Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 1964)
County Agent's Office Weed Control Need Growing In County By N. C. ANDERSON One of the responsibilities of the extension program is that of weed control. Over the years a lot of emphasis has been placed on this important project, how ever, there are many inquiries each year as to why weed con trol has not progressed more rapidly. Many feel that the coun ty control program is moving slowly and that many ranchers are not as concerned as they should be with weed control on their ranches. The county court declared the county a Weed Control District in 1937. While there are many "teeth" which can be used to force control, it is still up to the individual to carry out control practices on his own ranch and to make it a point to see that weeds growing on public road right-of-ways, and threatening infestations on adjacent private land are being controlled. This concern is quite justifiable when we take into consideration that a "whopping" 4 billion dollars is spent annually in cost; of labor and materials for weed control, added to losses from reduced yield and lower quality in crops throughout the county. It is also estimated that the average cost of cultivation alone for weed control amounts to 8 of the total value of crops produced. It is easy to see from (his that it is not a good management practice to let weeds go to seed on your farm or to permit your land to be infested from care lessness of neighbors. Because we have a definite responsibility in planning research on specific weed problems; planning re search and development pro grams on new herbicides; plan ning long range basic research that will open "new frontiers" for practical weed control de velopment; predicting problems that may be encountered in rec ommending herbicides for use by farmers, and developing edu cational programs, the weed con trol project is one of the very important ones here. Research and education in weed control is especially im portant since new herbicides are coming on the market at an un believable rate each year. Since 1950, the number of basic herb icides has increased from 14 to over 100. In planning weed con trol practices for 1964, this re sponsibility was given to Joe Hay who has met with our Coun ty Weed Control committee dur ing the past several months in working out an accelerated pro gram including the county op erated weed sprayer and exper imental, demonstrational and educational work with our farm people. While Joe will be leav ing very shortly, we do plan to continue with a weed control shortcourse which was planned by him and the weed committee recently. A letter is in the mail to all of you at this time asking that those interested return a regis tration form indicating his in terest in attending the short course. The shortcourse has been well planned. During the two days, there will be some good basic materials presented which will help our ranchers to better understand how weed cnemicais work and why they get good control of weeds on one occasion and poor control on another. There will be a discussion on some of the new herbicides and why there has been such a rapid introduction of new ones during the past few years. Believing that many of our ranchers do not understand fully the weed problems of the coun ty, nor can they identify many of the important perennial nox ious weeds, there will be some time spent on this. I would sug gest that you study the agenda for the weed control shortcourse scheduled for February 5 and 6 then plan to attend. Your regis tration form will help us in planning for interest and partici pation. Line-breeding Improves Weight The USDA announced recently research showing that an extra 25 pounds of weight can be ex pected on your weaner calves by line-crossing Herefords. USDA work shows line-crossed bull calves to be about 20 pounds heavier and heifers about 30 pounds heavier than the pure breds produced within lines. This indicates that the wide genetic variance available within the Hereford breed makes it possible to obtain cross-breeding advan tages, yet stav within the breed. While some of our ranchers have discussed this and have been aware of the possibilities for sev eral years, few have practiced it. I am sure that the increase in weaning weights in some of our herds have been partially, at least, due to line-crossing, per haps accidentally. Major Breeds Compared Some additional research by USDA on breed differences in cattle is interesting. The USDA conducted research on 7 breeds of cattle involving beef type, dairy type, and Sebu type (Brah man) steers. Herefords gained faster, had higher cutting yields, and scored higher on platibility tests than Angus. Angus carcass es had the most marbeling and, therefore, graded higher on USDA carcass grade, but they had lower cutting yields due to a higher percent of fat. Both Herefords and Angus scored higher on paltibility than dairy type or Brahmans crosses. Holstein steers made high daily gaines. produced carcasses with fairly good cutting yields, and ranked about average among all the breeds on eating quality. Jersey steers produced the most tender carcasses, but were very low on average daily gain and were least efficient on produc