Milford chronicle., 1963-04-12

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correct pruning and other SUBJ
lIects are covered In "Pruning
Woody Plants and Pruning De-
ciduous Shrubs. This is avail
able at our local agricultural ex-
tension office on the second floor
Of the Dover postoffice. Or, 1t
may be obtained by writing the
Department of Rural Communi-
cations, University of Delaware,
Newark.
IT'S the man and not the system
that determines the success of
hog operation.
Recent records of Illinois
farmers indicate that top manag-
er have mastered the art of TAX
ing care of details In a system
attic and timely manner. The type
Of building facilities or feeding
system they used doesn't seem
to affect their management
ability.
A good manager has multiple
narrowing which allows him to
luse his farrowing house more
than twice a year and also to
spread his labor requirements.
Another good managerial prac-
tice Is to consolidate litters. Sew
eral small litters of four or five
pigs can be combined and put
with one sow, thereby freeing
the other SOW for return to the
herd. This saves on grain and
gets the one sow bred back SOON
er.
Knowing your sows is also a
very important part Of manage
ment. Every manager should
know, after the first farrowtng,
If the sow farrows pigs with
large loin eye and small amount
of back fat. This is preferred by
consumers, not a small loin eye
and a large amount backfat.
k**
Sheep and Lambing shed :
Here's a complete unit for hand
ling a small farm flock of sheep.
This shed, developed by the U.S..
J Department Of Agriculture, has
a feed room and movable pen
panels, creep, trough, and feed
rack. This shed will accom-
modate 80 36 ewes.
i The equipment must be NOV
able so the shed can be arranged
} for special operations such as
lambing, shearing, and fattening
lambs. The feed room serves as
a storage room and a shepherds
room at lambing time.
The building does not have tobe
heavily insulated, but the walls
should be tight enough to prevent
drafts and have enough insulation
to prevent condensation casually
the equivalent of 1/2 inch Of
mineral wool is sufficiently.
If electricity Is available, cir
cults should be provided for in
} frared brooder lamps to warm
newborn lambs. An electric heat
er might be irable In the feed
room at lambing time.
i Feed should be stored In rat
proof containers because 1t is
difficult and costly to make the
entire feed room ratproof.
4 You can order working draw
ings of this Plan No. 5919 from
the Department of Agronomy and
Agricultural Engineering at the
Univer sity of Delaware, Newark.
Big investments needed =
Farming In the t60's is a high
cost venture any way you look at
1t. For example, the capital In
vestment for Delaware dairy
farms averages $84,517.
This figure is based on a ran
dom sample of so farms taken
by Carl Toensmeyer, a graudate
student In the Univer sity of Del
aware's Department of Agricul-
tural Economics.
Land and buildings account for
51.3% of the investment ($43,-
396), Livestock for 1880 ($15,-
034), Machinery for 19.4% ($16,-
372), and feeds and supplies for
11.5% $9,715).
With this large an inve estment,
it's no wonder that farmers must
continuously seek new wavs of
cutting costs Of production IN or
der to compete In the f60S.
&*A
Avoid Homegrown seed Most
homegrown potatoes, beans and
peas become infected with dis
eases that may cause severe
losses In the next years crop.
To avoid losses, growers should
obtain bean and pea seed grown
In dry western regions. Certified
potato seed is a safe inve stment.
It is usually free or almost free
Of diseases that may reduce
yields. Certified growers remove
and destroy diseased plants and
take other special measures to
keep crops disease-free. Potato
crops are certified by a state In
spector to comply with minimum