Beware of wonder additives
In this day of sophisticated
agriculture with vast technological
support, you’d think the flimflam
farm products that were so
common 50 years ago would be off
the market. But they aren’t.
Maybe there aren’t as many as
there used to be, but there cer
tainly is a long list of wonder
products available to farmers that
are supposed to cure a variety of
farming ills. And although the
rubes and country bumpkins who
once bought snake oil have become
more wary, they’re still buying
some products that seem about as
useful.
Soil additives are a favorite this
time of year sold in many forms
and under many brand namfes.
These miracles, aimed at
separating an already troubled
fanner from his few remaining
dollars, promise a lot and typically
deliver little or nothing.
The department of soil science at
the University of Wisconsin has
gone through a whole list of
miracle soil additives testing them
where possible and concluding that
ATTENTION: Owners of Patz Silo Unloader Models 61,66 and 98 manufactured from 1960 to 1971
(14 to 25 years old) All models involved were originally green
Option 1. For unloaders already converted to the big (30") drive wheels, Patz will provide
improved guarding for the gathering chain at no cost to the user
Option 2. For unloaders having original small (18") drive wheels, Patz will provide
improved guarding at no cost, but it will requite the purchase and installation
of the big (30") drive wheel kit, which will improve traction, and flotation The
improved guarding will not work with the small (16") drive wheels
Option 3. Patz will pay U.S $4OO directly to the owner who buys a new Patz Silo Unloader
with its new up-to-date features Owners can keep their present unloader's
motor, electrical joint and electric cable This further reduces the price, making
the new Patz Unloader more affordable Patz will send payment when
verification of installation is furnished and old unloader is returned to Patz
If you presently own a Patz Unloader Model 61,66 or 96, manufactured from 1960-1971,
for your protection contact us today
CAUTION: Silos may contain poisonous gases Proper precaution should be taken before
entering Entering the silo without locking out the electrical power could result in serious
injury or death if power is turned on while anyone is in the silo
Alexandria
MAXISENBERG
814-669-4027
BELLEVILLE
FARM CO
717-935-2101
bally
LORGACRE
ELECTRIC
215-845-2261
CAMP HILL FORKSVILLE LEBANON
LLOYD SULTZBAUGH DURWOOD J. WHITELEY AUTOMATIC FARM
717-737-4554 717-924-3460 SYSTEMS
717-274-5333
Farm
Talk
Jerry Webb
“a number of soil additives are
currently on the market for which
the claims greatly exceed the
performance of the product.”
A report on the department’s
evaluation of these products
further says that most of them
don’t contain enough nitrogen,
phsophate or potash to be sold as
fertilizers. So they’re called soil
amendments, or conditioners, or
some other come-on kind of name.
The Wisconsin researchers
found several common charac
teristics:
• Low rates of application
compared to fertilizer;
• Can be applied directly to the
soil or as a foliar spray;
• Costs between $3 and $8 per
acre at recommended rates;
• Promotion usually says the
product is natural, organic does
not cause cancer or does not kill
ladybugs and earthworms;
• The reason why the product
works is either not known or a
trade secret;
• Testimonials are usually based
on unreplicated results.
SAFETY NOTICE
Patz Silo Unloader
ELLIOTT!
CARL R. BAER
717-582-2648
State of the art guarding at
the time of manufacture may
not fully cover the area of the
gathering chain. Although
the unloader should not be
operated with persons in the
silo, serious injuries caused
by the gathering chain while
ignoring this safety practice
have been reported. To help
prevent accidents that may
result in injury or death, Patz
offers owners of unloaders
involved, three options that
provide improved gathenng
chain guarding.
CONTACT YOUR NEAREST PATZ DEALER
HAMBURG
JRG
SHARTLESVILLE
FARM SERVICE
215-488-1025
The report says most ot these
products probably won’t do any
harm, but on the other hand they
probably won’t do any good either
and they do cost a lot of money.
If you listen to the makers you
get the feeling that you just can’t
farm without their products. The
maker of one of these wonder
additives says it’s a non-toxic, non
poisonous organic jel plasma
serum of basic life-promoting and
life-sheltering values. In plain
terms, it’s a seed coating of
questionable value.
Another contains
microorganisms that secrete
vitamins, hormones and growth
regulators, according to the
maker. But one Wisconsin
researcher says there is in fact no
well established evidence that
adding any vitamin or growth
promoting factor to the soil ever
improves crop production. He
slays he has seen no research
evidence to support the company’s
claim.
