816-LancMter Farming, Saturday, September 18, 1999
More Than One Way
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) — Homeowners and farm
ers with ponds, streams or
waterways on their property
don’t necessarily have to apply
pesticides if aquatic plants
become a nuisance, according to
an expert in Penn State’s
College of Agricultural Sciences.
“Most bodies of water support
some kind of plant life,” explains
Winand Hock, professor of plant
pathology and director of the
Pesticide Education Program.
“Aquatic plants become weeds
when they impair or prevent use
of the pond or waterway.”
Mark Hartle, biologist for the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission, says aquatic plants
vary according to the environ
ment they are placed in, and
control measures are dictated by
what type of plant life is choking
off the pond. Surrounding land
use also can influence aquatic
plant growth, either by acting as
an effective filter for excess
water and nutrients, which lim
its growth, or by failing to filter
nutrients, which can cause
excessive aquatic plant growth.
Scientists divide aquatic
plants into four groups;
• Algae. The most widely dis
tributed of all aquatic plants,
You Ask,
You Answer
(Continued from Page B 15)
QUESTION Ruth Zimmerman, 225 Conestoga
Rd., New Holland, PA 17557-9777, would like to buy
a good used or new 4 or 5 thread serger sewing
machine.
QUESTION To trace her roots, Naomi Goche
naur, Willow Street, is looking for a book “Eberly
Family History 1700-1974.” Call her at (717)
464-4369.
QUESTION Lizzie Ann, Honey Brook, wants to
know if it’s possible to find little girl bobby pins. Previ
ously, she could find them in three sizes. The size she
wants is a little longer than IVs -inches. She does
have a size that is I'/< -inch inch in length but that is
too small for her use.
QUESTION Walter Zimmerman, 245 Cabin
Road, Ephrata, is interested in a 1006 Bernina sew
ing machine or any sewing machien that includes an
overlock.
QUESTION A reader wants the words to the
poem “A City," which includes the lines; A city that is
set on a hill. A city where there is no night . .
QUESTION Bruce Wise, Middletown, wanted
information and the value of a wooden airplane prop
eller: Sensenich, 84-inches long, one end damaged.
Serial #64583 H.P. 185, 3-inch hole RPM 2550.
QUESTION A reader wants exact directions to
make sachet mixes from dried flowers, pine cones,
etc.
QUESTION Sharyn Ziegler-Maier, York, writes
that she puchased two blacksmith prints and one mill
print by artist Paul Detlefsen. She would like any type
of information a reader has about this artist.
QUESTION A reader wants to know where to
find replacement paddles for a 2-quart Sears and
Roebuck ice cream freezer, Model No; 238 1968.
QUESTION Kenneth Hixon, Warfordsburg,
wants a sure method to keep birds from picking
cherries.
QUESTION Paul Dowie writes that his father's
LeCoultre watch has lost the back and watch repair
people in his area can’t fix it. Is there a watchmaker
who has parts for a watch Model 481 automatic? It
needs cleaning and lubrication also. Call him at (610)
827-7561.
QUESTION A reader from Quarryville would
like books written by Theodore Epp. If you have extra
copies, answer through this column.
algae can be subdivided into
three types.
• Plankton: Also called phyto
plankton, these microscopic sin
gle-cell plants cause water to
appear pea-soup green or red
dish brown.
• Filamentous: These plants,
often mistakenly described as
moss or slime, use filaments of
plant material to form dense
mats of growth on rocks or other
underwater objects.
•Attached branched algae:
Known as Chara and Nitella,
these two varieties resemble
flowering plants, but they have
no root system. They have a
skunky odor when crushed.
• Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation. Most plants in this
category grow in deeper and are
rooted on the bottom. Most of
their leaves remain underwater
until flowering. Common types
include coontail, pondweeds,
common elodea and milfoil.
• Emergent Plants. These
varieties grow along the edges of
the water body, with just a short
portion of their stems under
water. Most of these plants do
not cause problems for water
users. Problem emergent plants
include cattails, purple looses
trife and common reeds.
To Skim Pond Scum
• Floaters. Most of the struc
ture of these plants float on the
water surface. Most are rooted
plants such as water lilies and
spatterdock. Other varieties,
such as duckweed, absorb nutri
ents by dangling roots in the
water.
Experts say aquatic weed
control can be approached using
three methods, singly or in com
bination.
Physical or
Mechanical Control
“This technique means cut
ting, mowing, raking, digging or
pulling vegetation out of the
water,” Hartle says. “Most aquat
ic plants can reproduce by frag
mentation, so cleanup will have
to be repeated several times to
eliminate new growth.”
Hartle explains that physical
removal is effective only for
small quantities of shoreline
plants but reduces the rate of
regrowth as well as the avail
ability of nutrients.
Mechanical plant harvesting
is used only on large lakes.
Landowners also can alter a
pond’s environment to control
vegetation. Lowering the water
level, called a “drawdown,”
exposes sediments and plants,
which can be killed if tempera
QUESTION Mary Leiber of Dalton asks a ques
tion often answered in this column: How can she get
rid of scum or algae on a pond. At one time it was a
cow pond. Now it’s been dug out more and seeded
around the edges. The Leibers have tried copper
sulfate, aqua shade, and 5-10-10 fertilizer without
results. According to the oft-time discussions in this
column, barley straw seems to be one of the easiest
and most effective solutions. However, as I recall, it
must be used in early spring. What is most effective at
this time of the year?
QUESTION E.J. Beaver, Ringtown, bought a
drill press at a auction. The item looks like a two
person press. It is about 42% -inches long with a
wheel on top that measures 15% -inches in diameter.
It has a smaller wheel below it. On the side it has
stamped Boynton & Plummer makers Worcester,
Mass. Patented Feb. 4, 1873.
