The Rural Voice, 1978-08, Page 42Perth farm
[Continued from page 401
MANAGEMENT TOUR
John Drummond, R. 5,
Mitchell will be representing
Perth county on the 1978 Soil and
Crop Management Tour
visiting the counties of Norfolk,
Brant, Haldimand, Wentworth,
North and South Niagara
VALUE OF STRAW
The past week we have
received a number of calls
regarding the plough down value
of straw. The alternatives are to
sell the straw or add it back to the
soil. There is no doubt that straw,
ploughed down, adds beneficial
organic matter to the soil. The
question is - how much value is
this added organic matter.
The value of straw is greatest
on low organic matter soils.
Fields that produce a good straw
crop probably have a higlroxganic
matter level. For instance, a good
clay loam soil should contain
about 4 per cent organic matter or
40 tons per acre. A good straw
crop would yield 1 ton per acre.
This 1 ton addition to the existing
40 tons will produce minimal soil
improvement.
If the soil has become run
down, it may contain as little as 1
per cent organic matter (10 tons
per acre). If 1 ton of straw is
added to this soil, it will increase
the organic matter by 10 per cent
which will improve the soil
condition. Low organic matter
soils will not be capable of
producing a lot of straw. In fact,
the quantity produced will be too
little to harvest easily. These
fields should have the straw
ploughed back, as well as adding
organic matter in other forms
such as manure. Thus, fields that
produce large quantities of straw
are already high in organic
matter. Fields that produce little
news
straw need that little bit ploughed
down.
THREE YEAR STABILIZATION
PROGRAM
The province of Ontario has
introduced a three year stab ili-
zation program for growers of
corn, soybeans and white beans.
Enrolement forms have been
mailed to corn growers who
enrolled in the 1977 corn plan.
Bean growers and other corn
growers can obtain brochures and
enrolment forms at county
Agricultural offices. August lst.
1978 is the final date for
enrolment.
Growers are being asked to join
for a three year period and pay a
1978 enrolement fee as well as a
desposit for 1980. The three year
enrolement has been introduced
to overcome the problem of
enrollees discontinuing the plan
in years of good prices.
How is the 1978 stabilized price
calculated for corn? The Federal
government supports corn at 90
per cent of the average price for
the past five years and an
adjustment is also made for
increased production costs. In
1978, the Federal government's
stabilized price might amount to
$2.34 per bus. The Ontario
program increases the Federal
figure by another 5 per cent or 12
rents.
The payout for any year is
determined by subtracting the
actual weighed price from the
stabilized price. This calculation
cannot be made until after the
stabilization year ends on August
31st. If the actual weighed price
were $2.34 per bus. then, in our
example, there would be no
Federal payment but there would
be a Provincial payment of 12
cents per bus.
Pave Morrissey Paiats
L I M I f E D
RURAL AND INDUSTRIAL PAINTING
Sandblasting, High Pressure Water Cleaning
R.R.##3, AILSA CRAIG, ONTARIO
CREDITON (519) 234-6202
For free estimates call collect
Floyd Baechler, R.R.1 Shakespeare, Ont.
[519) 655-2794 or Crediton 15191234-6/M
PG. 42 THE RURAL VOICE/AUGUST 1978
10.4.4 -4 -4 -**********4-4-4.
*Attention Farmers
Rough Surfaces Rust & Leakage
are always a problem with any
of the following
Storage Bins
Fan Cowls
Feeder Troughs
Loading Shutes
Storage Tanks
Etc..
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Call we will show you
THE VERY DEFINITE ADVANTAGES
That can save you
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KOMA BOATS
Hwy#4 and Vanastra Road,
Vanastra Park,
Clinton, Ontario,
Canada
482-3013
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