A24-Lancasttr Farming, Saturday, October 18,1986
(Continued from Page Al)
over-order prices within a few
months, or we must once more
concede that in the Northeast, and
only in the Northeast, dairy far
mers are unable to bring about
enough unified effort to help
themselves achieve an over-order
price for their milk. ’ ’
Rutherford challenged the
Northeast cooperatives to pull
together as those in the central
third of the nation have, to
eliminate duplication and stop
competing with each other for
members and markets.
“If we on the East Coast allow
our costs to accelerate faster than
the cost of transporting product in
from the Midwest, we can expect
Try These Tips For High Management Wheat
NEWARK, Del. - It’s wheat
planting time again, and
University of Delaware extension
plant pathologist Bob Mulrooney
and extension agronomy specialist
Richard Taylor have some
recommendations for area
growers, whether they’re planting
conventionally or intensively.
Maximum yields depend on
several factors including timing,
fertility, varietal selection and
seeding rate.
Proper timing. Plant as close as
possible to the Hessian fly free
date, which coincides with the
average date of the first frost.
“Early planting can make wheat
lush and susceptible to fall
powdery mildew and rust in
fections,” Mulrooney says. “It also
allows build-up of aphids which
can transmit barley yellow dwarf
virus to wheat. Late planting, on
the other hand, increases the risk
of poor stands.”
Taylor says, “The optimum time
to plant is within a week to 10 days
after the fly free date to insure
strong vigorous plants before
winter sets in. For late plantings
Some Facts
NEWARK, Del. - If you’ve
looked for pressure-treated wood
at your local lumberyard lately,
you may have been confused by
what’savailable. The old standbys
creosote and penta-treated
boards have generally been
replaced by lumber bearing a
string of initials.
These initials stand for various
chemical salts with long, hard-to
pronounce names. Some treat
ments offer better protection than
others, so check to be sure the
wood you buy is suited to its in
tended use.
To help do-it-yourself builders
choose the right type of treated
wood for their projects, University
of Delaware extension agricultural
engineer Dr. Jim Scarborough has
assembled the following in
formation on wood treatments,
their effectiveness and
availability
Creosote. This treatment has
been around since 1838 and is very
effective against termite damage
and decay. A black or brownish oil
distilled from coal tar, creosote
has a pungent odor, and its fumes
are harmful to plants. Because of
its unpleasant taste, it is often used
on stalls and fences to keep horses
from chewing the wood.
Direct contact with freshly
creosoted lumber can cause skin
irritation, though the probability
declines as the treatment ages.
Freshly treated lumber also
catches fire easily and produces a
dense smoke. But again, this
danger lessens with age. Another
problem is that you can’t paint
creosote-treated wood because the
oils bleed through the paint.
With all these problems, why use
it? “Because creosote does its job
very well,” says Scarborough. “If
Dairylea Records $2 Million Sales Increase
to lose both margins and market
share. We have a long way to go to
put this region on an efficiency
footing with the super-plants and
super-co-ops being developed in
other regions.”
On the national legislative scene,
Rutherford warned against a
supply-mangement plan which
cuts Northeast production in the
same proportion as some of the
high surplus regions, maintaining
it will lose markets for the Nor
theast.
James C. Barr, chief executive
officer of the National Milk
Association, speaking on the
politics of milk, told delegates
there is a glimmer of hope in the
national dairy scene.
seeding rate should be increased to
help compensate for winter
losses.”
Good fertility. For maximum
yields, 20 pounds of nitrogen ap
plied in the fall is recommended,
and phosphorus and potassium
levels should be in the high range.
Spring nitrogen application should
be made based on plant growth and
development, according to Taylor.
If the wheat has grown very little
and has only a few tillers, nitrogen
should be applied as early as
possible. However, early nitrogen
causes the greatest increase in
plant height, so either the nitrogen
application should be split or the
use of a growth regulator to
shorten the plant should be con
sidered. If the small grain is
growing adequately and » has
tillered profusely, then nitrogen
should be applied at Feekes growth
stage 5, full tiller and leaf sheaths
erect, or Feekes growth stage 6,
initial jointing with one node
visible on the stem.
For high or intensive cereal
management (ICM) use 100 to 120
pounds per acre of nitrogen, but for
About Wood Preservatives
it didn’t, power companies and
railroads wouldn’t use it. But these
drawbacks do make it a less-than
ideal building material, and
creosote-treated lumber generally
is no longer available at lum
beryards.
