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The Huron Expositor, 1981-12-09, Page 24H & N DAIRY SYSTEMS LTD- Sales, Service Installation of pipelines & milking parlours R.R.4 WALTON 887-6063 • ca-OPerat°6 Ineurarke thetsyOur0 truly BRUCE SMITH Sales' Representative Mitchell Co-op Store 130 Georgina Street Mitchell, Ont. NOK INO rimBus: 348-9975 Res: 348-9975 1• die co-opeatoe ot) INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES LIFE•HOME•AUTO•OUSINESS*FAIM 0 • Recent discussions with farmers about crop varieties and crop rotations have re- minded me of some of the problems in making compari- sons. Most farmers are not set Up to do research. Limited information can lead Ps wrong conclusions, For example. a. few years ago an eltp#Timent was done at one of the Ag. Colleges in the United States. A corn field was divided up into ten equal sized and shaped plots. All'-the...,plots were treated identically. The harvested yields were carefidly mea- sured. The results showed that the even numbered plots outyielded the odd numbered a lots by seven bushels per cre. When the border plots (1 and 10) were omitted, the even n umbered plots were 10 bushels per acre better than the odd ones. The conclusion is simple- refer to all your fields by an even number or don't trust the results from one field done one year. The difference in plots that the American study identified is called experimental error. Differences occur for a multi- tude of reasons other than just the treatments under study. A few basic principles for a, good field trial be kept in mind. These principles include (1) Careful measure- ment (2)Repetition-different' fields and different years (3) Compare-treatments in the same eeld-don 't compare one field with another or compare results from I year with results from another year. (4) Keep comparisons simple- more treatments produce a greater chance of error. This fall, the difference from year to year really stands out. Looking at the Huron Soil and Crop Im- provement Assn. corn hybrid project. we see that the average yields on the 64 farms reporting jumped 1' bushels per acre between 1980 and 1981. In Perth county there were 55 farms reporting and an increase of 9 bushels per acre-this year over last year One farmer told me. "My corn yields on continuous corn fields went up by 8 Jostler per acre this year. That kind of shoots down your theory on crop rotation!" I replied that my theory was probably still intact. His yields probably should have gone up 10 ,bushels per acre or more just because of the difference in the growing season. Similarly. we also hear of people promoting fertilizer programs based on one year's information and no side by side comparisons. This type of iafermation means Ono, lutely nothing-. Agoodlield is very nice but means nothing by itself-no check plots or other treatments. The differ- ence from one farm to another also stood out on the corn Hybrid evaluation project. Average farm yields ranged from 78 bus. per acre on one farm to 143 bus. per acre on another farm-a difference of 65 bushels per acre. When someone reports just one treatment with a good yield. was it due to the treatment or just the place it was grotvn? You really wen't know. unless there are side by side compar- isons repeated a number of times, preferably over a num- ber of growing seasons. • The next time somebody tells you their product will give you a better yield. remember to ask "Compared Your Personal WILL BE SUB To reach your friends, neighbours and relatives ''When you place them in "dr,he :4uron (fxmitror Phone 527-0240 Bill and Wilma Jones and family extend Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and the Nev, Year. SEASON'S 'Greetings with best %% kites for the Holiday Season' and the timing year to all 9411 friends. — -The Jones. Seaforth. Among the mam sincere good ,%ishes sent to von Mr a Merry • Christmas please include ours! — Mary and Rill Jones. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, DECEMBER 9, 1951 tough to e arrie hew s FA Perth farm news BY ROSS HAUGH Members of the Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Association attending Thurs- day's annual meeting were told to use their own test plots. Jim O'Toole, a re- searcher at Centralia College of Agricultural Technology suggested Huron farmers evaluate hybrids on their own format. He added, "We rely on your farm research. Keep - your test plots from getting too large. Be selective, about a half acre maximum." He continued, "Select a uniform location, keep soil and fertilizer texture level and put a special effort on weed control". On corn hybrids, O'Toole said; "plant hybrids of differ- - Jilt maturities with six to eight rows of each. Six would be ideal andthen use the four rows in the middle. Keep the test ongoing and use at least two years of information before making a switch." Other advice from the researcher was, "check ger- mination and emergence, note flowering dates and record weather conditions.''' Retiring president,, Larry Wheatley talked about the past and the future of the organization. He said. "When this group was form- ed 30 years ago the objective was to help farmers in Huron become more knowledgeable about soil management