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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-04-22, Page 12Beside CNR Station Crabgrasses? Yellow and Green Foxtails? For broad spectrum weed control in corn, with less chance of carryover, apply a labeled Lasso plus atrazine tank mix. Lassos Herbicide by Monsanto Always read and follow Lasso label directions. MONSANTO CANADA LTD., Montreal, Quebec Toronto Edmonton r Vancouver It's time to spring into action--and we're offering special low prices on all new MF farm tractors under 80 pto hp. Check how much you save: MODEL MF 230. Tractor MF 235 Tractor MF 255 Tractor MP' 265 Tractor MF 275 Tractor YOU CAN NOW SAVE $500,00 $400,00 $400.00 $400.00 $400.00 Limited to available inventories until April 30th, 1976 If you need a new tractor this spring, you can't beat these prices. Come see; come SAVE! SHERWOOD (Exeter) Ltd. 18 Wellington St. 235-0743 Exeter SPRING FEVER Massey Ferguson Page 12 Compaction is difficult Tirnes-Advocate, April 22, 1976 Should have adequate insurance have now caused damage two years in succession and many can remember previous ice storms, but rarely over such a wide area as the 1976 storm. Ontario Hydro is to be con- gratulated for the tremendous effort made to restore power by bringing in several hundred workmen, vehicles and equip- ment from other areas to assist. There is no greater labour saving device on Ontario farms than electric power. Occasionally we tend to not fully enough ap- preciate it because it's usually always there, with just the flip of a switch, but that incredible ice storm brought home the value of electric power in a most dramatic way. On the subject of adequate and proper documentation of household items, work shop and stable tools, it is useful to have a fully itemized documentation of what is in every room in the house, the shop or the stable or, barn. Not only is it utterly amaz- ing to discover how much has been accumulated over the years, but the replacement value can give one a severe shock. When the list is made up, and ap- propriate comprehensive in- surance coverage obtained, the list should be filed away in a fire- proof safety deposit box or vault of some kind. It won't do one much good to make up the list and leave it in the house, if the house should burn or be devastated by a tornado. AAMM'eM .t1A0Alt,-4t, 'TEEM?D''aaiaMMWWVV:AW CORN PLANTERS BOOK YOUR REQUIREMENTS NIX )N JUNIOR FARMER TO REPRESENT ONTARIO "DOWN UNDER" — An active supporter of On- taric.."! Junior Farmers' Association has been selected to represent the province's Junior Farmers in 1977 on a trip to Australia and New Zealand. Dixie Cameron (center), RR 7, Lucknow (Huron County), was named the recio:ent of the Ontario Junior Farmers' Association Travelling Scholarship to Australia and New Zealand at the association's annual meeting in Toronto. The scholarship is sponsored by the Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario and United Cooperatives of Ontario. Shown at the meeting are (left to right) Bruce Saunders, president of the Junior Farmers' Association, Mrs. Cameron, and Reg Cressman, of UCO in Mississauga. NOW livestock farmers who depend on a regular income to meet costs of living and other on-going ex- penses, i.e. bank loans interest, mortgage interest, farm labour and the cost of providing for the family. Some Mutual,Companies are apparently now offering such coverage. Those that aren't should, and any policy holder who can't obtain such coverage from the Mutual with whom he is insured should "go shopping". The 1976 March ice-storm, that devastated south-western On- tario, probably the worst ice- storm in living memory, caused great losses, Milking machines, milk coolers, ventilation and lighting systems for hog and poultry buildings, silo unloaders, stable cleaners and all the other electrical equipment on most modern farms were put out of commission, in some cases with severe losses to farm owners and operators. Many householders lost frozen food that deteriorated due to the prolonged lack of elec- tricity because of the enormous damage to power lines over such a wide area. While many had, or obtained, stand-by tractor-operated elec- trical generators, a great many didn't, particularly in the cities, towns and villages of south- western Ontario, It would seem logical for Farm Mutuals to offer coverage for such losses. Many farmers and householders lost poles, lines, stacks and service panels through no fault of their own. The cost of replacement, as many are finding, is substantial. Some Companies are now providing such coverage. I hope those who aren't, will. Ice storms in south-western Ontario FOR NITROGEN ON CORN • 28% Nitrogen • Aqua • Aeroprills "ALL IN STOCK NOW" Pre