tion. Brahmans had the highest percentage of separable muscle, had very poor feedlot perfor mance, and ranked lowest on platibility. Brahman crosses had acceptable gains and carcass cut ability, but ranked next to bot ton on paltibility scores. Farmer Efficiency Increased Twice as Fast as Industry Here are some facts that few people realize. Did you know that in the past 15 years the efficiency of the American farm er has increased at twice the rate as has industry? On about 300 million harvested acres we produce all the food and fiber needed for our 190 million people, plus all we can sell for cash to our neighbors overseas, plus other millions of dollars worth of food and fiber shipped each year to needy countries un der special disposal programs. Food is cheaper today than at any other time in history. The average family today spends over 197c of its income for food. No other group in history has used such a small percentage for food. During the same time that we have produced all of this food, we, too, have had drouths. In the 50's this country experienced wide-spread drouths over large areas of our wheat and livestock country but never a shortage of any agricultural food products. We hear so much about the prob lems that surplus seem to create, that we seldom stop to think just how much worse it would be to have just 10 less than we need in any commodity, that we have only a 6 month's to a year's reserve of many commodities. I know this information is of little benefit to the people that read this column. Many times I have been asked how we can get city people to realize some of these things. It would be a good project for each farmer to clip out such facts as these and mail them to their city cousins from time to time. Little by little these people might become bet ter informed of things they take for granted about agriculture and the price of food, clothing and other things they use in every day life that come from the soil. Zinc Phosphide Treated Grain Controls Field Mice During the fall and winter months, meadow mice do dam age to orchards, lawns, pastures and other agricultural crops. These are the mice that caused so much damage to range lands only a few short years ago and whose population seem to be building back up again this year. Their presence may be detected at this time oi year aiong aucn banks, fence rows and in weed Datches. Occasionally, they in vade flower gardens and lawns in town. Meadow mice can be controlled with 1 zinc phosphide treated grain. To be effective as well as safe, 6 to 12 kernels of the poison grain must be placed in the mouse holes, or runways this is an average of 3-5 pounds per treated acre. This grain should not be applied by broad casting. The bait can be applied by using a quart jar with a small hole in the lid, the hole to be large enough to allow 6-12 kernels of grain to be easily shaken out. It can be applied just about as fast as a person can walk. There should be a space of 10-12 feet between bait ed places. When applied correctly, this rodenticide is considered safe for wildlife and other animals. The best time to control meadow mcie is when a small colony is starting to develop. This coloni zation, or presence of even a few mice, can be identified by a group of holes, runways and in some soils, fresh diggings, A thorough job of baiting these small colonies can safely and effectively prevent agricultural damage and it can be done at a reasonable cost. The meadow Single Male Drivers - Under Age 25 ARE DIFFICULT TO INSURE But We Have A SPECIAL POLICY For This Purpose Come in and see us about it today. C. A. RUGGLES, INSURANCE Heppner Ph. 676-9G25 HEPPNER GAZETTE-TIMES. Thursday, January 2. 1964 Canadian Wheat Pricing Concept Concerns Growers By JOHN WELBES Executive Vice President Oregon Wheat Growers League A new and daring concept in wheat marketing has been init iated by t ho Canadian Wheat Board which should be of in terest and concern to the entire U. S. wheat industry. Known as Guaranteed Forward Pricing it contains two features which are extremely desirable from the point of view of the foreign buy er. (1) The buyer is given a long-term commitment on the price of the wheat. Assurance is given that the agreed upon gen eral price will not, change de spite delivery periods of as much as three years. (2) Desirable credit terms are offered to the buyer. The major sales efforts have been in the balance-of-payment building cash markets of the world where credit terms are important. These increased efforts by Canada to sell wheat, point out again a problem which must be faced by U. S. wheat producers, the grain trade, and the govern ment itself. Basically and some what oversimplified the prob lem is whether the U. S. should take steps to become aggressive competitors for the world wheat markets. The alternative, which exists to a large extent today (except for the special efforts of wheat; producer groups) is to continue only as residual sup pliers. The foreign wheat sales offen sive has been made possible to some extent at least by the pol icies of our own government, which has assured other export ing countries that it will not flood the world market with our wheat by selling below the In ternational Wheat Agreement range. In fact, the world price may be maintained at a level somewhat above the IWA min imum. This assurance was given following the defeat of the wheat referendum last May. Since then, Canadian wheat salesmen have been working overtime in the wheat import ing countries of the world ob taining orders for as much as three years in advance. A recent estimate of commitments by Canada for the next three years is 779 million bushels in the cash markets of the world. Just how significant is the agressiveness of the Canadians is best answered by the man ner in which it has affected the wheat producer. On the strength of increased sales, Canadian growers increased acreage in 1963 and production reached an all time high. The same thing has happened in Australia record acreages, record production, rec ord exports, and record income. Since the 1959-60 crop year, Aus tralia's growers have increased their wheat acreage by 88. Meanwhile, U. S. producers are restricted to an acreage allot ment of one-third of their ca pacity. Canadian wheat farm ers are being urged to go all out in 1964, to plant from "fence line to fenceline." There are other implications as well. A concerted move is underway to drastically change the international agreements be tween countries in regard to wheat trade. One proposal is a system of international market ing quotas whereby each export ing country would be allowed to sell only to a designated im porting country. The amount which could be sold would be based on "traditional" history of sales, which explains the present mice do not roam the fields in search of food, but mostly stay confined to holes or established runways. The 1 zinc phosphide treated grain specially prepared by Fish and Wildlife Service can be ob tained at cost from this office. 5 ?amm mm Federal Income Tax Aid Offered Period for filing 1963 Federal income tax returns will extend from January 2 to April 15, in clusive, A. G. Eiickson, district director of the Internal Revenue Service for Oregon, has announ ced. In this area, help is offered in offices at Pendleton and The Dalles. They are to be open for information to taxpayers each Monday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Office at Pendleton is at 611 E, E. Emigrant and in The Dalles at 26 Post Office build ing. The Portland office, 827 N. E. Oregon Street, will provide infor mation service Monday through Friday, from January 2 through April 13, with office hours set at 8 a.m. through 4:45 p.m. Boardman News Mr. and Mrs. Dewey West and children Larry and Dewena, and Keith Gronquist spent the week end visiting in The Dalles at the home of West's brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Dale Russell. They also visited in Lyle, Wn. at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Hamm, former resi dents here. Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Forthman and daughter, Cathy Loop of Payette, Ida., visited last week at the home of Mrs. Forthman's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Claud Worden. Week-end visitors at the Worden home were Mr. and Mrs. John Roberts of Klickitat, Wn. feverish activity of Canada and Australia in foreign sales. We feel some very pertinent ques tions arise if the U. S. is to actually attempt to overcome the offensive of our competitors in world wheat trade. We recognize the wheat industry and market ing structure of each competing country differ considerably from that of the United States, and especially in the area of govern ment backing of credit and gov ernment participation in the ac tual trade transaction. It is well that the entire wheat industry be aware of the situation dis cussed in the preceding article. 'TOO C Ice water feels fine to him. But not to you. If you're short of hot water every now and then, your whole family will appreciate an automatic electric water heater You'U have all the hot water you want, when you want it, for dishes, laundry and bathing. Modern electric water heaters are the quick recovery type No matter how much hot water you use. there's always plenty more An electric water Unit Meetings To Study Lesson On Will Making By ESTHER KIRMIS During the month of January, the extension unit women will turn their attention to "Wills" and their importance. The lesson provides informa tion about legal matters import ant to every family. Ask yourself these questions: How do you own your prop erty and what effect .does type of ownership have on transfer at time of death? Under Oregon law who would receive your property if you did not leave a will? Why have a will? What requirements must a will meet in Oregon? Do you need a lawyer to pro pare your will? What is Probate? What does an executor do and what does lie get paid? What about property held in other states and wills made in other stales? These and other topics load finally to the steps of, making a wiil, which are, nJrai'ly out lined for easy usigfi' The lesson closes with a game of "legal lotto" designed to help everyone check on how well he understands the language of law. Oregon State Bar Approval The lesson material, prepared by Dorothy S. Miller, former OSU family finance specalst, has been prepared in cooperation with the Oregon State Bar. Mrs. Paul Slaughter, Irrigon, told