Spring farming slowed by weather
. HARRISBURG - Penn
sylvania Agriculture
Secretary Kent Shelhamer
recently issued the first in a
senes of weekly crop and
weather reports that will be
released by the Agriculture
Department during the 1978
crop season.
Shelhamer said the
reports, compiled by the
Pennsylvania Crop
Reporting Service, are in
tended to keep farmers and
the public abreast of the
changing farm situation as
the growing season
progresses.
A cool spring and wet
fields similar to that of last
year is keeping farm
operators out of the fields.
Statewide, during the week
ending April 17, four days
Conquer big crops
The heavy-duty Gehl 1200 forage harvester
handles tractors up to 225 hp Nine tungsten
carbide faced knives deliver 9,000 cuts per
minute at 1,000 rpm Lets you power through
the heavy crops with time to spare Two-row
corn attachment, windrow pickup and snapper
head available Stop in and look at the
conqueror today
EEHL
FARM EQUIPMENT
ZOOK’S FARM STORE
Honey Brook, PA
S. JOHNSON HURFF
Pole Tavern
Monroeville, NJ
609-358-2565 or
609-769-2565
STOUFFER BROS. INC.
Chambersburg, PA
717-263-8424
ARNETT’S GARAGE
Rt. 9 Box 125
Hagerstown, MD
301-733-0515
NEVIN N. MYER
& SONS, INC.
Chester Springs, PA
215-827-7414
UMBERGER’S MILL
Rt 4 Lebanon, PA
(Fontana)
717-867-5161
A. L. HERR & BRO.
Quarryville, PA
717-786-3521
BINKLEY & HURST BROS
133 Rothsville Station Road
Lititz, PA
717-626-4705
ERNEST SHOVER
PEOPLE’S SALES FARM EQUIPMENT
& SERVICE 19 W South St
Oakland Mills, PA Carlisle. PA
717-463-2735 717 249 2239
were considered suitable for
fieldwork in areas where the
fields were dry enough to
work.
Rapidly moving weather
systems produced a variety
of conditions from day to day
during the week. Tem
peratures for the week
averaged near normal, and
were the mildest since early
November.
This was the driest week
since early March, but soil
moisture levels are still
rated adequate by one-half
and surplus by the other half
of farm operators who are
reporting. Soil moisture m
the south of the state is rated
adequate by two-thirds of the
operators.
Plowing is now rated at 16
per cent done, three days
I
N. G. HERSHEY & SON
Manheim, PA
717-665-2271
AGWAY, INC.
Chapman Equip. Center
Chapman, PA
215-398-2553
CHAS. J. McCOMSEY
& SONS
Hickory Hill, PA
213-932-2615
WERTZ GARAGE
Lmeboro, MD
301-374-2672
LEBANON VALLEY
IMPLEMENT CO., INC.
Richland. PA
717-866-7518
CLAIR J. MYERS
Lake Road R 1
Thomasville, PA
717-259-0453
WILLIAM DAUGHERTY
R D H 2
Felton, PA
717-244-9787
behind the 29 per cent
completed a year ago at this
tune. Plowing is furthest
advanced where teams are
being used instead of heavy
equipment. Northern
counties are at 13 per cent
done, central counties stand
at 15 per cent and plowing in
the south is now about one
fifth complete.
Potatoes are under five
per cent in the ground
compared to seven per cent
planted last year. A few
fields are planted in the
north, and none m central
counties. The southern
counties show 13 per cent
planting completed.
Tobacco beds are now
being prepared with 54 per
cent reportedly sown. Last
year virtually all tobacco
beds had been sown by this
time.
Wheat and barley are still
in the pre-boot stage. Wheat
overwintered very well.
Barley is generally in good
condition, but some dead
spots are being reported
,vh. i barley ?• ids v fro too
wet last Fall
Oats are now seven per
cent sown, five days behind
the 22 per cent in 1977.
Although no oats are
reported sown in the north,
central counties report six
per cent and southern
counties are at 19 per cent
done.
Pastures are too wet to use
and consequently providing
a below average amount of
feed, but are greening up
rapidly. Alfalfa hay stands
are rated two-thirds in good
condition and one-third fair.
Clover-timothy stands are
mostly in good condition,
with some only fair.
Apples, peaches and
cherries are in the pre-pink
stage. Northern operators
are reporting some bud swell
in early grape varieties.
Some southern peach
varieties show more than
usual winter damage, while
northern orchardists report
abnormally high rodent and
rabbit damage.
WHERE QUALITY HAS BEEN FOR OVER 60 YEARS
announced by American
Chianina Association
BLUE SPRING, Mo. - The
American Chianina
Association will sponsor its
first National Junior
Chianina Heifer Show on
Wednesday, November 15,
1978 at Louisville, Ky. The
ACA National Junior Heifer
Show will be held m con
junction with the ACA
National Open Show and
Sale. These events will take
place at the North American
Livestock Exposition.
Only ACA junior members
who are not more than 21
years of age on January 1,
1978 will be eligible to enter
Chianina heifers in the ACA
National Junior Heifer
Show. Any registrable
Chianina female calved on
or after January 1, 1977 and
before May 1, 1978, and
owned by a bonafide ACA
junior member meeting the
age specifications for this
Poured Concrete Silos
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 29,1978
Junior heifer show
Approximately one out of
ever\ 20 persons has an ex
tra nb Among these with
spare ribs men outnumber
women bv more than three
to one
show, may be nominated and
shown All Chianina heifers
nominated for the ACA
National Junior Heifer Show
must be Owned and
Registered in the aCA junior
member’s name before
August 15,1978.
There will be two
categories in the ACA
National Junior Heifer
Show. Fullblood and
American purebred
Chiamna (seven-eighth and
higher) heifers will be shown
together in age classes and
percentage Chiamna heifers
(quarter bloods to three
quarters) will be shown
together in age classes.
The grand champion
Chianina heifers m both
categories will receive $lOOO
each in premiums. Other
premium money will be
awarded in each age class
and to the division (calf,
junior and semor) cham
pions in both show
categories. Making the of
ficial placings for the ACA
National Junior Heifer Show
will be Dr. Gary Mirush of
Blacksburg, Va.
Official nomination forms
for the ACA National Junior
Heifer Show can be obtained
from the American Chiamna
Association, Box 159, Blue
Springs, Mo. 64015. Only
those Chiamna heifers
nominated through the ACA
national office on official
ACA nomination forms will
be allowed to show in the
ACA National Junior Heifer
Show.
Proceed, Please
Two lawyers were arguing
a case in court and began to
attack each other’s per
sonahties You’re a
shyster ” said one 'And
you re ]ust an ambulance
chaser ” ivas the reply
Finally the judge settled the
matter ‘ Now that you two
have introduced each other
to this court ” the judge said
you may proceed with the
case at hand
Adam’s Rib?
103