A3B-Lancastor Farming, Saturday, April 19,1986
New twist in tillage
(Continued from Page A 24)
this procedure, he says, is that
subsoil lacks the nutrients and
water-holding capacity necessary
for plant growth. So by bringing it
to the surface, the topsoil in effect
becomes diluted. For best results,
topsoil belongs on top, and subsoil
belongs on the bottom, Myer
asserts.
“When you’re mixing topsoil
with subsoil, neither one can do the
job it’s supposed to do,” he says.
And with his com yields averaging
160 to 185 bushels during the past
five years, it’s hard to argue with
Myer’s logic.
Although they may not be ready
to hang their hats on Myer’s tillage
system, most experts who have
seen the results aren’t ready to
argue, either.
“I think he has something that’s
worth looking at,” says Albert
Jarrett, Penn State’s associate
professor of agricultural
engineering. Jarrett, who along
with other scientists visited Myer’s
farm in March, was hard-pressed
to refute the farmer’s claims. “It
was our opinion that there had
been no evidence of runoff from
any of those fields,” he says, ad
ding, however, that he had no way
of knowing how much rain had
actually fallen on the farm during
the winter.
Jarrett, who notes that the
GLENN W. THETGA ESTATE
COMPLETE
DISPERSAL
RD ROME, BRADFORD CO..
PENNSYLVANIA
We have been commissioned to sell on;
SATURDAY, APRIL 26,1986
AT 10:00 A.M.
at the farm on Rte. 187 - 2Vi miles south
of Nichols, N.Y. (via N.Y. Rte. 282 south -
Exit 62 off Rt. 17 Expressway) or 10 miles
north of Rome, Pa. »
60 DAIRY CATTLE 60
35 milk cows, all Holstein with exception of a
few Jerseys. Cattle in all stages of lactation - 4-
5 just fresh; some spring others due later; 25
head young stock; open heifers and started
calves. 30 day blood & T.B. tested - Vet.
examined. Cattle freestall and milking parlor
trained.
FARM EQUIPMENT
Allis Chalmers 185 diesel; AC 170 gas; AC D-19;
Bob Cat 600 skid steer GP bucket & forks; Minn
Moline Uni-systems-combine, picker, whole &
parts; 2 NH 469 Haybines; JD 640 rake; NI
rake; AC round balers; Farmec, NI & Smoker
elevators; IHC 56 4 row com pltr.; Minn Moline
drill; Gehl grinder; Fox Super 90 & other
forage harvesters; Gehl blower; 3 AC self-unld.
wagons; AC 4 btm. plow Quik-Tac; Ac 3 btm. 3
pt. plow; 2 btm. plow; JD 3x16 semi mtd. plow;
AC transport disc; Hay feeder wagon; IH 530
manure spdr.; NI manure spdr.; AC, Gehl &IH
blowers; Century sprayer; drags; cultivators;
IHSST baler.
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
A.C. HD 6 dozer; Bantam truck crane w/clam
bucket; backhoe attachment; 40 ft. boom; Int.
8180 dump truck; dump box; old water truck;
Mercury Montego car.
PRODUCE & BARN EQUIP.
14x40 com ensilage; quantity round & square
bales of Hay; quantity of oats; lumber; 10 ton
grain bin & auger; Van Dale silo unidr. - 5 hp.
motor.
SHOP TOOLS
Shop Crane; Welder; Wrenches; Silo hoops;
Fox chopper parts; truck chains, etc.
AUCTIONEER'S NOTE: Sale Order: small
items, machinery, produce, cows. Come and
plan to stay the day.
TERMS: CASH OR GOOD CHECK - LUNCH
AVAILABLE
HOWARD W. VISSCHER AU9S9L
Sales Manager & Auctioneer
Nichols, N.Y. 607-699-7250
system is “not quite ridge tilling
and not quite chisel plowing,” has
some theories about why slit
tillage is apparently successful.