It is very heavy weighing about 100 pounds. Does
anyone know anthing about it or the company? Any
source such as a person, book, or website that could
offer information about the press?
QUESTION Dixie Fix, 5847 Pleasant Ridge
Rd., Harrisonville, PA 17228, recently acquired aSin
ger treadle sewing machine 128-3. It has a long bob
bin and she would like to know if any readers would
sell her long bobbins.
QUESTION A reader writes that after seeing a
sandstone water trough sold at a farm sale, she has
some questions: Is sandstone still mined? Do people
still buy and sell sandstones and are they used for
anything in particular?
QUESTION John Zehner farms in Somerset
County. He previously purchased a Perma-Flex leg
band, but can no longer find them in locally, or adver
tized in farm magazines and catalogs. Perma-Flex is
similar to other bands but has a black band over the
end to hold in place.
QUESTION —J. Melvin Koser, Narvon, would like
to know where to find The Lennon Sisters Paper
Dolls,” made in the 19605.
QUESTION —Geneveile Reese, Newburg, wants
to know how to rid infested antique furniture of post
hole bettes or worms.
tures dip below freezing. Hartle
says drawing down any pond
larger than an acre require a
permit.
In small ponds, aeration can
partially control the growth of
blue-green algae, but is ineffec
tive on other plants.
Biological Control
Introducing vegetation-eat
ing fish into a pond system can
be very effective, particularly for
submerged plants.
Filamentous algae can be
reduced somewhat as well.
Hartle says the triploid grass
carp, a fish genetically altered so
it cannot reproduce, is the only
effective biological vegetation
control. He adds that pond own
ers must get permits from the
Fish and Boat Commission
before stocking the triploid
grass carp. The pond outlet also
must be screened to prevent
escape. Koi, common carp and
Israeli carp are not exclusive
herbivores, and fish experts do
not recommend their use.
“The drawback to the grass
carp is the defecation of the con
sumed plant material, which
recycles nutrients back into the
water,” Hartle says.
Chemical Control
Herbicides are effective con-
ANSWER Violet Cassner, Newburg, wanted infor
mation on how tomatoes are grown in water. Thanks
to Robert Shaub, Shrewsbury, for sending informa
tion: Several techniques can be used but the most
practical is subirrigation, in which plants are grown in
trays filled with gravel, cinders, or other coarse
materials and periodically flooded with nutrient solu
tion. The solution is allowed to drain off after each
flooding and reused as long as sufficient minerals
remain in it Shaub writes that detailed information
can be found on the Internet at
http:// www.funkandwagnalls.com/encyclopedia/lo
w/articles/h/hOI 100749f.htm1. Your county Penn
State Extension office should also have free informa
tion.
ANSWER A reader inherited a “cigar silk throw
pillow* and wanted information about cigar silks.
Thanks to Richard Knouse, Liverpool, who writes that
years ago all cigars were handrolled and bundled to
be shipped to stores and tobacco shops. The bundles
were held togthr by silk ribbons with the brand name
on them. The shop usually sold cigars by the piece so
the consumer did not receive the ribbons. Either
someone in the reader’s family could afford to buy a
bundle of cigars at a time or they were involved with
selling tobacco products. Either way, there is a
demand by collectorsforthe ribbons. The reader may
wantto contact a local antique dealer or inquire about
collectors dubs to find out how much the cigar silk
throw is worth.
ANSWER —A Hamburg reader asked why people
are buying generators to use for home electric. This is
a controversial subject, but Janice Groff, Honey
Grove, wrote that the Y2K computer shutdown on
Jan. 1,2000 will result in no electric, no heat, and no
water so people are buying generators to use during
this time. Another reader wrote that the powers that
be are going to pull the plug on the nation’s power grid
on that date. He believes the Y2K computer crisis is a
totally planned and orchestrated event to create cha
os so that the president can officially declare a nation
al state of emergency and institute martial law in
order to fulfil a New World Order. Please check with
your local Penn State Extension office and with the
Red Cross who have more extensive information on
this controversial subject. In fact, a workshop on Y2K
consumer readiness will be held at the Berks Co. Ag
Center, Leesport, on Oct. 5, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. and
repeated at 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Advance registration is
required. To register, send a check for $1 made pay
able to Berks County Cooperative Extension Special
Account and mail to Consumer Readiness for Y2K,
Berks Co. Ag Center, P.O. Box 520, Leesport, PA
19533.
ANSWER Fran Westfall, New Oxford, writes
that to keep cats and dogs away from flower beds,
she sprinkled red pepper in a circle around the area,
noton the flowers, intended to keep out the pets. Cats
and dogs would go to the edge of the circle but would
not walk over it.
trols, but Hock warns that mis
handled chemicals will cause
many more problems than they
solve. Hartle also says algae is
the most common problem
Pennsylvania pond owners
encounter, and control of nutri
ents entering the pond must
accompany chemical treatments
to effectively control algae.
“Choose the correct chemical
for the problem plant,” Hock
says. “Make precise water vol
ume and chemical measure
ments, and read the product
label directions carefully. Over
application can damage other
plants and wildlife.”
Chemical applications also
can kill fish indirectly because
too much oxygen is consumed by
the rapid decay of dead plants.
Hock suggests treating just one
third or half the pond at a time.
“Start applications in shallow
water and work out to deeper
water” Hock says. “This will let
fish escape the chemical.”
All aquatic pesticides require
a permit, which must be
approved by the fish and Boat
Commission and the
Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection
before the pesticide is used. For
more information on this sub
ject, visit the Website
http://www.pested.psu.edu and
read the publication “Pond
Management & Aquatic Plant
Control.”