Penta or pentachlorophenol was
first used in the 1930 s and came
into extensive use after 1950. This
treatment consists of a heavy 6r
light oil containing 3 percent penta.
The heavy oils preserve better but
don’t take paint; the light ones are
paintable and so are generally
used. According to Scarborough,
penta is less toxic to plants than
creosote but may damage plastic
films with which it comes in
contact. Keep this in mind if you’re
building a plastic-covered
greenhouse.
“There’s some indication that
lumber freshly treated with penta
may present a health hazard to
livestock through foodstuffs which
come in contact with the
chemical,” the specialist cautions.
During 1976-77 in Michigan, eight
dairy herds were quarantined
after penta was identified in tissue
cultures. The penta was thought to
be contaminated with dioxin.
However, no other reports of
penta-related animal illness are on
record.
“To be on the safe side,”
Scarborough says, “don’t use
penta-treated lumber for feed
bunks, hay racks or other struc
tures in which feed comes in
contact with the treated wood. But
I wouldn’t shy away from it for
regular building construction if
you can find it. That may be dif
ficult since many lumberyards no
longer stock it.”
Now for the salt preservatives,
or alphabet soup, as the engineer
The whole herd buyout is
working milk production is down
more than 3 percent and the
program is going to come in at
budget. Mechanisms built into the
1985 Food Security Act will allow
the Secretary of Agriculture to
initiate a new diversion program
or buyout and to drop price sup
ports if surpluses begin to in
crease, which Barr predicts they
will do.
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings won’t
go away, despite the failure of the
government to put the second
round of cuts into effect in August.
In an election year, Barr said,
Congress circumvented the un
popular deficit-cutting program by
non-ICM small grains, use 60 to 80
pounds per acre of nitrogen. ICM is
a total package program. Unless
you prepare ahead of time to use
ICM and use the whole program,
the extra nitrogen called for by the
program will only be an extra
expense not likely to return any
profit.
Field preparation. Work in
Georgia on coastal plain soils has
shown that yields increase when
the seedbed has been moldboard or
chisel plowed and then disked,
rather than only disked. Prepare
the field to limit the number and
areas of low places in the field
which may hold water and allow
ice sheeting during the winter.
Seeding rate. As with other
crops, wheat varieties vary in the
number of seeds per pound,
ranging from 12,000 to 20,000. For
wheat Taylor says to try for 8 to 10
seeds per row foot on 7-inch wide or
less rows and 10 to 12 seeds per row
foot on 10- to 12-inch wide rows. For
ICM wheat plant 13 to 15 seeds per
row foot on narrow rows, 4 to 6
inches, and 15 to 20 seeds per row
foot on wide rows, 7 to 10 inches.
calls them. “Inese preservatives
are salt compounds of several
chemicals. And since the names
are so long, they’re identified by
initials: ACA (ammoniacal copper
arsenate), CCA (chromated
copper arsenate), ACC (acid
\copper chromate) and FCAP
(fluor chrome arsenate phenol).
Water, ammonia or acid is the
carrier for these preservatives.
After treatment, the carrier
evaporates, leaving the salts to
protect the wood. Lumber
preserved this way is relatively
clean, odorless and suitable for
painting. It’s nontoxic to plants
and considered safe when in
contact with feed. It also is what’s
generally available at lum
beryards. In some cases these
preservatives are identified by
trade names rather than initials
Greensalt, Koppers (CCA),
Wolmanac (CCA), or Woodlast
(CCA), to name just a few.
According to Scarborough, most
lumberyards now carry wood
treated with 0.4 pcf (pounds per
cubic foot) CCA, which is only
suitable for above ground or non
soil contact use. The service life of
this amount of CCA for in-ground
use has not yet been determined,
but test stakes treated with less
than 0.6 pcf CCA or ACA don’t last
well in soil. In tests conducted in
Mississippi, 10 percent of the
stakes treated with 0.44 prf had
termite damage after 25 years.
“Don’t be surprised if you have
to ask a lumberyard to special
order the correct amount of
preservative in treated lumber,"
concludes Scarborough. “And
don’t be dissuaded by sales people
who try to sell you what’s in stock
instead. Remember, you probably
now know more about the wood you
need than they do.”
using “creative accounting.” But
he expects legislators to be back on
the deficit-cutting track next year.
