Super-yield scientists (Continued from Page D 22) dominant factor affecting yield,” Johnson says. “With the new genetic material available, we can get up to 150 to 170 bushels per acre with seed populations of 24,000 to 26,000,” he says. “To go much higher than that, we’ll have to drop more seed.” However, he cautions, “You’d better have everything put together on a good soil.” Beware of upright-leaf hybrids m rows wider than 30 inches. “I planted a URL hybrid in 40-inch rows one year, just to test its response, and lost 50 bushels of yield, compared with 30-inch rows,” Johnson says. “Now I don’t plant any row wider than 30 inches, for any hybrid.” Shifting to higher rates of nitrogen requires split ap plications. Johnson suggests no more than 300 pounds per acre in one shot. “Above that, yields go down,” he observes. “And that’s for pretty dark soils. On much lighter soils I’d go a little easier than that.” Johnson says his main challenge is utilizing nitrogen more ef ficiently. For his top com yield, he applied preplant 200 pounds of anhydrous knifed in deep and 100 pounds as urea, then 100 pounds as 28 percent liquid through his irrigation system. Farmers shooting for super yields must be ready to respond quickly with aerial control when stalk diseases or pests strike. Commercial seed companies view this as standard practice, and farmers should too, Johnson says. “The cost of treatment is negligible, compared with the AVAILABLE Ail Natural New York State Cheddar Cheese or higher Moisture Cheese Like Longhorn or Colby 42 Lb. Blocks Medium Sharp * 1.90 per Lb Mild *l.BO per Lb. Prices Postpaid Please send Check or Money Order to: ADIRONDACK CHEESE CO. RD 1 Box 74. Newport, New York 13416 //■ ,[ Ifs Proven REDUCED HEAT STRESS WILL IMPROVE •RATE OF GAIN •FEED EFFICIENCY •REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE HURRY, ORDER NOW... Demand Is Heavy Due To Excellent Results! TRICOUNTY LEBANON, PA 17042 C lAf/AiP (717)274-3488 W / C irW J Hours Mon.-Fn 7.00t04.30 value ot the grain you’ll leave on the ground if there’s much downed com,” he observes. High-yield checklist Even though their research methods vary considerably, the super-yield scientists agree on several points: By managing your inputs carefully at a high level, farmers can increase yields dramatically. But no single input will propel a producer into the super-yield category. It takes at least two or three factors, such as row width, population and fertility, working at optimum levels to reach that goal. If a producer doesn’t have a feel for working with high-level inputs, he must walk before he runs. He should experiment with small acreages to collect information on what works and what doesn’t work. Super yields can be very profitable, but not in every case. Producers should move cautiously, keep careful, complete records and remember that going for the super yields is a high-risk, high reward venture. Super yields usually are better for land and the surrounding ecosystem, than yields from poorly managed low-producing land. Major reason: The higher the yield, the more crop residue, and the more organic matter is retained in the soil. “Top yields are the best friend good soil ever had,” Ohio State’s Johnson says. Ultra-high yields, such as 300- bushel corn and 100-bushel soybeans, are only possible on very good soils. No matter how good management may be, prodcucers can’t coax super yields out of clay hillsides. SOW COOLER Intermittent Drip Cooling 1 MID-SOUTH TRACTOR PARTS, INC. Rt 2 Box 316, Sikeston, M 063801 Mid-Watt's Largest and Moil Complsta Inventory CALL TOLL FREE Out of Slats. 1-800-325-7070 Missouri Ras 1-800-392-0929 We Ship Anywhere T- J FEATURES GENTLE DREP NOZZLES FOR WETTING INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS • IDEAL FOE SOWS IN FARROWING OR GESTATION CRATES • CAN BE USED FOR BOARS IN STALLS Dauphin County outlines 1985 gypsy moth spraying program HARRISBURG A recent in terview with Duayne Forsberg, Resource Specialist with the Dauphin County Conservation District, outlined the procedure landowners should follow in Dauphin County to request “possible” gypsy moth spraying of their properties for 1985. A complex cooperative spraying program involving three levels of government was explained by Forsberg. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Forestry, administers and sets forth the spraying program. The majority of spraying funds are provided by the Commonwealth. Locally, the Dauphin County Commissioners through the Dauphin County Conservation District, will coordinate the field work with municipal assistance. Municipal and county government also provide funds for spraying. When Forsberg was asked how a landowner should request spraying for 1985, he stated, “it would depend on where the property was located in the county.” According to the Dauphin County policy, landowners south of Peters Mountain should direct their request for spraying to their township or borough office. For sberg said, “The Dauphin County Conservation District will not record requests received from landowners in the southern half of the county.” However, he did state that the Conservation District will record spraying requests from lan- QQ downers north of Peters Mountain, forested residential or special use including Rush Township, areas can be sprayed. Un “Municipalities in upper Dauphin developed and uninhabited forest County are simply without full lands will not be sprayed by DER. time office staff that landowners An area must be 25 acres or larger can call. Our office will provide m size, contain 250 healthy egg this service for upper Dauphin masses per acre, have a crown citizens.” The Dauphin County cover of at least 50 percent and Conservation District can be called contain tree species that are at (717) 652-7048 weekdays between susceptible to gypsy moth B;lsand4:3oP.M. damage.” Requests for spraying should be He also emphasized that, placed while the gypsy moth “spraying in 1985 will only occur in caterpillars are actively feeding municipalities where either the from May to July. The county has township supervisors or borough set a deadline of July 9, 1984 for council members have agreed to spraying requests to be recorded provide municipal funds for for the 1985 spraying program. spraying.” Municipal officials Forsberg said that July 9to Oct. must notify the Conservation 1 he will conduct field in- District by the beginning of August vestigations of requested areas to with their funding decision, determine if they are eligible for “Once field investigations are spraying. He stressed that, completed and if the requested “submitting a request is not a areas qualify, I’ll submit the guarantee for spraying.” DER and county’s proposed treatment areas Dauphin County have developed a to DER before October Ist, For set of guidelines that must be met sberg said. We should know by before any area is sprayed. ’ ’ mid-January 1985 which treatment The major “requirements” were areas DER has accepted or highlighted by Forsberg. “Only rejected.” Wheat & peaches decline HARRISBURG Based on June 1 conditions, Pennsylvania’s 1984 production of winter wheat is expected to be three percent below last year’s production, according to the Pennsylvania Crop and Livestock Reporting Service. Acreage to be harvested is forecast at 220,000 with a yield of 38 bushels per acre and a total production of 8,360,000 bushels. Total peach production for ATTENTION DAIRYMEN ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••I STOP LOSING COWS A LITTLE MONEY NOW FOR GROOVING CAN SAVE LOTS OF MONEY LATER The TMI “EDGE" provides dean, straight grooves in feed alleys, freestaHs, holding lots and corners for improved traction, heat detection and drainage and the reduction of broken bones and splitting. Group rates available! TRACTION MASTERS, INC. Merle Becker Dari M. Packard 224 S. Market St. 1514 Hollins St. Ephrata, PA 17522 Baltimore, MD 21223 (717) 738-1359 (301) 945-7313 Umcwtw Farming, Saturday, Junt 23,1984-D23 Pennsylvania is forecast at 90 million pounds, four percent below the 94 million pounds produced last year. U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.97 billion bushels, one percent less than 1983’s production of 1.99 billion bushels. Total 1984 U.S. peach production is forecast at 2.53 billion pounds, 41 percent more than last season, and 10 percent more than 1982. CALL OR WRITE:
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers