Page 16SUSQUEHANNA BULLETIN Penn State conducts farm research nearby Professor John O. Yocum At Penn State's South- eastern Field Research Lab- oratory near Mount Joy, scientists are helping local farmers produce more yield per acre. Professor John O. Yocum has run the 88 acre outdoor lab since 1961. ‘‘Before the recent food shortages, some people were hollering that we should do less produc- tion-type research, ’’ Prof. Yocum told us. “They thought we should study marketing and other things, but nobody’s hollering now.’ All kinds of field crops are studied at the lab. Helping local farmers solve local problems, like disease, oc- cupies most of the scien- tist’s efforts. New strains of corn, tabacco, wheat and oats are developed and tested specifically for our part of the state. Pennbel 69 tobacco, which resists wild- fire and tobacco mosaic was developed here in 1961. Commercial corn varieties are tested at the lab, and at 10 other locations in south- eastern Pennsylvania. The results are published each year. Commercial and experimental herbicides and insecticides are evaluated. New management practices are tried. An effort is being made to The Lab’s sonic scarecrow lick the insects and diseases that plague alfalfa in our area. Seventy varieties of soybeans are being evalua- ted. Potatoes, muskmelons and flowers are studied. The lab also tries to anticipate future needs. Five years ago, a study of grape production was be- gun. So far, the grapes have done better here than in Erie County, Pennsyl- vania’s traditional grape growing area. Unfortunately, starlings ate every grape that wasn’t protected by a net, until the scientists installed an elec- tronic ‘‘distress call.” A loudspeaker, mounted on a wooden frame, shrills every minute, like a frightened blackbird, and scares all birds from the vinyard. Professor Yocum doesn’t often advise farmers direct- ly. But when a county agent recommends varieties, or fertilizer, herbicide, insecti- cide and fungicide levels for local field crops, he is using data gathered by the lab. Professor Yocum and his wife, Sandra, live at the field lab year-round They have two daughters, Jenni- fer, and Jeanne. Two technicians, Howard Bru- baker and Jim Widders, also work full-time. During the winter, Prof. Yocum and his staff do statistical analysis with the help of a computer, and the results are published. “By the time January ends,”” Prof. Yocum says, “it’s time to start planning what to plant next year.”’ “There’s a lot of book- keeping,”’ he adds. In the summer, there is also a lot of painstaking field work. Most jobs must be done by hand, since ordinary farm La <4 Dr. Richard Cole and assistant spray equipment is too clumsy w use in the thousands of small test plots the lab uses for experiments. Breeding studies can in- volve tasks like cutting the anther from each flower of each stalk in a stand of oats. Harvesting is done with special equipment, like a corn picker that doesn’t miss a grain, and a hand mower that takes exactly the same volume of forage from each plot. Crops are sold after harvest, and the money helps support more research. Unlike some food experts, Preofessor Yocum is cautiously optimistic about our hungry, crowded world’s ability to feed itself. ‘“Actually, no one knows,” he said. ‘‘It all depends on what we find. And the weather.” Political and economic problems may be the great- est block to all-out food production. ‘‘On one hand, we say we want more food,’ Prof. Yocum observes. “On the other hand, we say we want cheap food. The only way the farmer is going to ‘produce more is if he gets a decent return.” * Photo by James E. Beck II July 2, 1975 he {+ " Keaneth Reighard, Gene Atland, James Gingrich Forest fire Crew starts work on new building H. Eugene Altland, pres- ident of the Elizabethtown- Mount Joy Forest Fire Crew, dug the first shovel of dirt from the site of the new service building the crew intends to build. Florin Fire Company called to trash fire Florin Fire Company was called to the former Musser Leghorn Farm near Rheems, June 2S, at 8:01 p.m., when a neighbor became alarmed at flames apparently coming from a barn. Actually, James and Luke Brubaker, owners of the farm, were burning trash in an old foundation used for that particular purpose. At the time of the fire in Rheems alarm, members of the Florin Fire Company and the Friendship Fire Com- pany were discussing with Mount Joy borough council members the problem of providing fire protection outside the borough - even though outlying areas do not help to support the compan- ies financially. Also under study is the possibility of a merger of the two companies. herbicide in no-till soybeans Groundbreaking cere- monies were held last Saturday, June 28, at 2:30 p.m., in Mount Joy Town- ship near Milton Grove. Besides Altland, others participating in the cere- monies were: crew vice- pres., Ronald Mumper; auxiliary pres., Ella Louise Altland; auxiliary vice- pres., Erma Boozer; Mount Joy Township Supervisor, Harry Cooper; Elizabeth- town Mayor, Kenneth Reig- hard; and Mount Joy Mayor, James Gingrich. Dr. Ezra Ranck, pastor of the Milton Grove United Methodist Church, gave the invocation and benediction, as well as turning a shovel of dirt. Rev. Daniel Yingling, pastor of the West Green- tree Church of the Brethren, directly across from the building site, who was unable to attend, was represented by Dr. Ranck. Ground for the new building was purchased from Blain Gantz, R. D. 2., Mount Joy. School board OK’s tax hike Last Wednesday, Donegal School Board approved a $3.9 million budget for the 1975-76 year. The budget increases the property tax 17 mills, to 92 mills. Also, a $10 oceupa- tional privilege tax was approved, $S of which will go to the school district. The budget, virtually the same as the tentative budget previously announ- ced, was passed by a vote of 6-0, with three members absent. In other business, the board announced the pur- chase of a $1,300 lawn mower and snow thrower for Maytown Elementary School from Hostetter’s Store, in Mount Joy. he AA an uh de Sa CO ze Su
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