Warm and Wet Weather Patterns (ContlniMd from Pago Al) But, as of Thursday evening, he said rainfall predicted through the weekend, should probably coma that deficiency. Cruz also said that normal pekeipitation for the year, as of May 2, is 12.60 inches. He said 10.86 inches bad fallen by Thursday evening. Daily high temperatures have been running about average for the year. “In April we tied the (daily record) .maximum temperature three times and set a new record on April 26 with a high of 91. And we also set a new record for minimum (daily) high temperatures with a day of 66,” Cruz said. ‘The rain through the weeken d ... of course, fanners won’t be able to utilize any pesticide,” Cruz said, adding that normally about 12 hours of no precipitation is needed in order to effectively use a pesticide. “Also, hay cutting is going to have to be put off a bit, until threat of precipitation is gone. Since we do expect some heavy precipita tion, in areas, plowing and planting may be curtailed, due to non access to fields. “On the upside, although preci pitation will be with us the temper ature will be slightly above season al. The soil temperature is quite warm,” he said. Fear of erosion can be pretty much disquieted, he said. “We’re' expecting heavy precipitation, but not for long durations. As far as BILL, TERRI, JENNIFER & JASON MALANY • Timber-Column Construction • Board & Batten Siding • Tongue & Groove Stall Kickboards AG RI-INC. The Construction Professionals R.D. 4, Ephrata, PA 17522 • (717) 354-4271 Serving The Agricultural Industry For Over 20 Years erosion, I doubt if there will be any. The rain should be heavy about half hour (at a time), but widely scattered.” According to Cruz, this winter and spring, although unusually warm, is not beyond extremes. “The weather pattern is normal in a sense that spring is basically what you would call the transition al period between winter and sum- mer. And whatl’m saying, basical- ly in summer, is that very, very rarely would you get a freezing temperature, “This unevenness of heating and cooling does occur quite often. However, studies have shown that, as far as crops are concerned, the last temperature day for freezing in Harrisburg is April 10. and the first generally fall in October,” Cruz said. He explained that the wet weather that is predicted for this weekend is due to a clock-wise moving high pressure system over the south central Pennsylvania area, coupled with the counter clockwise rotation of a low pressure storm front that had been located over southern Oklahama on Thursday. He said the combina tion effect was pulling in warm temperatures and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and directing them here. He said the storm front was apparently pushing toward north ern Ohio and “covering a fairly wide region.” He said those areas in the state Thanks and Congratulations On Their New Horse Stall Addition BUILT BY that normally get a little more rain than other areas and those that nor mally get a little less should receive rain in their respective amounts. According to Cruz, spring weather is still a little behind as far as weather patterns, but since last September, temperatures have been warmer than usual. He said that, except for a December cold spell and another in February, the entire winter “we’ve had unusually high temperatures maintaining the area fairly warm. “There were a couple of weeks in March of crazy weather. April had a cold spell for three days, but looking at it overall, never really had a winter. “That worked to our advantage as far as recreation, but with far mers it played havoc with the mind. There was hesitation: ’should we plant today?’ ‘Oh, no. The buds are sprouting and it’s cold again!’ “It really had them going for a while, the hotand cold,” Cruz said. The insect activity, especially in the souther tier, has been acceler ated by the above normal tempera tures, according to Dennis Calvin, an entomologist with the PSU extension service. He said insect activity had been about two weeks ahead of normal, but with some of the late April cold, had slowed to a week-ahead schedule. Two major crop and forage pests are beginning to cause con cern the alfalfa weavil and the corn-damaging black cutworm. to FEATURES • Painted Steel Roof • Painted Aluminum Ceiling • Steel Grills And Sliding Doors w/Powder Coat Finish Let Our Experience Work For You For All Your Farm Building Needs, Large Or Small Apgordiog to-Calvin, “There’s been som'c'weavil acitivity, parti cularly in die southern part of the state, thought not heavy. Based on last year’s wet weather conditions, I suspect weavil numbers should be down this year. “The other (pest showing now) is the black cutworm, PDA (Pen nsylvania Department of Agricul ture) is montinoring it,” Calvin said. According to Calvin, the black cutworm is a northern-migrating pest that seeks green fields in which to lay its eggs. Calvin sug gested that any field intended for corn that contains an over wintering annual broadleaf should be tilled, or that any field planted through no-till should be sprayed at least 10 days before planting to kill off any insects that may have migrated into the field. He said that, unfortunately, with the rain, the spraying and tilling will have to wait, until weather permits. Last year Pennsylvania had a spotty slug problem, some fields were devastated. Calvin said there are a lot of eggs in the fields accross the state and if cool, wet (mostly wet) conditions pervail, “Slugs could be heavy across the state.” For those concerned about fore st problems, Calvin said that gypsy Lancaster Fuming, Saturday, May 5,1990-A29 moth eggs have already hatched and with recent strong winds have dispersed and should start feeding already. For more information on local spraying strategies, contact the county Soil Conservation District, or a county extension agent Crop farming activity in the state during the last week in April, according to Steven Gunn, a statis tician with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pennsylvania Agri cultural Statistics Service, said that no alfalfa cuttings were reported, but seeding was getting underway. Of the alfalfa condition, across the state, of those questioned, IS percent reprated a good stand, 75 percent fair, and 10 percent claimed a poor alfalfa stand. “Clover-Timothy stands were 24 percent good, 68 percent fair, and eight percent poor,” Gunn said. Pasture conditions were reported about 69 percent average and 31 percent below average. “No one reported above average pas ture condition,” Gunn said. As of April 28, com planting was eight percent completed. That was broken down to two percent across the norther tier, 10 percent complete in the central region and 13 percent across the south. Soybeans were reported as one percent planted statewide. 717-687-0990 PARADISE TOBACCO SALES expects good demand and steady prices for a larger volume of Type 609 tobacco in 1990! Lar ger volume will continue to attract more companies and interest and thus a more competitive and exciting market. Whatever amount you grow, take pride in producing a GOOD quality crop! Generally, early grown 609 tobacco is of the BEST quality! Call Paradise to find out where to pick up early 609 plants. They are in NOW!
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