Some of the products sound a
little exotic like maybe you could
eat them and they would improve
your health. One is a fermented'
product resulting from the blen
ding of whey and an extract of
Norwegian kelp. And the maker
says it “provides a benefit to the
plant that is not yet fully un
derstood.”
Another, a combination of fish
and liquid seaweed actually in
cludes eight pounds of hydrolyzed
fish per gallon and at the suggested
rate of application that figures out
to be three pounds of fish par acre
hardly up to the recom
mendation of the Indian who
taught the first Pilgrims how to
grow com by placing one fish
under each hill.
The Wisconsin report indicates
that some of the products sold as
R
F
Har
frozi
feedi
rou'
Patz gives you two
solutions to the
problem the RD
-820 ring-drive silo
unloader and the
988 surface-drive
silo unloader. Both
have a double-hook
gathering chain with
hardened steel
cutters and claws
that cut through
frozen and packed
silage.
.LISTERVI
DIAM FARM SYSTEMS
717-463-2606
PIPERSVILLE
MOYER
FARM SERVICE
215-766-8675
CRIDER FARM
SUPPLY
717-532-2196
miracle additives are worse than
nothing. One of the compounds
tested appeared to be ground
granite rock with virtually no
nutrient value. It would simply
dilute the soil and make it less
fertile, according to the experts.
The list of wonder additives goes
on. Suffice to say that the flimflam
artists are out there. Usually they
come in the spring with the first
warm days touting their miracle
products and making great claims
that they are unable to sub
stantiate.
If the Department of Agriculture
and the agricultural experiment
stations in the land-grant colleges
around the country have ac
complished anything over the last
half century, it’s been to provide
unbiased information on such
things. If an experiment station
recommends a so-called miracle
additive it’s because it has per
formed well in scientifically
managed tests.
HONESDALE - A Wayne
County Crops Day will be held
Thursday, March 27, 10 a.m.-3:30
p.m. at the Seelyville Fire Hall.
The event is being sponsored by
the Agricultural Extension Service
and area farm supply dealers.
The program will include
educational presentations, com
mercial displays, com and alfalfa
awards, and pesticide recer
tification.
Speakers will be Dr. Sidney
Bosworth, Dr. Joseph McGahen,
and Lynn Hoffman, all Extension
agronomists, Penn State
University. Presentations will
cover crop varieties, insect and
weed control, fertilization, no-till
lUARRYVILLE WESTGROVI
UNICORN FARM
SERVICE
5.6. LEWIS AND SON
215-869-9440
869-2214
JAMES E. LANDIS
717-786-4158
SHIPPENS6URG
LESTER EDWARDS
301-838-5971
301-979-1930
Lancaster Farming Saturday, March 22,1986-D7
Wayne County
Surface chive
Spring-tensioned powered cutter keeps silo
walls free of buildup.
Preset depth-of-cut control makes feeding
truly automatic (98B).
Powerful blowers with adjustable impeller
blades do the job.
We'll show you how to get the most performance
for your money.
HAGERSTOWN. MD
TRI-STATE
FARM AUTOMATION
301-790-3698
iT HILL, MD
KENNEDYVILLE. Ml
PINDER SERVICE CO.
301-348-5263
Most of the miracle manufac
turers won’t even submit their
product for testing, preferring
instead to claim wondrous powers
that are not fully understood.
Agricultural researchers have a
way of analyzing and un
derstanding these products and
only those with real merit meet the
test. That’s why farmers, home
gardeners, anyone for that matter
who’s tempted to spend money on
new products sold out of the back
of a pickup truck or station wagon
should think first about their
agricultural experiment station
researchers and cooperative ex
tension personnel.
Check with them before parting
with any of those hard-to-get
dollars. Remember, if it’s been
tested and has proven its merit,
then it’s worthwhile. But if the
salesman is going strictly on the
maker’s claim, then chances are
pretty good somebody is getting
ripped off.
Crops Day slated
seeding, and new cultural prac
tices.
An added feature of Crops Day
will be the presentation of awards
and recognition of Wayne County
farmers who participated in the
Pennsylvania five acre corn
program and alfalfa growing
program in 1985.
Farm supply dealers who are
interested in participating in Crops
Day should contact the Wayne
County Extension office for in
formation.
All farmers and other interested
persons are welcome to attend
Crops Day. Reservations are
requested by calling 253-5970. Ext.
114.
POUND. Wl
PATZCO.
414-897-2251
ITRICT
Dennis Skibo
717-664-2333