Barr sees four alternatives
available to Congress to lower its
cost in agriculture, particularly
dairy: limit the dollar amount of
CCC payments; initiate price
support cuts earlier than originally
slated; have the Secretary of
Agriculture institute another DTP
or diversion program; or turn to a
different supply-management
progrlam. Political pressure from
several groups, including the
National Cattlemen’s Association,
essentially rule out the possibility
of another DTP, Barr blieves.
He cautioned against looking to
supply-management programs as
Check with a county extension
agent for information on
calculating seeding rates.
Seed treatment. Be sure to use
Vitavax 200 or other seed con
ditioner to prevent loose smut, the
plant pathologist says. Most
certified seed comes treated.
Varieties. ‘‘For ICM, I would
recommend planting Saluda,
Coker 916 or Pioneer 2550 wheat
varieties,” Mulrooney says.
“Tyler and Massey yield well, but
both are susceptible to leaf rust
and may require fungicides.
Saluda had some powdery mildew
this last season in our Delaware
variety trials, and under ICM
conditions should be checked often
to determine if a fungicide is
needed.”
For further information on ICM
practices in Delaware, Mulrooney
and Taylor advise growers to
contact a county agricultural
agent in Newark, Dover or
Georgetown. “With low wheat
prices,” Mulrooney says,
“growers who plant wheat can
take advantage of this information
to decrease their per-acre costs by
trying the ICM concept on a por
tion of their acreage for a com
parison to their usual practices. ”
Pre-Sale Social Set For
Nittany Lion Classic
UNIVERSITY PARK - The Penn State Dairyman’s Club cor
dially invites students, alumni and potential buyers to a social on
the evening before the Nittany Lion Fall Classic, Oct. 30 at the Ag
Arena. This is the best time to view this year’s select group of cattle
before the crowd arrives.
In addition The Penn State Dairyman’s Club in cooperation with
the Penn State Dairy Science Club will be sponsoring a presale,
milkpunch and cheese social the morning of the sale. The presale
social will run from 9:30 to 11:30.
The Penn State Dairyman’s Club is comprised of Penn State
Alumni and friends who support and assist the College Of
Agriculture in dairy cattle programs. The club encourages the
development of strong realistic programs in instruction, research
and extension in the field of dairy production. The Dairyman’s Club
also solicits support from individuals and organizations for
projects which would mutually benefit Penn State and the cattle
industry.
Individuals interested in joining are encouraged to talk to club
members in the Dairyman’s booth at the Nittany Lion Fall Classic
on October 31,1986 or fill out and return the form below.
PENN STATE DAIRYMAN'S CLUB MEMBERSHIP
Name
Address
Year Graduated
Phone _
3 year membership - $lO
Lifetime membership - $5O
_ New Member
Change of Address
Mail to; George L. Hargrove
204 Borland Lab
University Park, PA 16802
Make checks payable to: THE PENN STATE
DAIRYMAN'S CLUB
probable alternatives since both
the President and Secretary of
Agriculture oppose them.
Barr also expressed concern that
in the upcoming General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
discussions which are slated to
focus on agriculture, the Untied
States will be looking to recapture
its foreign grain markets, and the
dairy industry may be used as a
negotiating tool. He is fearful
foreign competition will be given
greater access to American dairy
markets.
Farm credit being another
major stubbling block to the health
of agriculture, Barr predicts the
government will go along with
some sort of infusion of money into
the system.
“In spite of the difficulties in
agriculture, we are going to work
our way out of the current
problems. The ’B5 Farm Bill is a
major step. It will undergo fine
tuning in the 100th Congress and
price supports will become again
what they were intended to be
the bottom line below which prices
will not sink.”
Cheap com is a longterm
detriment to the dairy industry
Barr said. “As soon as we
eliminate overproduction of com
and wheat, we will eliminate dairy
problems as well.”
Dairylea economist George
O’Brien gave delegates his “worst
case scenario” of milk prices for
the next six months. Starting with
this month’s milk, Barr predicted
blend prices will drop from $12.49 a
hundredweight ot $11.30. His
monthly estimates were: October,
$12.49; November, $12.40;
December $12.01; January 1987,
$11.96; February, $11.75; and
March $11.30.
“It looks like 1987 could be at
least as good as 1986 in the worst
case scenario, and could be 15
cents to 20 cents higher. ”
O’Brien currently expects the
support price to be dropped 50
cents in January of 1988, an action
provided for in the 1985 farm bill
based on surplus levels.
Major (PSU)
(you do not have to be
a PSU alumnus to join)
Renewal