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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1937)
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, JAN. 7, 1937. PAGE THREE Eastern Oregon Wheat League Report and Recommendations of the Weed Control and Soil Erosion . Committee ner, Oregon, December 4-5, 1936 Heppr The extent of weed infestation has reached such a point that the possibility of widespread control measures is definitely beyond the reach of the individual farmer. The following counties are seriously con cerned with the increase of this in festation: Malheur, Baker, Wallowa, Union, Umatilla, Sherman, Wasco, Wheeler, Deschutes, Crook, Klamath and possible others. This commit tee is not particularly familiar with the weed situation in western Ore gon, and does not attempt to speak for conditions prevailing therein, but it is known that weed infestation in the areas west of the Cascade mountains in Oregon is very heavy in many places. It has been stated that 25 per cent of the tillable area of some Oregon counties will be in fested with perennial noxious weeds within the next ten to twenty years, and that present methods of control will cost more than the land is worth if positive steps are taken toward reclamation. Public lands infested with weeds are a special problem. It has been noted that . the spread of some of these weeds has been particularly bad on lands adjacent to roads and within the highway rights-of-way, due to the fact that construction and maintenance methods that are now practiced tend to spread the weeds for considerable distances along the highways. In irrigated areas, it is known that a serious spread of weeds is occasioned by the operation of ir rigation canals, particularly where seeds are allowed to ripen and be deposited in the irrigation water at points near the head of the diversion system. Careful determination of areas in tested by noxious weeds reveals the astounding conclusion that there are between 29,000 and 30,000 acres of such lands in the eleven counties of eastern Oregon included in the ac tivities of the Eastern Oregon Wheat League. Further investigation shows that prior to the depression farmers had used 750,000 pounds of weed killing chemicals of one kind and another. When prices for agricul tural commodities became substan tiallv lowered, it was impossible for these purchases to be maintained with a view to destroying weeds The result has been a fairly rapid expansion of areas of farm land in fested by noxious weeds. This has brought about a situation serious not only to landowners and operators, but to the entire population of the areas involved. The weeds causing most of the dif ficulty are as a rule deep-rooted and exhibit extreme persistence. Since many of them are of a perennial na ture, they cannot, be destroyed by ordinary tillage operations upon a practical basis. Many of these weeds are characterized by creeping, un derground stems or root stocks which spread through the soil in all directions, sprouting vigorously at the joints, and resisting all but the most persistent efforts toward ex termination. We recommend that existing leg islation in connection with noxious weeds in the State of Oregon be amended to provide for more ade quate control of noxious weeds, and that such legislation be enforced to the fullest extent. This has partic ular reference to the Oregon Seed Law, and your committee urges that an amendment be made to the ex isting law which will bring within the scope of the law all sales made bv dealers or growers, with the pro vision that such sales bear a cer tificate of purity by the Federal Seed TWino InWatorv. a branch of which is manitained ETAOINET which is located in the Oregon State College at Corvallis. Provision should be made to enforce such law if and when it becomes -an Oregon statute. Your committee further recommends that this portion of the reDort be referred to the legislative committee of the Eastern Oregon WViPat. leatrue with the recommen Nation that the committee, assisted by a representative of the proper de- partmnt of the State Agricultural College, proceed to prepare such weed law and to present it to the Oregon State legislature when next in session. Your committee further recom mends that the Eastern Oregon Wheat League, through its weed committee, take immediate steps to interest all agricultural organi zations, county courts of the East ern Oregon Wheat League district, state planning boards, service clubs, chambers of commerce, and others, in a weed control program. We pledge the support of the Eastern Oregon counties of any proper plan that may be developed, but urge haste in order that advantage may be taken of federal funds now avail able, or that may become available. It is our opinion that the noxious weed control program might prop erly be carried either as a WPA project, or as an agricultural relief measure. It is the further opinion of your committee that the financing of this work should largely be a federal responsibility. However, it might be advantageous for the state, coun ty and individual to bear a portion of this expense. What we now need is an actual eradication program. It is the opinion of your commit tee that the control of noxious weeds such as wild morning glory, white top, Canadian thistle, Russian knap weed, and others, is fully as lm portant as soil erosion control, the expanded activities of the United States Forest Service, and other con servation movements as a part of a permanent national policy. Your committee believes that the value of all property, both public and private, depends upon, and their values vary directly with, the con trol of noxious weeds in agricultur al districts. We recommend an acucrate sur vey showing size and location of noxious weed infestations in each county under the direction of the county courts. We suggest that these survey projects be handled as WPA projects for the reason that no material would be necessary, and that much of the cost would be for labor. This recommendation should be properly presented to county budgeting committees in order that funds may be included in county budgets. It is believed to be a very desir able recommendation which should receive widespread attention that where no other program of control or eradication is in effect weed patches should be seeded to per manent grasses for the effective con trol which results from such prac tices. Serious consideration should be given to the cleaning of all machin erv onerated over weed infested areas before moving from the in fested field. County courts should, in the opin ion of the committee, own and op erate.., equipment designed for the most effective control of weeds com ing under the scope of this report. Attention should be called to the desirability of fencing weed patches where that is necessary to prevent any type of spread. The Eastern Oregon Wheat League should lend its influence in provid ing legislation which in effect will prevent the moving of hay, straw, chaff or any other crop from a field infested with perennial noxious weeds unless such products be re moved to another field already in fested. The movement of livestock from perennial noxious weed-infested areas should be done with the utmost care and under condi tions which will prevent the spread of