Al2-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 8,1985
OUR READERS WRITE
(Continued from Page A 10)
might deal with permanent
securing of fragile lands in con
servancy as woodlands,
prairielands, and wetlands.
Enactment of Nature Preserves
by government is perhaps as old as
recorded history. In biblical times
and in biblical lands, conservancy
parks or “paradizes” were set
aside specifically to preserve
environments for plants and
animals. These preserves were
established also from con
sciousness of the need to preserve
best fruit for seed.
The writer of Genesis puts it in
the form of a mandate from the
Creator, “thou shall not eat of the
fruit in the middle of the garden.”
The “Garden of Eden” story in The
Old Testament is in the setting of
such a biological preserve and its
message is to people of all time,
namely, that human en
croachment on earth’s biological
system can destroy it, leaving
humans scratching for subsistence
amongst stones.
The “original sin” is self-serving
exploitation that is blind to future
necessity and to the common
wellbeing. Tragic conditions in
Africa are profound warnings of
the truth in the biblical lesson.
Africa today, and which country
tomorrow?
Worthy of legislative con
sideration is permanent provision
in the Farm Bill for establishment
of scattered, natural preserves.
These could come into existence by
a form of land-tithing. Ten percent
of every U.S. farm and ranch could
be taken out of production and
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grazing, and could be put in per
manent reserve.
Wetlands, prairielands, and
woodlands shall be included to
provide diverse habitats for
regional fauna and flora. Fostering
of indigenous populations could be
under expertise of landscape
scientists, zoologists, and
botanists.
A wealth of science expertise
exists in land grant universities.
Nature Preserves would provide
undisturbed habitats for basic
research, so important to long
term interests of human societies.
Fragile land logically should be the
first to go into permanent reserve.
Implementation of the program
could be through Soil Conservation
Service, for example.
Immediate benefit could come to
farmers surrendering land to per
manent, public use in the form of
cash payment. This would provide
badly needed cash-flow in the
short-term for ' farmers, and
benefit to the whole public in the
long-term. Nor should the moral
and aesthetic value from such
enactment be overlooked. Greater
sensitivity to life should be a
natural consequence.
The übiquitous distribution of
Nature Reserves across the whole
geography of U.S. A. would provide
habitats for narrowly distributed
plants, animals, etc. Natural
game, fish, fowl, fruits, nuts, wood,
etc. could be harvested seasonally.
Establishment of these lands needs
to be in perpetuity to secure un
disturbed habitats from the cutting
edge of the plow and chainsaw.
As intelligent creatures, humans
John McGill
RDI Fisher Road
Cabot, Pa. 16023
Ph: 412-352-3582
HARRISBURG - Improving
topsoil moisture conditions and
completion of spring plowing
across the state highlighted farm
activities during the week ending
June 2, according to the Penn
sylvania Crop Reporting Service.
The week started off on a dry
note, but by the end of the week
western Pennsylvania and sections
of north central Pennsylvania
received heavy rain and severe
storms, which caused significant
damage for farmers in at least ten
counties.
Statewide, topsoil moisture
supplies were rated short by 21
percent, adequate by 73 percent
and surplus by six percent of the
reporters. The northern region
rated moisture 50 percent short
and 50 percent adequate. Central
region reporters rated soil
moisture as 29 percent short, 64
percent adequate, and seven
percent surplus. Reporters in the
southern region rated soil moisture
as 92 percent adequate and eight
percent surplus.
Across the Commonwealth, all
above all must live in the
realization that the success of all
life is in biological variation. In it
is the future of humankind.
Societies must seriously invest in
the future by securing biological
variation now. That this is in
everyone’s best interest should be
obvious. To ignore the obligation is
to repeat the original sin of first
parents. Contact your legislator
now and urge him (her) to support
land-tithing.
Sylvester L. Steffen
Biologist
Route Three
New Hampton, LA
50659
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Rains
ease water shortage
regions reported spring plowing
virtually complete. Last year at
this time spring plowing was only
79 percent complete.
Statewide, four days were rated
suitable for fieldwork. Activities
included planting potatoes,
tobacco, com and soybeans;
fertilizing; spraying for weeds and
insects; hay making; and har
vesting haylage.
Statewide, soybean planting was
reported 64 percent complete
compared with 25 percent last year
and a five-year average of 41
percent. The northern, central and
southern regions report planting
rates of 66, 56 and 66 percent,
respectively.
By the end of the week, 94 per
cent of the com was planted. Last
year at this time only 57 percent of
the com was planted. The five
year average stands at 77 percent.
The northern region reported com
planting 91 percent complete. The
central and southern regions
reported 95 percent complete.
Meanwhile, the potato crop
planting was reported virtually
complete. Last year at this time 76
Block names Marienthal
WASHINGTON - Secretary of
Agriculture John R. Block has
appointed George Marienthal as
Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Agriculture for Administration.
Before his appointment at
USDA, Marienthal served as
director of the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Office of
Water Policy. He has held several
other posts in government in
cluding those of director of the
Environmental Protection
Agency’s Office of Federal Ac
tivities and Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Energy,
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percent of the crop was reported
planted.
By week’s end, the barley crop
was virtually all heading or
headed. This compares to last
year’s progress of 11 percent in the
boot stage and 55 percent heading
or headed. Statewide, three per
cent of the wheat crop was in boot
and 97 percent in head. Last year
at this time 40 percent was in boot
and 27 percent heading or headed.
Alfalfa stands were rated 72
percent good, 25 percent fair and
three percent poor. Clover-timothy
stands were rated good by 55
percent of the reporters, fair by 42
percent and poor by three percent
of the reporters. Feed being ob
tained from pastures was rated
above average by 22 percent,
average by 72 percent and below
average by six percent.
Strawberry picking was
reported in all regions. The
southern region reported early
variety strawberries at their peak.
The southern region has also begun
to harvest spring onions, lettuce
and sugar peas. The central region
reported poor cantaloupe sets.
Environment, and Safety.
In addition to his government
experience, Marienthal has served
as vice president of a phar
maceutical manufacturer and as a
management consultant to the
Department of Defense and the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
He holds an undergraduate
degree in engineering from the
United States Naval Academy and
graduate degrees in engineering
from Stanford University and in
business administration from
American University.
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Local Representative
DAVID NEWMAN
(717)299-9905