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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 25, 1957)
TEN MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE Test Show Several iksge Editor's Note: In light of the renewed interest in corn pro dution in the Rogue valley, the following article is pre sented as a report of research on experimentation in south ern Oregon. The midwest corn belt may yet have to "look to its laurels" if test corn production is any in dication of what tcan be grown locally. Research and test work on corn varieties has been carried on in southern Oregon 'since 1949, according to Harold White, superintendent of the southern Oregon Experiment Station, loc ated on highway 99 south of Phoenix. Local Yeilds The work was started when It was noted that the corn raised in Jackson and Josephine coun ties in 1949 produced accord ing to the U.S. Census, an aver age yield of only 28 bushels to the acre, and an average of only 6.3 tons per acre when cut for silage. Such yields of course are awt profitable. Use of unsuit able land areas, poor fertiliza tion practices and poor corn awieties coupled with the histor- i abuse of land were contribut ing factors to this poor produc- san. In an effort to discover fetter varieties, 22 screened hy sid varieties df corn were test 1 the first year and other new varieties are being tested annual s'. According to John Yungen, ag SMnomist at the station, the tests $rave shown several silage varie ties which are well suited for Obis area. They include Illinois i5T0, Illinois 200, and U.S. 13. All three are high yielding hy birds especially suited for use where the grower is looking for Vkaximum silage p r o d u c tion. Other varieties which have s&own the most promise from fee standpoint of grain produc tion are Idahybrid 5 4 4 when $&anted early on good, irrigated lend, and Western Hybrid 90 if (Rite planting is required. This ne of the so-called "90" day, yerly maturing varieties. t&Mwing Days A review of weather statistics Ofeveals that over a 30 year per the average number of grow ing days for Grants Pass is 163 Says, 176 for Medford, and 162 days for the Talent area. For this reason, all of the field tests leave been aimed at a high yield ing corn which will mature in an average of 150 days. Suggested planting date this year is be tween May 1 and 10, based on the weather records adapted to local areas to avoid frost. Because of high humidity in the Rogue River valley during the fall corn for grand comes out of the field with a high mois ture content. This necessitates a special type or crib for storage or artificial drying. This prob lem of high moisture content at harvest time has led to some study of drying equipment. In 1955 and 1956 the local experi m e a t station conducted tests with forced hot air drying. The tests indicate corn on the cob tan be reduced to around 13 per cent moisture content at a cash cost. This would be con siderably below the freight rate of S23 on shelled corn from the midwest to Medford. It is econ omically feasible and would rep resent a substantial saving to the feeder. Question: Answer: PROTECT YOUR FRUIT Use THE NEW ANTIBIOTIC 1. Available as 2. 3. 4. Increases yields Safe to plants Easy and economical to use Also Controls Walnut Blight Unlike the common fungicides, PHYTOMYCIN gives the grower a product that is specific for the control of blight caused by bacteria such as fire blight and walnut blight. PHYTOMYCIN not only protects the crop but also may eradicate the infectious agent under certain conditions. OLIN MATHIESON CHEMICAL CORPORATION Insecticide Sales Dept. Fresno, Calif. Baltimore, Md. Distributed by: PACOAST CHEMICAL COMPANY Carmichael, Calif. Telephone Sacramento Wabash 2-4508 Write for descriptive pamphlets Varieties Good Here The recommendations for local corn acreage are based on the need to replace the loss of cash farm income from seed crops. The raising of livestock is a suggested substitute, but there is a need for local forage and par ticularly feed grains to produce a better finished animal for the market. Rogue valley meat packing facilities can absorb a reasonable amount of locally grown meat animals, providing these animals are finished off on small grains or corn. Meat packing house operators emphasized the need for a well rounded feeding pro gram, including small grains and corn as supplements. Currently by far the greater percentage of beef for slaughter and consumption locally is im- PICKER-SHELLER The combination corn picker-sheller above was recently purchased for use in the Rogue valley by Wes McDonough. The machine picks and shells corn in one operation and is self propelled. The shoot in the top right of the picture delivers the shelled corn to a truck which drives alongside it. This feature permits continuous opera tion of the picker-sheller by using two trucks to haul the shelled corn to the dryer or to a granary. Artificial Breeding Brings Oregon Top National Ranking Corvallis The Oregon dairy industry's artificial breeding program has received top na tional ranking for 1956 on the basis of milk production records of cows born through artificial insemination. Ratings announced this week by the U.S. department of agri culture gave highest placings to four Jersey bulls and one Guern sey bull used by the Oregon Dairy Breeders association, H. P. Ewalt, Oregon State college ex tension dairy specialist has re ported. Last year,' more than 42,000 cows were bred artificially by bulls of the ODBA sire stud lo cated near Corvallis and man aged by Fred