and aware of the advantages of clean pedigreed seed for crops." He continued. "This ob- jective has been accomplish- ed through ouT efforts at seed fairs. organizing bus tours. etc. No matter how unique or new we may think our pro- jects are today, the end result is still the same-: -Creating in the farmer an awareness of the advantages of good seed and soil management." "I believe we can learn from the past. Some of our projects such as crop rotation and red clover plowdown are methods our fathers used as a matter of course each year, realizing then, the advantages we are seeing now." The past president con- cluded. "Instead of dreading the future and predicting terrible times, ahead perhaps we should examine the caus- es of our problems and use the experiences of our past to remedy them." `• After the election of direct- ors Wheatley made a few comments regarding a recent runoff of sewage, from the town of Wingham „into the Maitland River. He added. "No one should be allowed to do a thing like this where they let a whole week's raw sewage into the ;riser .it's_._.._. terrible. It shouldn't be al- lowed ,. to happen. Pollution from this went all th' way to the beach at Goderich. Commenting on the var- ious corn trials which were held throughout Huron. soil and crops specialist Pat Lynch said. "Yields jumped up again showing what a great corn year 1981 was." The average of 45 tests in Huron in 1980 was 96 bushels per acre. The figitre this past year was 113 bushels per acre according to 64 tests. The results in Perth were 104 bushels this year, an increase of nine bushels. The heat units measured at four locations were a bit lower than they were a year ago. At Centralia College this year's heat units were 2,914 as compared to 2,965 in 1980. The normal figure is 2,863. The same ratio showed at Hugh Scott's farm at Staffs with 2.797 this year. 2,819 in 1980 and 2.707 as the normal. Rainfall in 1981 was con- siderably more than the previous year. At the Scott farm which is located in Hit,- bert Township, there was 763.4 millimetres as opposed to 636.6 a year ago. The biggest increase was at the F. Keels farm in Fullarton township with 806 millimet- res and 541 in 1980. An experiment on the farm of Aart de Vos in plant- ing white beans on spring to what? and How many times?" Arthur Lawson. Assoc. Ag. Rep. Buffers are a good idea Buffers, especially the common, sodium bicarbonate buffer, help raise the pH of the rumen. A pH of ''"" is the neutral point. Any figure be- low a pH of indicates acid. The rumen of the cow normal- ly is just under this neutral point, just very slightly acid- ic. If the cow does not get enough roughage or if the feed is chopped too fine, she will -not produce the normal amount of saliva (10-12 gal- lons) as her chewing time (of feed) is reduced. Buffers are most useful in these areas. The most common buffer used is sodium bicarbonate mixed with magnesium oxi- ide. Sodium bentonite is also used.t A commercial buffer is now available from one feed company which combines three useful ingredients. A plowed land after a first cut of haylage was harvested was not successful. De VOS com- mented. "I would not try to grow beans in this manner again. Corn silage attempts were successful. Using micronutrients on corn failed to show any substantial yield increase. In fact there may even have bees . a yield decrease. Doug Cameron of Ashfield township is the new presid- ent. New directors are Art Bolton, McKillop and Bill Armstropg, Morris, Continu- ing in their positions are Jim. RosS, West• Wawanosh; Ray Hartman, Hay; Gerald Hay- ter, Stanley; Wayne Ratz, Stephen; John Oke, Usborne; Bob McNaughton, Tucker- smith; Bruce Shilinglaw, Hel- len; Gerrit' Van Keulen, Grey; Hans Rasmussen, Howick; Aart de Vos, Turn- berry; Bruce Raynard. West Wawanosh; Walter Men- wain, Goderich and Don McNeil, Colborne. The Norm Alexander Con- servation award for outstand- ing efforts in conservation and soil preservation was won Don Lobb. List year's winner was Larry Wheatley. rule of thumb is to include buffers when the cow is fed less than two pounds of forage dry matter per 100 pounds of hod) weight or when the concentrates ex- ceed 2 percent of her body weight. A dry cow is going front a "high" fibre diet to one of "low" fibre after calving. Buffers then appear to be indicated after the cow freshens for earlier peaking of production. CRUDE OR DIGESTIVE PROTEIN MAY NOT MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR COW Satisfying the amino acids need of the high produc- ing cow may no longer be fulfilled be defining the pro- tein requirements simply in terms,oLcrude or digestible protein content of the feed. according to Cornell Univer- sity... The cow's protein or amino acid needs come from two sources. One source comes from the microbial or "bug" protein formed in the rumen (degradable) and the other is provided from protein in the ingredients that escape breakdown. This latter part (by-pass protein) May be influenced by the rations you are feeding. Bacterial protein, made in the rumen, is quite constant if adequate energy and ammo- nia nitrogen are present and available. Changes in protein solubility anciquality may be achieved readily through ra- tion formulation as well as. chemical or heat treatments of the various ingredients. Both soluable ancrby-pass" protein arc important in pro- viding a good protein source. The by-pass protein may be especially useful for your top producing cows, when it is top. dressed during the first stage of lactation. Persisten- cy of mill flow seems to be one of its greatest advantages. E.L. Rothmel, Assoc. Ag. Rep,. 