“With slit tillage, we’re actually
taking the terracing concept and
reducing the width of the terraces
to about 30 inches,” he says.
While these 30-inch “mini
terraces” help to contain the
water, the sides of the slits are
providing more surface area for
infiltration. “What he is doing is
enhancing the infiltration capacity
of the soil, such that there is
essentially no runoff-at least for
storms of average magnitude,”
says Jarrett.
Owner:
BETTY THETGA
717-247-7301
Just how much rainfall the slits
can accommodate has yet to be
determined, and studies getting
underway this year may serve to
answer that question. Jarrett notes
that tests will be conducted on the
Myer farm, as well as two nearby
farms where moldboard and chisel
plowing are practiced. Using these
additional farms with similar soil
types and terrain should provide a
more valid comparison, he notes.
Jarrett cautions that the
system’s water holding capacity
may not always be a plus. “You
have to be very careful that the
water that infiltrates doesn’t take
with it a high concentration of
nitrogen,” he says, noting that the
slit tillage system will have to be
accompanied by a conscientious
nutrient management program to
ensure groundwater quality.
FOR AREA CASH CROP FARMERS!
While the current demand and prices of other cash crops are falling, Buckwheat continues in good demand and
our grower contract price for 1986 is guaranteed at the high 1985 level of $9.50/cwt.
Buckwheat has made a strong comeback in recent years due to the new appreciation of its exceptionally high
nutritional value and the expanded demand for breakfast cereal and pancakes. So much so, that we are always
seeking additional contract growers.
I —What other cash crop offers all these advantages?
• Easy to plant • no cultivating • no herbicides
• no insecticides • requires little or no fertilizer • improves the soil
• guaranteed market * • can be planted as late as July 10th.
* For a guaranteed market at $9.50/cwt, you need a contract. See us right away for an early sign-up before
1986 acreage requirements are filled.
ZECHMAN'S FLOUR
MILLS, INC.
Pottsgrove, PA 17865
717-742-7637
Trenton Mill Farms' Clarence and
George Mielky are soybean growers
Asgrow brand soybean growers and
they have been for six or eight years. “We
continue to plant Asgrow soybeans," says
Clarence, "because of all around per
formance. We plant between 1,000 and
1,200 acres and all of it is Asgrow. The
Asgrows have good emergence. They
yield and harvest well, too. We’ve only
had one Asgrow variety that cut hard, all
the rest are easy to cut. Two years ago,
we did some custom work and all the
other beans we did cut harder than our
Asgrows, didn't they George?”
“That’s right,” George observes, “and
their 3127 is one of the best there is to
harvest. You can plant 3127's early or
late around here and they come through.
They can be knee high and still do 50
bushels. They will surprise you.”
Clarence and George are both agreed,
“If we could plant only one variety, it
would be Asgrow 3127.”
See your SEEDWAY dealer soon. Get
Asgrow soybean seed - the only seed with GeorgeMielky and Clarence Mielky With Ray
Asgrow soybean research and quality in grSS D, “ u “ ,n * Asgrow
every bag!
9VU*
Wm nßflli WIY*
RDi2»w4lM
The ag engineer was as im- long, long time,” he said. Growers
pressed with Myer’s soil texture who go to slit tillage could possibly
the quality as he was with the note similar improvements in their
tillage system itself. “I don’t know topsoil after five to 10 years in the
that I’ve seen soil like that in a program, he estimated.
(for a change)
S.F. SCATTERGOOD
A CO.
P.O. Box 248, Narberth, PA 19072
800-362-7817
ZELLER ENVIRONMENTAL
PEST CONTROL SERVICE
Elizabethville, PA
Serving all of agricultural, residential and
commercial heeds for pest control.
No job too large or too small.
Reasonable Rates
Prompt, Efficient Service.
Toll Free In PA 1-800-551-3964
Local Dialing 717-362-3860
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