Cool weather slows crop growth
HARRISBURG - Com
monwealth farm operators
Tated five days suitable for
fieldwork during the week
ending June 16. Ram limited
activity early m the week,
according to the Penn
sylvania Crop Reporting
Service
Field activities included
spraying; cultivating corn;
filling silos; making hay and
haylage; planting potatoes,
soybeans and tobacco
Soil moisture was rated
mostly adequate to surplus
thoughout the Com
monwealth. Soil moisture
was rated 71 percent
adequate and 22 per cent
surplus in the north; 76
percent adequate and 24
percent surplus in the
central counties; and 91
percent adeuqate and nme
percent surplus in the south.
Com planting is virtually
complete, the same as last
year. Statewide, the average
height of com is seven inches
pompared to nine inches last
year. The crop is six inches
tall in the north and eight
inches tall in southern areas
Tobacco is 56 percent
planted, behind last year’s 66
percent planted at this time.
Soybeans ae 83 percent
planted, compared to 85
percent planted last year.
The northern counties
continue to lead the state
with 97 percent planted while
the central and southern
counties reported 85 percent
and 75 percent planted,
respectively.
Traces of barley are
ripening, with 65 percent
headed, 34 percent turning
yellow, and less than five
percent ripe. The northern
areas reported 86 percent
headed. Last year, 50 per
cent was headed, 45 percent
turning yellow and five
percent of the barley was
ripe. The northern areas
reported 87 percent headed
and 12 percent turning
yellow In the central areas,
66 percent was headed and 34
percent is turnipg, while the
south reports 46 percent
headed, 51 percent turning
and three percent of the
barley ripe
Wheat is beginning to turn
at 90 percent headed and
eight percent turning yellow
This compares to 84 percent
Record Florida tomato
ORLANDO, FI -
Florida’s tomato growers
have just completed har
vesting a record crop of 34 5
million cases This tran
slates into well over one
billion pounds of tomatoes
and represents a 14.6 per
cent increase over last
year’s all-time high. The
announcement was made by
Wayne Hawkins, executive
vice president of the Florida
Tomato Exchange.
“This year’s abundant
crop has meant lower prices
for the consumer and gainful
employment for about 7,000
American produce
workers,” said Hawkins.
“The fact that all of
Florida’s tomatoes wre
easily marketed shows their
expanding popularity.”
Dairymen...
Milking and dry cows rations, formulated according to recognized
nutritional standards, are always the most profitable rations. These
balanced rations, over a period of time, produce the most milk and
maintain the best herd health. Our nutritionist, Dr. Walter S.
Kennett, is available to help you. Contact your Brown’s Sales Rep
resentative or call his Birdsboro Mill office (215-582-2741) for
appointment.
illtie tilings make the difference
headed and less than five
percent turning last year.
The north reported 86 per
cent headed and 10 percent
turning. The central portion
of the state reported 96
percent headed and three
percent turning, while the
south reported 85 percent
headed and 13 percent
turning
First cuttmg of alfalfa
averaged 51 percent com
plete, statewide. This
compares to 44 percent
harvested last year The
north, central and southern
areas reported 31, 53 and 72
percent harvested.
harvest taken
Coincidentally, an ever
increasing amount of
tomatoes picked in Florida
are indigenous to that state
They come from specialized
breeds of plants developed
for Florida’s sandy soil and
meet strict criteria for taste,
color and nutrition
Dramatic increases in yield
per plant have meant record
harvests for a fixed amount
of acreage
The new strains are
emergmg from the Florida
Tomato Exchange’s ex
tensive research and
development program which
has been active for five
years
Escalated participation
this year in the integrated
pest management program,
which is unique to the United
F. M. BROWN'S SONS, INC.
BIRDSBORO, PA.
19508
215-582-2741
respectively. The southern
counties also reported traces
of second harvest, which is
comparable to last year.
Hay quality for the week
was mostly good to fair. In
the north, 54 percent of the
hay was reported of good
quality and 31 percent fair,
although many reported
conditions too wet for
haymaking In the central
counties, 53 percent was
reported fair and 47 percent
good The southern section
reported hay at 70 percent
good to 20 percent fair
quality
States, has significantly
reduced the impact of
pesticides on the en
vironment Research con
tinues m Florida to develop a
tomato species that will
contain its own natural
defense against pests and
disease
Planting for the 1980--81
season in Florida will begin
in July
WE’RE (MOWING BETTER
FLEETWOOD, PA. SINKING SPRING, PA.
19522 19608
215-944-7654 215-678-4567
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 21,1980—A15
Grange asks
waste dumps
on state land
HARRISBURG - in
response to increasing
public outcry against
hazardous waste sitmg m
residential areas, State
Grange Master, Charles E.
Wismer, Jr, has again
called for the state to “take
the initiative” and use state
owned land for hazardous
waste dumps
“Since the state is working
so hard to pass legislation in
this area,” Wismer said, “it
should set the example, and
use some of its own land,
that is far away from
population centers.”
Wismer stated that his
organization was still
working toward getting
legislation passed in
Harrisburg to this effect.
The need for this kind of
law was reinforced by a
lIA ABMCUIJUR&
proposed zoning change m
Franklin Township, Fayette
County.
The Grange became in
volved as a result of a
request for State Grange
Action from members of the
Fayette County Granges.
The Granges were intensely
opposed to a proposed zoning
change, which would allow
hazardous waste dumping
sites to be constructed along
Rt. 51 in Watersburg.
Concern was voiced
because of possible adverse
effects on local water
earned in the Redstone
Creek.
“If these dump sites were
located in state-owned lands,
and located far enough away
from people,” the State
Master said, “it would
certainly demonstrate the
state’s willingness to deal
with the problem. ”
Wismer went on to say that
“there was no reason why a
hazardous waste disposal
site has to be located near
people”.
In conclusion, Wismer
recognized that there was a
need for disposal sites of this
kind, but said he felt that
sitting on state lands would
not only remove the problem
from populated areas, but
also free private-sector land
for better uses.