Plant or Side Dress Gabian Stone Calcium Chloride in 100 pound bags Sand & Stone Gravel Stone for Weeping Beds EARL LIPPERT TRUCKING LTD. Creditors 234-6382 OUR SPRING SALE ENDS SATURDAY See our flyer for details EXETER DISTRICT One of Ontario's brightest rural success stories has to be the Farm Mutual Insurance Companies. Established years ago in individual rural municipalities they have helped to share the burden of loss oc- casionally sustained by their client policy holders when fire, windstorm, or other named severe losses occur. Just after the Second World War the Ontario Mutuals formed the Ontario Mutual Insurance Association. Much has been ac- complished through the forma- tion of this Provincial Associa- tion in achieving greater unifor- mity of coverage offered in various municipalities, It also becomes an excellent meeting place where Directors from various companies get together to discuss insurance matters. The Farm Mutuals are now reported to have reserves of over 44 million dollars and cover 95% of Ontario's farm fire and wind business. But like any successful business venture they are con- stantly seeking ways and means to provide further insurance coverage and, of course, to ob- tain more premium revenue. I had the good fortune to sit in on one afternoon's discussion ses- sion at their recent annual meeting in Toronto. I was im- pressed with some of the suggestions made to improve service to clients. My farm manager and I, hav- ing suffered the total loss of all the livestock barns on our farm in the fall of 1973, including all the straw, hay and barley grown on the farm that year, are perhaps somewhat more sen- sitive about the need to carry ap- propriate and adequate coverage than some who may not have had such a misfortune. When fire, wind, theft or floater policies are written, usually covering a three-year span, values can soon become insufficient, bearing in mind inflation running 10% to 12`"( on the increase annually. It doesn't take a mathematician to realize values that might have seemed adequate two or three years ago would be far less than enough to replace buildings, equipment, household appliances, bedding, clothing, dishes and all the myriad of things one just doesn't really consider until after a fire when one goes looking for the article. For instance, after our fire I ask- ed someone to get a pitchfork and the stable shovel, only to be reminded they were lost. It's the little things that embarrassingly addousps, L of earnings as a result of a fire or windstorm can be terri- ble for farmers, particularly Weeds present problems for winter wheat growers Well-established stands of wheat provide considerable competition to weeds. However, many Ontario producers find that perennial and winter annual weeds are frequent problems in winter wheat. According to a Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology weed control specialist, proper timing of herbicide applications in winter wheat is important to ensure both satisfactory weed control and crop safety. "Winter wheat should be sprayed after tillering has started in the spring, and before the crop reaches 12 inches in height (extended leaf) to safeguard against crop injury. President is upset with new budget 235-2081 to avoid By J, PAUL FISH Soils and Crops Specialist Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food The current trend to using bigger, heavier machinery is to cut the time required for some farming operations by as much as 20 to 25 percent. Associated with this switch to larger machinery is the greater possibility of soil compaction. It is also evident that more farmers are moving towards intensive monoculture, such as continuous corn, As a result, one can expect an increasing number of compaction problems that cause poor seed germination and plant growth. Farm machinery is partly responsible for this, particularly in areas on Ontario where large acreages of fine-textured (clay) soil are farmed with increasingly heavy equipment. Excessive amounts of tillage also reduce crop yields as desirable soil aggregates are broken up, thus leaving the soil more susceptible to compaction when machinery travels over it. The presence of aggregates — stable groupings of soil particles — of one-fiftieth to one-half inch in diameter makes a good structure or 'tilth' in a soil. This condition allows the space in the soil to hold both air and water, and permits root development to take place. But when the soil is compacted, the spaces are eliminated and the crop suffers. Diagnosing the problem is the first step in solving it. An ex- perienced farmer knows when his soil is in good tilth by the way it plows or works. A shovel can easily perform the test. When a hole is dug, the moist soil