t
LANCASTER Lancaster"
County farmers, along with farm
ers in many other parts of the
country, are under fire for the high
nitrate found in groundwater. For
many years, farmers may have,
been mismanaging nitrogen ferti
lizer and manure nitrogen in a
variety of ways. Recent research
has shown that much of the excess,
nitrogen applied to crops eventu
ally ends up in groundwater. The
nitrogen content of manure and
legumes has been recognized for a
long time, but often it was forgot
ten when developing fertilizer re
commendations because of the un
certainty of the availability of ni
trogen from an organic source.
Traditionally, fertilizer recom
mendations errored on the side to
ensure that sufficient nitrogen was
applied to meet the desired yield
potential.
Dr. Richard Fox with the Penn
State agronomy department has
been looking at a variety of tests
for many years to bet a better han
dle on these organic sources of ni
trogen. His original purpose was
to reduce input costs, however, the
research fits well into today’s is
sue of water quality.
Nonporous and super slick for gasy
cleaning.
Will not rust, rot or corrode.
Avoids rebuilding worn mangers and gutters.
Avoids sour odors and feed waste.
Feed savings could total $3O per cow each
year.
quality & price - pals' has
THE BEST COMBINATION!
ALEXANDRIA
MAX ISENBERQ
814-889-4027
my
LONQACRE
ELECTRIC
215445-2281
BELLEFONTE
LUCAS BARN EQ.
814483-2800
BELLEVILLE
MLLER-LAKE he.
717431-2391
Penn State To Field Test Soil Nitrogen Test
Several years ago while using a
soil nitrate test. Fox noted that the
soil content of nitrate nitrogen
would start to increase in the
spring and reach a maximum level
during mid to late May. Once the
soil nitrates reach their maximum
level, they remained fairly con
stant throughout the season when
organic nitrogen sources had been
applied to the land. Subsequent re
search showed soils that contain
ing 25 ppm or more Nitrate Nitro
gen at this time of the year do not
show a yield response to addition
al nitrogen fertilizer. During 1987
and 1988 he conducted plots
across the state with a very high
correlation to these earlier find
ings.
This year the new nitrogen test
will be offered on a trial basis
through county extension offices,
some Soil Conservation District
offices, and crop management as
sociations. If the testing procedure
is successful, testing kits will be
marketed to farmers, consultants,
fertilizer dealers, etc. next year.
Extension will not be getting into
the business of doing soil nitrogen'
tests after the trial period. Merkele
Laboratory at Penn State lug of-
SEE YOUR NEAREST PATZ DEALER
SAMPHIU,
JOHN JONES
717-737-5737
ELUOTTSBURG
CARL R. BAER
717-982-2641
HAMBUBS
BHARTLESBURG
FARM SERVICE
215-418-102 S
KINGSLEY
TOWERS EQUIPMENT
717-434-2082
QUARRYVILLE
UNICORN FARM
SERVICE
Jamts E. Undit
717-7M-41SI
SHPPENSBURQ
WITMER EQUIPMENT
SERVICE
71743241 M
SOMERSET
GROVE EQUIP. SALES
CKlfonf Knappar
Mark Knappar
nuiuui
LEBANON
CEDAR CREST
EQUIPMENT
717-2704800
MIFFUNTOWN
ZUQ FARM A
DAIRY EQUIPMENT
717-489-2608
till HALL
COHERER
EQUIPMENT, MC.
717-7204471
fered a nitrogen test for several
years and will continue to offer
this service in the future.
In Lancaster County, the county
extension office, P.S.U. Nutrient
Management Office in New Hol
land, P.S.U. Southeast Research
Farm in Landisville, and the Lan
caster County Conservation Dis
trict will be field testiitg the new
soil nitrogen testing procedure.
