‘lt depends* is best answer to question on hay timing
COLUMBIA, Mo. Tuning of
hay harvest is a matter of trade
offs.
So Howell Wheaton, who pndes
himself in giving straight from
the-shoulder advice, always feels a
bit uncomfortable when fanners
ask him when they should cut hay.
“It’s always a compromise
between quality, i quantity,
hfestand and plant vigor, ’’ said the
University of Missouri-Columbia
Extension forage specialist.
“I can tell you what we
recommend under, ideal con-
plants are not under
stress.”
0.K., Howell, let’s start there.
“Under these conditions, alfalfa
should be cut in the bud to 1/10
bloom stage; red clover, 1/4 to 1/2
bloom; timothy, late boot;
bromegrass, heads emerged;
orchardgrass, past bloom; reed
canarygrass, heads emerged; and
tall fescue, boot stage.”
But?
“But conditions are seldom ideal
and the weatherman seldom
cooperates. Besides, farmers’
schedules are such as they can’t
get every acre harvested when
they should,” Wheaton said.'
“All 1 can tell them is what
happens as legumes and grasses
grow, so they can make
management decisions that suit
their particular situation.”
0.K., Howell, let’s do it.
“First, some general in
formation.. Maturity of topgrowth
is associated with storage of
organic reserve materials in the
roots and crowns. .These are''
usually referred to as total
available carbohydrates (TAG),
and their major components are
starch, sucrose," and reducing
sugars.
“And it’s-the level of jthese
carbohydrates in relation to the'
plant’s environment that should
determine when forages should be
harvested”
Wheaton said the TAG content of
alfalfa roots decreases as spring
growth begins. When the tops
produce, more food than used for
growth, TAG begins accumulating
in the root and reaches a high level
at near full bloom.
“Because digestibility and crude
protein become'lower and crude
iiber increases as the alfalfa plant
approaches full bloom, farmers
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - This is
an anniversary year for certified
tree farms, both nationally and in
Maryland. The American Tree
Farm System is 40 years old this
month, while tree fanning in the
Old Line State has now reached its
thirty-fifth birthday.
In honor of the occasion,
Governor Harold R. Hughes
proclaimed last week as Tree
Farm Week in Maryland.
Maryland’s first certified tree
farm was a 200-acre tract
established in 1946 near Welcome
(Charles county). It is owned by
the Galtfelter Pulp Wood Company
of Spring Grove, Pa. ~
The state’s first tree farm is now
part of 54,830 acres of certified
woodland acreage owned by
Glatfelter and another large forest
firm in southern Maryland and on
the lower Eastern Shore.
In addition to these large
holdings, there are 339 private
woodland owners with 63,398 acres
of certified tree farm acreage in
have to compromise on when to
harvest,” Wheaton said.
“Under conditions of stress, it’s
best not to harvest a crop before
the 1/10 to 1/2 bloom stage to avoid
injury to the plant.
“Management of stands suf
fering from severe winter injury
usually requires delaying the first
harvest until it has reached the Vz
to full bloom stage.”
If farmers cut alfalfa too early,
the stand won’t last long. UMC
research shows that alfalfa cannot
be cut in the prebud stage and
harvested every 35 to 45 days
Tree farms observe birthdays
the state reports John F. Kundt,
Extension forestry specialist and
associate professor of horticulture
at the University of -Maryland.
Every Maryland county has. at
least one certified tree farm.
The state’s certified tree farm
numbers range from one each in
Howard and Montgomery counties
to 36 in Dorchester county and 39 in -
Garrett county. Carroll county has
19, while Allegany and Washington
counties each have 18.
More than 41,000 private lan
downers in the United States
manage 83 million acres under the
American Tree Farm System; the
numbers are increased steadily
both at the national and state
levels, says Kundt. He notes that at
least 100 certified tree farms have
been added to the Maryland list in
the last seven years.
There is no direct financial in
centive to quality as a certified
tree fanner, Kundt points out.
Instead, the program is intended
as recognition for pnvate owners.
* MIXED FERTILIZER • AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS
MrSbm* * ROYSTER bonanza
/FertiherJ AND CROP SPECIALS
MATERIALS FOR BLENDING
OR DIRECT APPLICATION...
46% UREA (GRANULAR)
33Vz% AMMONIUM NITRATE
30% NITROGEN SOLUTION
DIAMMONIUM PHOSPHATE
46% TRIPLE SUPERPHOSPHATE
60% MURIATE OF POTASH
20% GRANULAR ZINC
32% BORATE (GRANULAR)
MICRONUTRIENT MIX
90% SULFUR (GRANULAR)
without damage to the alfalfa
stand.
Not all legumes follow the same
seasonal, patterns as alfalfa, said
Wheaton. For example, cutting
height of birdsfoot trefoil is much
more critical. Trefoil should not be
cut or grazed so low during the
summer as to remove all the
leaves.
“Red clover has a TAG cycle
similar to alfalfa but differs in two
major aspects. It should not be
harvested until it reaches V* to Vz
bloom. It should not be allowed to
with 10 acres or more of woodland,
who manage their forest property
in accordance with stipulated
conservation and business
management guidelines.
Certified tree farms are re
inspected at least once every-five
years to make sure that the
woodlands are still being
developed properly. If not, they
are dropped from the roster.
While forest industries are ac
tive supporters, the focus of the
tree farm program these days is on
privately owned non-industrial
woodlands.
To Serve You Better From Lancaster, PA...
AGRI SERVICE
R/K
(Royster / Kirby)
500 Running Pump Rd. ( Lancaster, Pa. 17601
WRITE OR CALL ★
LANCASTER 717-299-2541
IN PA. 1-800-732-0398
OUTSIDE PA. 1-800-233-3833
Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, June 13,1981—C27
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go into full bloom during the early
fall of the seedling year.
“Blooming causes a
physiological change in the plant
which makes it less winter hardy.’ ’
In the case of grasses, reserves
and their role in regrowth is not as
'important as it is with legumes. -
“The major management factor
affecting! rapidity of regrowth,
gvigor and standhfe of grasses is
height of cutting,” said Wheaton.
“For best results, minimum of a
4rinch stubble should be left with
the tall grasses and two inches
the short growing species.”
According to Kundt, these
privately owned lands hold the key
to a long-range increase of forest
productivity needed to meet a
projected doubling of domestic
demand for wood and paper
products in the next 50 years.
Tree farms are located in every
state, although nearly 60 percent
are found in thelS southern states,
including Maryland. Tree Far
mers of the Year are selected at
the state, regional and national
levels. Maryland’s winner for 1981
is Clarence W.' Strickland, 94, of
Snow Hill (Worcester county).
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