should crumble and pulverize easily (rather than remain cloddy) if it is in good tilth. A layer of compacted soil just below the plow-sole is called a 'plow pan' and is detrimental to normal root penetration. Caused by constant plowing at the same depth, a plow pan can result in stunted plants and lower yields. It may be avoided by a year-to- year variation in plowing depth. If compaction is a problem, farmers are strongly urged to get back into crop rotation for a few years. Using a sod or forage crop for two or three years gives the soil a chance to rebuild its structure. To improve soil tilth, make full use of crop residues and manure. Plowing under straw, corn stover and manure improves the soil's condition, making it more spongy and better able to hold water. To avoid future problems with soil compaction, farmers should keep tillage to a minimum in the spring when preparing the seedbed for planting. Fall-plowed soils generally pulverize quite easily, and it should be necessary only to cultivate or harrow enough to level the soil for planting. With spring plowing, it will be necessary to disk and cultivate more to break larger clods, firm the soil sufficiently to prevent moisture loss, and to get good seed germination. the Ontario government should at least have implemented measures to correct abuses constantly reported about laboratories, dentists and doctors taking the public purse for ex- cessive amounts of money. Mr. Miller said the people of Ontario have every right to demand a much better ac- counting of OHIP funds from the Ontario government. "The irregularities of some have been too lightly fluffed-off, while the charge of increased medical costs are levelled at the public," he said. producers should consult the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food's publication 75, Guide to Chemical Weed Control, available at county and district offices of the Ministry. Expressing disappointment at the regressive nature of the recent Ontario budget, Walter Miller, Vice President of the National Farmers Union, said it included the coptinued attack by the government' on the Ontario Health Insurance program, with higher premiums, while making no attempt to get needed revenue from large industrial, financial and commercial interests. He said it is "ironic" that some of the poorer provinces, with smaller populations and natural resources, can provide health insurance at much lower premiums and continue to ex- pand health care, while Ontario with all its wealth continues to reduce its services, at increased premiums. Mr. Miller said the budget reflects the results of bad management in the past, and an arrogant attitude toward the public. He said instead of hoisting such premium increases on the public Winter annuals such as false flax, shepherd's purse, pennycress and peppergrass. are best con- trolled at this time, since they become more resistant as they reach flowering." states W. R. Allen of the College's horticulture and biology section. If winter annuals are present in winter wheat fields, he recom- mends that producers shouldn't wait for the spring annuals to germinate. Delaying herbicide applications could result in poor control of winter annuals and increase the chances of crop damage. Research has indicated that proper timing of herbicide ap- plication will give effective weed control with excellent crop tolerance. As much as a 10- bushel per acre yield increase has been noted when weeds, are controlled, he says. Chemicals such as 2,4-D, Kilmor and MCPA will ef- fectively control most winter annuals. Common chickweed, a 2,4-D resistant winter annual, can be controlled with applications of either Mecoprop or Kilmor. Mr. Allen recommends that only 2,4- D be used when winter wheat has been imderseeded to a legume crop. For specific recommendations on weed control in winter wheat, By DENISE FLETCHER Mr. & Mrs, W. Walters, Exeter, spent Monday with Mr, & Mrs. Dan Walters. Mr. & Mrs. Sanford Hutton and Dianne attended the 40th wedding anniversary celebrations for Mr, & Mrs, Herbert Lennox, Listowel, Saturday evening. Mrs, Hazel Coward attended the 'Bibby-Thomson wedding in Kirkton United Church and the reception in Russeldale Hall, Saturday, Miss Ruth Horne, of London, visited Sunday with Mr. & Mrs. Freeman Horne. Mr. & Mrs, Elwyn' Kerslake spent Sunday with Mr. & Mrs. Archie Webber, Exeter. Mr, & Mrs, Ivan Brock and Mrs. E. Stevens visited Saturday evening with Mr. & Mrs. Goldwin Glenn, Exeter. Sunday visitors were Mr. & Mrs. Cliff Webber, Stratford, with Mr. & Mrs, Larry Lynn and Mark. Mrs. Hazel Coward attended a bridal shower in London for Judy Parsons, Sunday. Marlene and Dianne Hutton, Wilma Kerslake, Marie Brock and Isabelle Pletcher spent Monday in Stratford. •