P*2— iancastw Farming, Saturday, March 5,1983 Fluid drilling overcomes direct seeding UNIVERSITY PARK - Direct seeding of certain vegetables may save time, labor and money ac cording to Donald R. Daum, Penn State Extension agricultural engineer. Disadvantages of direct seeding over transplanting include erratic emergence, uneven stand, and poor weed control. Fluid seeding may overcome these problems. Fluid seeding is a relatively new Small turkey inspection break get ELIZABETHTOWN The the slaughter or processing American Association of Meat operations must be carried on Processors headquartered here under approved conditions. reports that effective Feb. 23, The new exemption ceiling for firms that slaughter or process turkeys is in line with exemptions fewer than 20,000 turkeys a year allowed for firms handling and sell them within the state are chickens, ducks, geese and other now exempt from federal in- poultry, USDA said. spection. Previously, USDA exempted firms that handled 5,000 birds a year. Under the new rule, exempted plants may not share space with other meat or poultry processors, and then must meet standard USDA labeling and sanitation requirements. Labeling of products from exempted plants must be truthful and accurate, and problems, says Penn State engineer technique for direct seeding. It involves germinating the seeds, mixing selected germinated seeds with gel, and sowing the mixture. Daum says that for sowing, the special fluid drills are com mercially available and used in England, Canada, and several states in this country. All fluid seeders have a tank or hopper, a pump or compressed gas (usually air) a furrow or hole opener, and a processors The exemption for turkey far mers raising and selling their own birds within state was increased from 250 to 1,000 birds annually. The change is aimed at helping small turkey producers stay in business by eliminating paper work, plant design and inspection costs, according to the Depart ment, which also anticipates a reduction in inspector workload. covering mechanism or press wheels. An open tank or hopper is used on planters with pumps while an enclosed pressure tank is used for compressed gas planters. The amount of gel-seed mix, and thus tank size, depends on row spacing, planter design and whether a continuous ribbon or “blobs” are used. Peristaltic (squeeze) or diaphragm pumps are used to pump the mix through the planter. These pumps are normally ground driven so the throughput is proportional to distance traveled regardless of speed. On other drills a pressurized tank is used; flow rate in con trolled by pressure and machine design. A constant travel speed is necessary to achieve uniform planting especially if a continuous "PA. AGRICULTURE - WE'RE GROWING BETTER" ICE CREAM Use your own label Vz gallon & bulk ELIZABETHTOWN CREAMERY CO., INC. Rear 519 S. Market St. Elizabethtown, PA 17022 717-367-1389 ribbon is used, since the pressurized system has a constant throughput. „ Daum says that openers vary from conventional “shoes” as used on dry seed planters to punches that permit planting through plastic film mulch. At least one drill has a gas flame attachment to bum holes in the plastic film while the seeds are planted. Covering devices, usually similar to those -on conventional seeders, may not be used at all. Press wheels are also similar to conventional planters. The most popular option or alternate design is a device that meters a small fixed amount of the gel mix at a desired spacing. This results in blobs in the row rather than a continuous ribbon, drastically reducing the amount of gel required. This permits clump plantingjor tomatoes, cucumbers and most melons. Where single plants are desired, the clumps can be thinned to one plant per clump at the desired spacing. Another common option places an anticrustant such as hor ticultural venniculite over the seed. Normally this device is used only with clump planting. Brushes may aid getting the material through holes in plastic mulch. Damn says that Quid seeders have reached the point that current designs and units will operate satisfactory. The new units give growers the opportunity to direct seed several vegetable crops. “If you always wanted to try direct seeding, but have been afraid of uneven emergence and stands, try Quid drilling,” says iDaum.
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