me that their lawyer gave them a copy of this bulletin to read before they made out their will. He said it was the best lay man's manual he had ever come across. When it came off the press a year ago every lawyer in Oregon was sent a copy. Her man Winter, our district attorney, told me ho had a copy. If you want answers to ques tions about your property and heirs attend one of these unit meetings in your community. January 8 Rhea Creek, Grange hall, Mrs. John Graves and Mrs Emma Cecil, leaders. January 8 Pine City, Pine City school, Mrs. Weldon Wither rite, leader. January 9 lone, Norman Nel son home, Mrs. Norman Nelson and Mrs. Bryce Keene, leaders. January 9 Irrigon, Old school building, Mrs. Charles Mead, Mrs. Andrew Skiles and Mrs. Don Kenny, leaders. art m jtt mm OLD" ? heater does the job quietly, quickly, effi ciently, economically. It can be installed almost any place. ELECTRICITY the heart of modern living Columbia Basin Electric CO-OP "SERVING MORROW AND GILLIAM COUNTIES" Angus Sale Set For January 25 Oregon Angus Association is sponsoring the Oregon Trail Angus sale at the Umatilla County Fairgrounds in Hermis ton on Saturday, January 25. This is expected to be a quality bull and female sale from lead ing breeders in Oregon, Wash ington, Idaho and California, and will include a few calves for the 4-H and FFA boys and girls. Angus calves and cross-bred calves with angus bulls have been selling at top prices through the year among breeders. There will be a no-host get together and dinner Friday, Jan uary 24, at 7:30 p.m. at Me Cabe's Cafe on Main Street in Hermiston. The one day show and sale will start with the show at 9:00 a.m. on January 25, with the sale following at 12:30 p.m. January 11 Heppner, R. G. Watkins home, Mrs. William Heath and Mrs. Ray Massey, leaders. January 21 Boardman, Art Allen home. Mrs. William See hafer and Mrs. Hazel Carpenter, leaders. All meetings begin at 10:30 a.m. Other Uses of This Lesson Mrs. Norman Nelson, Lexing ton, tells me that she will also give this lesson to the Topic club of lone. District Attorney Herman Win ter will assist me in giving this lesson on wills at the Money Management shortcourse in Irri gon on February 3. Three Inescapable Events Three inescapable events which everyone should recognize, says Mrs. Miller, are (1) You are going to die, (2) You can't take it with you, and (3) Some one else is going to get your property. A sensible person makes suit able plans to pass on his estate. Training To Project Leaders Project leaders for "A Will of Your Own" will be trained on January 7 at the Lexington school, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Mrs. Alberta Johnston, OSU Family Finance Specialist, will assist me with this training. She is in the county to speak at the Money Management short -course in Irrigon on January G and will meet with a steering committee from this part of the county, to investigate possibil ities of having a money manage ment shortcourse in Heppner this winter. wim j yy i. r An electric water heater doesn't have to be placed in the basement or an out-of-the-way place There are no flues, vents, flames or odor to interfere with where you place it. You can tuck it neatly away in a clothes closet or under a kitchen counter. An electric water heater is attractive enough to be out in plain view for everyone to see. End your hot-water worries. Sec your electric appliance dealer or your rural electric representative today and take advan tage of the modern way to heat water. Wheat Group Names Pakistan Director Western Wheat Associates to day announced the appointment of Fred Sehneiter, Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce Manager, as Director of their marketing program in Pakistan. Richard K. Baum, Executive Vice President of the organi zation, said Sehneiter will join their staff as of January 1, i964 and would move to Karachi, Pak istaa with his family in Feb ruary. He will be responsible for the organization's wheat marketing program in both East and West Pakistan. Western Wheat Associates is the foreign marketing arm of the wheat commissions and grower associations of Idaho, Orogon and Washington. The new director for Pakistan is a 1952 graduate of the Uni versity of Oregon. He has worked for newspapers in La Grande, Pendleton, Portland and Boise. Before joining the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce as Man ager in 1959, he was manager of the La Grande Chamber of Com merce for four years. Christmas day found Mr. and Mrs. Merrilt Gray, David and Harold, in Hermiston spending the day with Mr. Gray's mother, Mrs. Jenn Gray. The Nels Anderson family spent Christmas day in The Dalles with Mrs. Anderson's brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Yackley, and family, former residents. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Lynch and their son, Mike, departed Friday for their home in Eugene after spending Christmas in Heppner with family and friends. LIVESTOCK LOSSES imount to over $2 Billion annually, (according to USDA estimates) USE OUR LIVESTOCK SUPPLY DEPARTMENT It if designed to icrv you in your livestock Disease Prevention Program WE MATURE VACCINES and SUPPLIES HUMPHREYS REXALL DRUG Heppner Ph. 676-9610
