Al2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 30,1981
NORRISTOWN - Most horse
owners realize that the footing in
their riding arenas is all-important
to the health and well-being of their
horses. According to Jim
Gallagher, Penn State Extension
animal scientist, now is a good
time to inspect your outdoor arena
for the quality of its footing and
overall condition.
Horses that are worked con
sistently on rough, hard-packed or
rocky ground can develop serious
leg ailments, notes Gallagher,
especially if the animals are asked
to jump or maneuver at high
speed. That’s why the footing in an
arena must be level, resilient and
free of stones.
Seeds must
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -
Development of dramatic new
seed varieties and hybrids will be
one result of the widespread
economic transition being ex
perienced by agriculture.
Jim Fetrow, general manager of
Asgrow Seed Company’s U.S.
agronomic operations, made this
observation in a recent presen
tation to Asgrow executives at
company headquarters in
Kalamazoo, Mich.
In an age of skyrocketing energy
costs, high interest rates,
decreasing water supplies and
reduced government price sup
ports, Fetrow foresees new
pressures being placed on seed
companies to develop new
varieties that will help farmers
solve some of these tough
economic problems.
For example, he pointed out that
increasing energy costs will cause
fertilizer expenses to increase at
an alarming rate.
“If natural gas is completely
deregulated, anhydrous ammonia
costs could quadruple,” Fetrow
said.
“As a result, seed companies
will need to make advances toward
hydnds and varieties that are
more efficient users of fertilizers,”
he explained. “We’ll need
soybeans that will fix more
nitrogen, causing higher yields for
the beans and leaving more
residual nitrogen m the soil for the
following com crop.”
In addition, he said that seed
researchers will be giving priority
to com hybrids that dry down
rapidly in the fields, without yield
losses. This could greatly reduce
artificial drying costs.
Fetrow also said that crops could
Inspection due for riding arenas
When the spring thaw arrives in
earnest, survey the surface con
ditions of your ring, suggests
Gallagher. Your inspection
probably will reveal rocks of all
sizes that seem to have appeared
frcm nowhere. A rutted, worn
track may surround the ring,
collecting water to form perpetual
mudholes. In general, the footing
m your outdoor arena may be
uneven and dangerous due to the
freezing and thawing conditions
common in winter.
The fust task is to remove the
loose stones, a fairly simple but
time-consuming job, continues
Gallagher. If large rocks or
boulders have surfaced over the
respond to economic times
potentially be major contributors
directly to U.S. fuel supplies.
“Soybean oil and sunflower oil
can be burned in diesel engines,”
he said, “so research on varieties
that have a high oil content is
receiving priority. This may, m
fact, be a more practical solution
to the fuel problem than alcohol
from com.”
Soil and water conservation is
becoming another priority
problem in agriculture, and
Fetrow also foresees new varieties
and hybrids being developed to
help solve these problems.
“More than 50 percent of all
tillable land has a serious erosion
problem,” he said. “This means a
loss of more than 5 tons of soil per
acre per year.
“And soybeans are one of the
biggest culprits,” he added. “It’s
estimated that one third of all
soybean acreage—over 20 million
acres—have soil losses ranging up
to 50 cents per acre per year.
“At Asgrow, we’re attempting to
respond to this problem by
Miiitci, dig them out and pack clay
or cinders m the holes.
Next, decide if your arena should
be resurfaced. Gallagher says it
may be enough to rake the area
with a harrow a few times to loosen
and level the surface. On the other
hand, you may need to incorporate
four or five inches of sand in the
area to improve the footing.
He notes that plowing up hard
pan provides only temporary
improvement because the soil will
pack down again quickly once you
begin using the arena. Sand,
however, will drain well and
remain loose and light if you
harrow it regularly.
development of hybrids and
varieties that have exceptional
early vigor, compared to those in
use now. The result of this
research may well be the
development of soybean varieties
and corn, and sorghum hybnds
that will grow and yield well in
minimum tillage situations.”
All in all, Fetrow foresees a
strong decade for agriculture, once
it’s through the current tran
sitional period.
“We’re currently undergoing a
change from “40 years of sur
pluses” into a “yo-yo-ing”
situation of alternate years of
prosperity and gloom,” Fetrow
said.
“But operations with a sound
financial base are weathering the
storm quite well,” he added. “In
fact, many have become even
stronger as a result. When this
period is over in the early 1980 s,
there will be a trend toward con
sistent prosperity in agriculture,”
Fetrow predicted.
You may have to wet down sand
occasionally in the summer to
reduce dust, says Gallagher. Or
you can achieve the same effect by
applying oil to the surface two or
three times a year.
To conclude your arena in-
spection, walk around the edge and
make sure all the boards or rails
are sturdy and free of large
cracks, recommends Gallagher
Replace boards if necessary.
OUR READERS WRITE
DearLF:
On behalf of the Lancaster
County Conservation District, I
would like to commend you for the
excellent coverage of Soil
Stewardship in the May 23, 1981
issue. I am totally in agreement
with your editorial where you say
many “modem” farmers have
failed to get the soil conservation
Now Is The Time
(Continued from Page A 10)
clean water to a known level. Then
travel over the course at the
desired rate of speed. Make sure
you are up to full speed by the time
you turn the spray on at the
beginning of the course. Measure
the amount of water applied by
placing the spray tank in die same
position and refilling to the same
level.
Most wettable powders and
emulsions call for 15 to 30 gallons
of water per acre for good
coverage. This means you should
have applied 1% to 3 gallons on the
one-tenth acre plot.
It’s very important to thoroughly
check your sprayer before mixing
expensive chemicals and starting
into the field.
To Fertilize Alfalfa
Alfalfa is an important crop in
our livestock program and every
effort should be taken to maintain
a healthy stand. This would include
top-dressing, at least once a year,
with a phosphorus-potash fertilizer
to replenish the roots with these
two major elements.
A very good time to make this
application is after the removal of
the first cutting. A well fertilized
stand of alfalfa can withstand
insects and other abuses much
better than one lacking fer
tilization.
Pound in nails that have worked
loose.
Consider adding a perspective,
smooth board rail at the height of a
mounted rider’s knee, suggests
Gallagher. Also, repair sagging
gates.
If you take the time to inspect
your outdoor riding arena, it will
serve you and your horses well
throughout the summer, concludes
Gallagher.
message. Hopefully, your articles
will get more farmers interested in
soil and water conservation.
,As you know, we have planning
and technical assistance available,
free for the asking.
Yours for a better environment,
Aaron Z. Stauffer,
Chairman, L.C.C.D
Keep in mind that the first
cutting of alfalfa removes about
one-half of the tonnage produced
on an acre for the year, so a lot of
plant food is used-up in the first
cutting.
To Check for Ticks
The tick season is here. These
pests may be on almost any dog or
person that walks through un
cultivated fields or woody areas
from May to September. •
Ticks await their victims on low
growing shrubs and on tall grass.
They attack to, and feed on the
blood of dogs, humans as well as
many other animals.
There are two common kinds of
ticks, the American dog tick and
the brown dog tick. Both are
brown, but the American dog tick
has a mottled white shield on its
back. The brown dog tick is a
household pest and cannot survive
our winters outdoors.
To control the American dog
tick, first clean the area of tall
grass and weeds on which the ticks
await their victims. Also treat
bushes 20 to 30 feed on either side
of paths with either Sevin,
Diazinon or Lindane. The dog
should also be treated with a 5
percent Sevin dust at weekly in
tervals or as needed for control of
either the American dog tick or the
brown dog tick.