Milford chronicle., 1956-09-14

PrOductlOnSWlSe, 1896 looks ike
a good year for farmers in the tri-
state area of Pennsylvania, New
Jersey and Delaware. The growing
season to early September dis
played none of the weather ex-
tremes encountered last year. One
of the coolest summers on record
kept crops growing slowly, while
frequent rains maintained soil
moisture to insure high yields and
excellent quality.
Marketwise, however, the cur
rent season leaves something to be
desired. Prices in Third District
markets have shown signs of stab
lizing only recently and in but a
few instances have there been sig
nificant advances from earlier low
levels. Perhaps the most to be said
for local markets is the fact that
they are more orderly than last
season, when freakish weather re-
suited in flood of farm produce
in too-short a time for ready alb
sorption. With marketing periods
for individual crops tending to
lengthen, the pressure on prices
that inevitably accompanies heavy
receipts is expected TO lessen.
Corn is most promising field crop
County farm agents in nearly
all parts of our district speak OF
this seasons corn crop in the
most optimistic terms. Some call
it one of the best ever produced.
From the growth standpoint, the
crop is said to be made" But
fingers must remain crossed until
harvest time, because a hard blow
would mean heavy losses in fields
where corn stalks are eight feet
tall. Yields of hay have been better
than average, although curing
losses ran high from the first cut
ting. Soybeans in southeastern
counties are labeled an unusually
promising crop. Winter wheat snd
potatoes are among the few crops
that will be smaller this year than
last. Yields per acre are consider
ably higher than in 1855 but the
|planted acreage was cut back sharp
W. in both cases.
VegetakIn growers are faring Gsnch
better this year
Farmers in the vegetable growing
areas of southeastern PennsylvSit "a.
and southern New Jersey report
increased yields of higher quality
crops than were harvested in the
July-August period of 1865. To-
matoes seem to he an outstanding
example The bulk of the crop
matured slowly, consequently early
season supplies were light enough
to command higher prices than
were paid in the fresh market last
year. Tomatoes for processing also
brought more satisfactory contract
prices, as they were high in quail
ity and receipts at canneries con-
tinued below the level where ia
cilities became swamped. Peas,
onions, beans, and sweet corn are
other vegetable crops of excellent
quality giving better than average
yields per acre. The asparagus
season was short one, but loss in
volume was not too serious and
nrices held fairly well.
Tobacco prospects are excellent
Lancaster County farmers are
growing a tobacco crop that rates
well above average. Planting was
finished later than usual this spring,
but the good growing weather of
recent weeks has overcome the
delay. Thus far, quality promises
to be much higher than last year
and yields per acre are expected
to show a substantial increase. The
1855 crop was below average in
both yield and quality. 1t was mar
keted late because growers held
out for higher prices that did not
materialize. This tobacco sold for
around 241z cents per pound a
gainst an average of nearly 271a
cents for the previous seasons
crop. Favorable growing conditions
right up to harvest time, therefore,
are a must" if farmers are to re-
coup losses on the 1855 crop.
Some fruits were hard hit by frost
Pennsylvania orchards in par
ticUlar suffered considerable dam
age when killing frosts struck in
late May. Cherries were injured
most. with the yield cut about III