at the top of the
Testament there frequently plant. Here in Lancaster
odcurs a word for which County this should be done
there is no adequate now before the seed heads
equivalent. The word is develop and blow over the
koinonia (COIN-oNEE-uh) community. When cut at this
and most often it is trail- stage the root reserves are
slated as “fellowship,” depleted as the plant tries to
although that term is quite grow another plant for the
inadequate. The word remainder of the summer,
“koinonia” implies part- As this second plant gets well
nership, sharing, friendship, grown (12 to 18 inches), it
mutual participation, should be sprayed with a
communion, and relation- herbicide such as Banvel 0.
ship. As William Barclay This chemical will be taken
puts it, kiononia “is that through the leaves down into
bond which binds Christians the plant stem and roots and
to each other, to Christ and do a good job of killing the
to God.” entire plant. All land owners
“Fellowship with us” are urged to give attention to
In a sense, the Bible is a killing Canada Thistles at
koinonia. The writer of 1 this time.
John speaks of his epistle in To Practice Sanitation
this manner: “ ... that For Fly Control
which we have seen and The. ordinary house and
beard we proclaim also to bam By is a nuisance around
you, so that you may have most premises; this is
fellowship (koinonia) with especially true on farms with
u 5...” (I John 1:3). livestock. The place to start
Each of the various to cut down the fly problem
writers of the Bible had is with good sanitation
experiences in which they practices at all times. Flies
encountered God. Their breed in filth and dampness
biblical writings are an and the elimination of these
attempt to express and share areas will reduce fly
with us those encounters, reproduction. Manure piles
Their purpose is not just to and box-stalls should be
tell us about those ex- cleaned out regularly and
periences, but to help us sprayed with Diazinon or'
enter in to their experiences Cygon to kill fly eggs and
and encounter God for maggots. Poison baits may
ourselves. be used on window ledges or
When the writers of other places out of the reach
Genesis write of creation and of children, livestock and
the story of Adam and Eve, pets. Residual sprays may
they are attempting to help be used on the interior of
us feel the same sense of awe bams using either Cygon or
and wonder in God’s Korlan every 4to 6 weeks.
presence which they felt. The changing of spray
When the writer of I Kings materials from year to year
tells us an episode from the is strongly suggested in
history of Israel, he wants us order to prevent the fly
to experience, just as he population from building a
does, the presence of God resistance against any one of
working in the affairs of the materials.
men.
“That you may believe” Plants
When the Psalmist sets Mulching around plants
down his testimony of faith, and shrubs is a very good
he wants us to share per- practice at any time of the
sonally in his moment of year, but with stake-grown
inspiration. When the tomatoes this is very im
prophet records his war- portant. When tomato plants
nings to the people of Israel, are mulched with black
he wants us to feel the same plastic, lawn clippings, peat
sense of God’s judgement moss, or many other types of
that he feels. When the mulch there is a more
writer of one of the gospels uniform source of moisture
records for us the words and for the bearing plant. When
actions of Jesus, he does so we have alternate periods of
that we might encounter the
Lord for ourselves.
a w £ , if t John rules, regulations, or even a
eosnpl >the P rP ° Se ° f 1118 Philosophy. The purpose is to
Aia ~ fi ive «s an opportunity to let
.2®w Jesus did many other God speak to us as ' ut our
dSnT P J he whSh nC a e 0f n h t P roblems » °ur concerns, and
disciples, which drs not our lives
tefarfiStoSS “ & t W f d J*
fWK’r he - S „° n ° f God > and read a book, but the living
t at behevmg you may have experience of God himself
t- 31 T 1118 name ’ (John who speaks through our
The’ writer of John, wh °
therefore, wants to share Ui the b °° k We caU
experience with us, not just (Bas ed on outlines
huf 3boUt lt ’ by the DivisiS
but so that, m a sense, we 0 f Christian Frinpatinn
;i t £STLSf3 6 S
pinpose is not to teach us churches of Christ in the
history - stale dates and u.S. A . Released by Corn
events - nor is it to teach us munity Press Service.)
I
v.
To Mulch Tomato
NOW IS
THE TIME..
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone .W-OKM
wet weather and dry
weather we often get too
many tomatoes with
bloaaom-end rot and not fit to
be used. Mulching along with
sprinkling or watering
during periods of little rain
will help produce more
sound tomatoes. Not any of
the mulching material
should be packed tightly
around the tomato stalk;
keep the material at least 2
to 3 inches away from the
main stem.
To Spray Roses
Regularly
Weekly sprays on rose
bushes at this time of the
year will keep down all of the
fungus diseases such as
black spot and mildew and
control most of the insects.
With our abundant rain and
cool weather during the past
month some bushes are
already showing black spot.
The use of either Folpet or
Benlate as a fungicide each
week along with an in*
secticide such as Malatbion,
Sevin, or Isotoi should give
good results. Most property
owners take pride in their
roses but they do require
weekly attention for best
results.
Farm
Calendar
Sunday,June 15
12:45p,m. - Manheim Young
Fanners Picnic at the
Mervin Hess Pavilion.
12:00 noon - Pa. Poland
China Swine Breeder’s
Association Picnic at the
farm of Roland Piper,
Benton R 3. 1-81 to 1-80
take Lightstreet Exit.
Follow Rt. 487 North to
Benton.
Tuesday, June 17
FFA Activities Week at Penn
State - Competitions
through the 20th.
Friday, June 20
Pa. Egg Marketing
Association meeting at
the Sheraton-Conestoga
7:00 p.m.
Kempton Fair - Berks
County through the 22nd.
Saturday, June 21
Reading Fair at the Reading
Fair Grounds - Berks
County June 21-28.
Farm
Youth
Calendar
Tuesday, June 17
Silver Spurs 4-H Horse Club
Grooming and Showing
Contest at the Rocking G.
Stables.
Mt. Joy Cooking Club
meeting at the United
Methodist Church in Mt.
- Joy 11:00 a.m.
FPA State Activities Days
through the 20th at Penn
State.
Lehigh County Dairy Club
Meeting at Ralph Urmy’s
Farm.
Wednesday, June 18
Lancaster County 4-H
Council meeting at the
Farm and Home Center
beginning at 7:30 p.m.
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