'Water Weill DRILLING W.D. Hopper -mid Sons 4 MODERN ROTARY RIGS Nell 527-1737 Dud 527-0528 Jim 527-0775 The 1981 Ontario Federat- ion of Agriculture annual convention convened in Tor- onto on Tuesday. Nov. 24. Before introducing Father Queliette from Beaverton to - give the invocation, President Ralph Barrie reminded the delegates they were there to make decisions for farmers. Mr. Barrie then told the shocked delegates of the sudden death the evening before of Grant Wallace. Mr. Wallace was a long Jitrie employee of 'OFA. widely known and respected all across Ontario. Mr. Wallace had served OFA in many capacities, including Director of Field Services and meta recently as Director of OFA Insurance Programs. ... A committee report was adopted calling on the Ontar- io government to increase funding for tile drainage loans to the minimum level of 75 per cent of all applications. During the discussion it was pointed out that funding for the program has been held at a constant level while tile drainage has been increasing until the present funding level is near 40 per cent. At the present rate of decrease the program will soon be meaningless. Other resolutions dealt with the first morning includ- ed: - a demand that govt enact reguliition! topreveot private takeovers of cooperatives. - better pipeline easement agreements. - legislation to enforce proper usd of slow moving vehicle signs. protesting the recent inter- est rate increase on FFC loans. The morning was high- lighted by the president's address, a sober speech built around the convention theme "Search For Stability." Ralph Barrie summed up the depressed state of agriculture and-the frustrations felt by many farmers in saying "The risk involved isn't in owning a farm, its trying to farm the damn thing." Mr. Barrie made a wide ranging attack on governments for their lack , of .support of agriculture,' pointing dut that JAYernment spending on agriculture has declined from 2 per cent to 1 per cent of the provincial budget. "The guys in Ottawa aren't exactly playing Santa Claus either" said Mr. Barrie. referring to the recent federal budget. Mr. Barrie saved some of his criticism for farmersthemselves, suggest- ing over-optimism, poor plan- ning. their obsession with being independent anVhe failure to accept the respon- sibility for creating theneces- sary changes have contribut- ed to farmers' problems. Mr. Barrie challenged the farmers. f Ontario to me more united and' get behind their leaders saying:, "We can't fight the battle& all of Ontario farmers with only a third of them paying dues. The size of OFA's. member- ship gives the Federation its security. while we search for stability for the entire agricul- tural induStry. Everyone of us will have to put themselves out if we are ever to get stability in agriculture." Use test plots: Soil and Crop Christian High' School will open. in 1982 Lingerie & Sleepwear 2 for 1 Fancy Ladies panties make lovely Christmas gifts This' week you can choose from our regular stock - 2 for 1 The Wingham and Dis- trict Interdenominational Christian High School Society held its fall membership meeting in the Wingham Bible Chapel on November 27. The membership instruct- ed the Board to proceed with plans to open a Christian High School in Wingham in September. 1982. The school will begin with grades nine and ten. The, Society was formed in Febitiary 1981 by parents who expressed interest in having their children taught from a Biblical view of life. The Society is a member of the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools, which rep- resents 12 Christian High Schools and 56 elementary schools in Ontario. For fur- ther information, contact Dr. J. Vanderkooy, Harristorr. Ont. NIcKellar SANDBLASTING PAINTING GRAVITY) WAGONS FARM MACHINERY TRUCK FRAMES & BOXES BRICK HOUSES Laurie McKellar Staffa 345.2879 New Arrivals Stocking Stuffers Have some fun with your favorite cook with stocking stuffers from our "Kitchen" tree Also add "Incense and Myrrh from Pelargom um SKI-D00 MITTS A BEST BUY $5.97 just in time for Christmas our latest selection of sleepwear Gowns and housecoats for ladies, teens, children and infants The 'selection is beautiful Half Price Here a chance to make a big savings Roadrunner and GWG leans These are gifts that can't miss' The price makes the bargain better at Christmas PECK APPLIANCES "R4 THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN VARNA" • FILTER QUEEN SALES & SERVICE •VACUUM CLEANERS -(Siites a Service to Most Makes) • FM COMMUNICATION-SYSTEMS For Farm tit Ruttiness *SPEED QUEEN APPLIANCES •MOIFTAT APPLIANCES *INSECT LIGHTS & FLY KILLING UNITS *GIFTS *MAO OTHER ITEMS 'VARNA, ONT. 4824103 Larone - Spittal Seaforth Open every evening starting Tues. 527-;1960 Greetings will be published in the Expositor t December 16 and 23