weeds. It is recommended that there be developed a most intensive educa tional campaign to the end that there may be an immediate and wide spread attack upon the weed problem and its solution. The committee be lieves that farmers should be urged to organize county weed associations soil loss. As a further method of or make use of other existing or- controlling water erosion and run- ganized groups for the purpose of off your committee recommends that furthering this educational cam- tillage and seeding operations be paign. done on the contour. (a) This campaign should include 4. County courts and state high- the dissemination of informa- way commission should be urged to tion regarding the various adopt road-building and mainten methods by which weeds may ance practices looking to the great be spread and best methods est possible elimination of the ef- for control. fects of erosion. The effect of any (b) Farmers should be given every roadside drainage construction should assistance in learning to iden- take into consideration adjoining tify weeds in their respective farm lands insofar as they may be districts. affected by head erosion and gully (c) There is need to convince far- formation. mers of their definite respon- 5. Your committee believes there sibility with relation to weeds should be a vigorous program of ed on lands which they farm. ucation intended to convince the far- Of first consideration is the need mer of his individual responsibility for immediate action aimed at actual in connection with the erosion con control of weeds now on farms. It trol or other soil conservation prob is recommended that the Eastern lem on his farm. There is a feeling Oregon Wheat League and farmers that too many are waiting for the in the respective counties take im- government to take care of these problems. 6. To check the further introduc tion and scattering of weeds it is im Dortant that nothing but clean seed It is universally conceded that one be used in erosion control plantings. of the greatest obstacles in the way 7. Useful water is of first import of greater farmer activity with weed ance as an agricultural factor. Your control is the extremely high cost committee believes that use should of chemicals used for these pur- be made of.everv possible agency poses. Your committee believes looking to the construction of small that this problem is of such great earth dams and other types of reser- economic importance and so inti- voirs to hold water supplies for mately involves the future of the building up the soil moisture. There agriculture of this nation as to make should be protection ,of reservoirs it proper for the government of against the effects of erosion, which these United States immediately to ultimately leads to the complete silt- begin to give consideration to the ing in of such storage basins. At- use of its facilities to produce her- tention to proper farm management bicides in order that costs may be methods, giving due consideration brought reasonably within the reach to the utilization of crop residues mediate steps to secure WPA pro jects having for their objective the control of weeds within the coun ties . and proper grazing methods, offers by far the most effective and wide spread check against silting in of reservoirs. 8. Complete information should be supplied all communities in order that they may be advised regarding the possibilities of obtaining assist ance in setting up and operating erosion control activities on an or ganized basis. This service is now available to those requesting it 9. To those in positions of respon sibility in these connections, atten tion should be called to the intimate relationship between weed control and soil conservation, and your com mitte believes that the Eastern Ore gon Wheat League can properly rec ommend the greatest possible degree of consolidation of these various ac tivities. Your committee on weeds and soil conservation further recommends that the Eastern Oregon Wheat League urge upon the county courts of the counties represented therein, the advisability of setting up re volving funds within their counties, the same to be used under such rules as the said courts may prescribe for the control and eradication of nox ious weeds, soil conservation and erosion. It is further recommended that the county courts be present ed with copies of this recommenda tion. Your committee endorses the pro posed law to control erosion and the formation of erosion districts. of farmers. This latter we consider a most vital point. It is particularly recommended that a well-qualified committee of one or more persons present this proposition to Congress in the most effective manner possi ble. By all means federal author ities should remove the tariff from imported weed chemicals and from any materials which may be com pounded for that purpose. Your committee recommends nec essary action to bring about legisla tion providing for the lowering of taxes upon weed infested areas up on a sliding scale which gives con sideration to the amount expended upon the land and the degree to which the work is successful in con trolling the weeds. Your committee believes it to be desirable that county courts declare county-wide weed districts and set up the necessary organization to put the Oregon weed law into effect, specifically covering such weeds as wild morning glory, Russian knap weed, white top, Canadian thistle, and any other which may properly come under the act. It should be widely recommended that farmers do not use tillage meth ods which result in the spread of weeds except when such tillage is a part of an approved control program. The proper officials should be urged to control perennial noxious weeds along county roads, state highways, and city streets. The spread of weeds by highway maintenance equipment is earnestly deplored. SOIL CONSERVATION. In referring particularly to the soil conservation angle of the com mittee's report, the following is sub mitted: 1. We recommend the use of such farming methods as will permit the largest possible return to the soil of crop residues, such as straw, etc., particular attention being given to leaving such residues upon the sur face of the soil to the greatest pos sible extent consistent with prac tical farm methods. 2. Your committee believes that attention should be given to an or ganized attack upon the land use problem. Among other things, this involves the taking out of cultiva tion those lands subject to excess ive erosion, those lands of such low yields as to make profitable returns impossible, and those small, broken areas surrounded by or adjacent to good grazing land which should be returned to grazing use. 3. Gully control is a vital factor of the soil conservation program. There should be attention given to grading in and seeding down of gul lies, which, if left uncontrolled, will eventually become responsible for dividing large fields into small ones, thereby increasing the cost of oper ation, as well as being a source of Sylvannus Wright was among Lex ington folk here Monday on business. The Heppner Gazette Times One Year and m ' U t J" 2 Magazines From Group B GROUP Check 2 magazines thus (X) Q American Fruit Grower Capper's Farmer - Household Magazine - Needlecraft ... 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