The procedure that is used is very
similar to a laboratory test used for
testing blood nitrogen. The test
uses a paper test strip that is sensi
tive to nitrate nitrogen. The test
strip turns a darker color as the
level of nitrogen in the sample in
creases. An electronic meter is be
ing used to read the intensity of
the color change rather than just
using an eyeball comparison to a
color chart. The color reading is
then calculated in parts per million
of nitrate nitrogen.
The quick test will be free of
charge during the trial period.
Merkle Laboratory also offers a
nitrate test for $5 if someone pre
fers a chemical analysis. In Lan
caster County, Farm Managers
and Ag Industry Representatives
can have samples tested under the
PatzGard
' s
liner
For mangers, feed bunks,
conveyors, slides, gutters
and more.
• Cows eat better off PatzGard for higher
production.
• Reduces fly feeding and breeding in
mangers.
• Slick surface reduces power requirements
for gutter cleaners and conveyors.
Why Patz is No. 1
• Durable Patz hook-and-eye link chain.
Progression forging builds extra strength
into hook-and-eye link contact points. Final
heat treating increases hardness, strength
and wear resistance.
• Four-tooth sprocket drives every link Behind
the hook-the link’s thickest and strongest
point. .
• Chain flexibility for various layouts.
• Select 2* flites for solid manure or 4* high
flights for slurry manure. 'A -inch-thick flites
are welded to Patz links. Vi'-inch thick wear
shoes extend flite life.
• Three drive unit sizes match your gutter
length and allow expansion.
• Corner wheel top-and-bottom flanges guide
the chain around the corner. Corner wheel
assemblies remove easily for service without
concrete breakout.
• Heavier XH link available for extremely long
.pulls.
TRI-STATE
FARM AUTOMATION
301-790-3690
PINOER SERVICE CO.
901448-5203
UNEBORO. MD
TRW3O. DAIRY
EQWPMENT
3014744010
following conditions:
A maximum of three sam
ples will be done per farm
unit
Farm unit must be located
in Lancaster County, farm
ers outside the county
should contact the county
extension or conservation
district in the county where
they are located.
A FARM DATA SHEET
must be complete before
the test is run. The sheet
helps to estimate the tons
of manure per acre applied.
Fields tested should re
ceive regular applications
of manure or have been in
a legume crop during
1988.
Field should not receive
more than 40 pounds of
plow down or surface ap
plied nitrogen plus the ni
trogen in starter fertilizer
for the 1989 growing sea
son before testing.
Soil samples should be done as
close to analysis time as possible.
Soil samples should be randomiz
ed over the entire field with a
WHTEFORD. MD
ENDFIELD EQUIP.
30143144 M
PWHP.WI
PATZ SALES, INC.
414497-2251
Oannii SWbo
7174844333
JimßiWd
0144004447
Lancaster Farming Saturday, June 17,1989-Dl5
minimum of 18 samples to a
depth of one foot. Immediately
after sampling, they must be
dried. Wet samples will not be
tested. To dry samples using a
convection oven, use a low heat
setting of 200 to 230 degrees until
sample is dry, do not over dry.
With a microwave oven, use the
high setting for five to eight min
utes or until dry. Air drying of
samples on paper can also be
done, however it it takes too long
to get the sample dry, the results
will be less accurate. Once dry, the
sample can be held for several
days. Testing will be available
through the ehd of June at the fol
lowing locations at the times list
ed.
TIME -' 10 a.m. to noon -
TUESDAYS: E-Town Vo Ag
Dept., Solanco Vo Ag Dept., Eph
rata Jr. High Ag.; THURSDAYS:
Penn Manor Vo Ag Dept Sum
mitt Valley School Ag.
TIME -1 to 3 p.m. - TUES
DAYS: Bart Township Bldg.,
Manheim Cent Vo Ag; THURS
DAYS: G. King Store-White
Horse, Strasburg Township Bldg.
Samples can also be brought to
the County Extension Office,
Conservation District Office or
the Penn State Research Farm
near Landisville.
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