A2B-Lancaster Firming, Saturday, August 19, 2000
(Continued from Pago At)
machine. This process is similar
to the method used to strip meat
from the bone. Since 90 percent
of the eggshell is calcium car
bonate, worth 40 cents a pound,
this process has proven to be
valuable.
The membranes, explain
Joseph Mac Neil, professor em
eritus of food science, are cur
rently being worked on for
extraction of collagen for medi
cal purposes.
Paper to Mulch
Common grass seed mulching
has a number of drawbacks.
Straw mulch has weed seeds,
dries up and blows away, is
bulky and hard to store. Even a
newer mulching method, hydro
mulching, uses large quantities
of water and needs expensive
equipment.
Consequently Penn State re
searchers asked, “What about
using waste paper or paper
board for compressed mulch
pellets?”, and the Penn Mulch
concept was born. Since paper
accounted for more than 70 mil
lion tons of municipal waste in
1990, the idea has both eco
nomic and environmental bene
fits. The display included
samples of the processed paper
which was pelletized along with
polymers that expand with
water.
According to Jay Woodring,
junior turf grass science major,
this combination, then, holds
seeds in place and keeps the soil
moist for turf and vegetable seed
germination. The mulch will
then biodegrade into the soil.
Plum Pox Summarized
Herb Cole, professor of ag sci
ences with an expertise in plant
pathology at Penn State, gave a
Plum Pox virus update from the
department of plant pathology.
According to Cole authorities
hope to, and believe they can,
eradicate the virus from the U.S.
Although the virus has been
“Thor” is the “only son of an only son of an only son,”
said Myers. “Unless he gets one of his colts approved for
breeding, the line stops with him,” explained Susan Kuhn,
who rides for the Joe and Karen Myers. The registry of the
Friesan breed is extremely strict about what animals are
allowed to continue the lineages.
Learn, Discover and Explore at Ag Progress Days
around since 1915, where it was
identified in Bulgaria, authori
ties began to identify the virus in
the U.S. in October 1999. Cole
estimates that the problem was
around for four to five years
prior to October, “But we didn’t
know what it was,” said Cole.
Currently there is no control,
or antidote, for an infected tree.
The virus reduces quality of the
fruit and makes the tree worth
less. Cole used a “dirty needle”
analogy to explain the spread of
disease.
“An aphid will feed on an in
fected leaf and then later feed on
the leaf of a healthy trees and
spread the virus particles,” said
Cole. Fortunately the virus is
not spread to an aphid’s off
spring, only tree to tree.
Eastern Canada, which has
identified the disease north of
Niagara Falls, has probably had
the disease since before the U.S.,
said Cole.
The disease may be hard to
identify as different strains of
fruit produce different symp
toms. The “Encore” variety of
peach, for example, produce
striking symptoms. According
to Cole, however, only a few
varieties show distinct symp
toms, and these symptoms may
take a long time to become visi
ble. Also a single tree may show
symptoms on only a few random
branches.
Visible symptoms include
pinkish streaks on flower petals,
rings on the pit, yellow rings or
yellow lines patterns on the
fruit, and irregular or deformed
fruit.
The virus is not transmissible
to seeds, so the seeds from an in
fected tree would be considered
free of infection.
“The big question is, are there
Plum Pox Virus outbreaks along
fences, fence rows, or weeds,”
said Cole. So far these potential
harbors for the virus have not
been identified as infected. “If
there were, we would be hard
pressed to eradicate it,” said
With the introduction of Penn Mulch, more paper waste will be diverted from landfill
space. Jay Woodring, a junior turf grass science major, explains to Kenneth Mullen, Ver
donia, the polymer and pelletization process which converts paper into valuable, biode
gradable mulch. Woodring, who has used the mulch and is enthusiastic about the
product, hopes to own his own golf course In the future.
Cole.
Fortunately for Pennsylvania,
only the “D” strain of virus has
invaded the commonwealth's
borders. This particular strain is
less aggressive and not as easily
transmissible as other varieties.
“The answer, unfortunately,
is to push them out, burn them
and keep after root suckers, or
take a bulldozer through and
eliminate all possible regrowth,”
said Cole.
So far in Adams County 680
acres have been razed, giving
rise to a $5.1 million indemnity
program for peach producers. In
the entire U.S., Adams and the
edge of Cumberland counties
are the only areas to have Plum
Pox Virus positive samples. In
all 820 acres will be removed.
“It restores your faith in hu
manity,’’ said Cole of working
with Adams County producers.
“Th§ people in Adams County
are saying, ‘Yes, I may not be in
business next year but I’ll do
whatever I have to for the
common good.”
Additional information on the
Plum Pox Virus is available at:
http:Zsharka.cas.psu.edu. Be
sides Penn State, the depart
ment of agriculture and Canada
have websites addressing the
virus.
Border Collie Shepherds
Besides an occasional wolf
whistle across a crowded street,
whistles do not play an integral
part in getting a point across in
today’s world. At Allan and Peg
Lynch’s “Lynch Mob Farm,”
however, whistles are an essen
tial in everyday communication.
During Ag Progress Days the
couple provided a working
sheep dog demonstration for the
public with several of their ener
getic, black-and-white Border
Collies. Although Border Collies
with good bloodlines are natural
gatherers, explained Allan, they
must be trained to follow the
whistles and verbal commands
used to direct the dogs.
Puppies begin their training
in a small ring, when they are
taught to bring the sheep to the
handler. While herding sheep is
instinctive, driving sheep is not
and must be trained.
This training period, accord
ing to Peg, is never completed.
“You’re working with a Border
Collie their entire life, working
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“They’re dedicated. They’ll work all day if you let them,”
said Allan Lynch during a working sheep dog demonstra
tion. Lynch directed “Duff” with both whistles and verbal
commands to move the sheep around the ring and through
narrow rails.
Joseph Mac Neil, professor emeritus of food science,
shows Mel Rockey, left, Boalsburg, and Richard Kustin of
State College a model of the eggshell/membrane separa
tion process. With the eggshells a source of calcium car
bonate and the membranes a source of collagen, the
process will allow producers to “sell everything,” said
Mac Neil. “Nothing will be left over but the water.”