_York County growers reap corn awards BAIR York County corn growers again made an impressive showing in the annual Pennsylvania five acre corn club contest. Awards to competitors were made during last week’s com clinic, held at the 4-H Center. Top honors went to Merle Omer, Dillsburg R 3, whose 188.2 bushels per acre also earned him second place m the statewide shelled gram class. Omer’s five acres averaged a plant population of 25,907 and was harvested at a standabihty of almost 97 percent with 36.8 percent moisture. His winning variety was Pioneer 3184. Second place was won by Perrydell Farms of York R 8 with a yield of 172 bushels of Agway 855 X. Tied with that I, yield was Dale Fuhrman of Hanover R 3, with Doebler’s 78X. Other growers who topped the 160-bushe) mark were: Eugene Kilgore, Airville R 2, with 169.7 bushels of Agway 898 X; Ray Orner, Dillsburg, 168.2 bushels of Pioneer 3184; Donald Meckley, Glenville, 165.5 bushels of Doebler’s 70X; Irvin Orner, Dillsburg, with 161.2 bushels of Pioneer 3518; and Ed Rohrbaugh, Seven Valleys R 2,161.1 bushels of Pioneer 3535. Four of the county’s com croppers took part in a panel session detailing their management of corn acreage. Roger Perry of Perrydell Farms, York RB, noted their efforts to maintain high pH levels so that fertilizer and chemicals can perform well. Soil tests are followed carefully because they have run into the problem of too much phosphorus and potassium on some ground, a warning brought out in an earlier presentation by the extension specialists. No-till planting begins in early April using atrazme and Prmcep, with Paraquat needed for later plantings. Either Dual or Bladex herbicides are also in corporated into the spray program later in the plan ting season. ' ±f ' ' 4* f - , «*. Corn contest winnere in York Count, included. 0 back , Ear , Fuhrmani Doug Kilgore, John Irom left front: Roger Perry Paul McPherson Ra, Marste n ar , Ed Rohrb augh and Wilson Nace. Orner, Joe Stump, Donald Meckley and Merle Perry observed that more com was on the ground this year than usual, but blamed the exceptionally wet weather for that problem. John Marstellar samples his ground every three years and generally puts 180 pounds of liquid nitrogen on ground not receiving manure, cutting that amount almost in half on fields that have been manured. Most acreage, except for that with a heavy manure cover, is no-till planted. Weed problems were tackled with a combination of Aatrez and Lasso on some fields. and with Dual on others. Weeds were the worst, Marstellar added, m shorter corn where the ground shade was not intense enough. A type of minimum tillage with some plowing is the planting preparation done by Earl Fuhrman, Hanover R 3. But, Fuhrman did plant a few acres m no-till this year and liked it well enough to plan even more this Spring. He applied 400 pounds of a 30-11-11 and 300 pounds of starter in the row. Steep fertilizer cost increases will force a cutback on those amounts this year, Fuhrman figures, and he may 0 1 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 26,1980—€19 broadcast less phosophorus and concentrate it in the row instead. Good weed control resulted from a Lasso and Bladex combination that will be used again. Fuhrman plants this long season varieties in those fields to be chopped for dairy silage, saving the shelling acreage for short season, faster drying types. Four panelist was Geary Huntsberger, Etters Rl, the county’s newest Master Farmer winner. Hunt sberger farms several hundred acres of com m a minimum type of tillage on (Turn to Page C 23)
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