Roberts. OSC as sists in selection of bulls. "Oregon Priceless Benjamin," ODBA Jersey bull, placed first nationally for the breed's class of "100 or more artificial daugh ters" the highest group rating. His daughters averaged 9,234 pounds of milk and 496 pounds of milkfat during the past year. The national average last rear of daughters from 590 Jersey sires used by breeding associa- Fire Blight? Phytomycin! dust or liquid Thursday, April 25, 1937 ported and practically all the hogs are grown elsewhere. Good supplies of corn for finishing should result in mcreased in terest in locally grown meat animals, both beef and hogs. One local meat packer reports that most of his hogs are shipped in trom .Nebraska. Shelled Corn Price Locally grown shelled corn would enjoy an estimated $23 per ton price advantage over midwestern corn which is ship ped in by rail. This advantage is more than ample to allow for the increased cost of the drying process considered necessary. Valley milling operators estimate that in excess of 150 carloads of corn, both shelled corn and corn in mixed feed, are shipped into southern Ore- tions was 7,627 pounds of milk and 400 pounds of milkfat. Seocnd Place Second place nationally in the "100 or more daughter" class went to ODBA's "Lilac Coronat or Cap," a Jersey whose daugh ters averaged 9085 pounds of milk and 470 milkfat. Last year, he received highest national rat ing for the class of 75 to 100 daughters. Another Jersey of the Oregon breeding association, "Gwendolyn Dutch Prince," was third nationally in the "100 or more" class with daughters aver aging 8,463 pounds of milk and 442 milkfat. First place for the Jersey breed's "25 to 50 daughter" group went to ODBA's "Oregon Alderwold Baronet" whose daughters averaged 8,895 pounds of milk and 470 milkfat. "Western Glow Marymost," an ODBA Guernsey, led the 25 to 50 daughter group with his daughters averaging 9,493 pounds of milk last year and 435 pounds of milkfat. Daughters of 746 Guernsey stud sires through out the nation averaged 7,908 pounds of milk and 381 milkfat. All Gernseys from ODBA aver aged 8,311 milk and 404 milkfat. Highest production in the Ore gon association on the basis of daughters' performance went to a Holstein sire, "Wernway Mad cap Pathfinder," whose 19 daughters averaged 13,920 pounds of milk and 506 milkfat last year. The national average for breeding associations was 11,704 milk and 430 milkfat. Ewalt said some 5,000 dairy men in Oregon are now building higher producing herds through the artificial breeding program. Beef Pulp Found Best Preservative Corvallis Beat pulp is the best preservative to use when putting up grass silage, accord ing to research at Oregon State college. Two OSC dairy husbandmen recently completed a two-year research project on comparisons of feeding silage put up with dried molasses beet pulp, sodium metabisulfite, and no preserva tive. They are J. V. Bateman and I. R. Jones. Beet pulp reduced juice losses i and absorbed enough nutrients i to more than 'pay its cost. The ! beet pulp-preserved silage mea- sured higher in dry matter, was i more platable and digestible, and ; beet pulp-ied cows produced i more milk than cows fed sodium ; metabisulfite-preserved silage. Sodium metabisulfite slowed the normal development of sil age-preserving bacteria, but pro duced silage of good quality with a mild odor and bright color. The sodium metabisulfite didn't protect silage in uncovered silos from rain as well as beet pulp. Read and Use Classified Ada rhe Low Cost Way to Sell Items You No Longer Need For Quick Cash y M rfMMi)lli-S "TOTM-l Com gon annually. This market po .tential plus an export market to other adjacent areas in south ern Oregon and northern Calif ornia gives promise of sale for substantial acreage of shelled corn production, providing econ omical drying o p e r ations are established locally. Ben Tucker, county agent for agriculture, explained that corn has a wider adaptation for soil type than any other field crop presently grown in Jackson county. In 1956, an estimated 1980 acres were planted to corn for silage and 332 acres for grain. This could well be in creased substantially. Yields Reported C. W. (Wes) McDonough, a farmer in the Sams Valley area, reported good . yield last year and is contemplating increased acreage this year. His farm is located one mile north of Sams Valley school. McDonough re cently purchased a commercial corn dryer. He will dry his own production and will contract to dry corn for other farmers in the valley. The drying equip ment will be located at the dis posal plant in White City, handy to corn growing areas. It is cap able of handling 36 tons of shell ed corn per 24-hour day. Other corn producers who have had good corn silage pro duction and who plan to con tinue include Dick Saltgaver, Lloyd Hammond, Homer Conger in the Central Point district, Straus brothers, Burreson broth ers in Sam Valley, T. A. Parker at Tolo and Roy Colpitts north of Medford. Transition Suggested Agronomists agree that re commendations are centered at the present time on corn plant ed primarily for silage with a gradual transition to growing of corn for grain as drying facili ties are expanded. Inherent con ditions for market use include the needed expansion of the livestock feeding prog ram to absorb increased'silage corn pro duction. Extension s p e c i alists are in accord in recommending only such planned production as has a firm market. The difficulty and the high cost of transporting silage makes it necessary to plan to feed silage in the immediate vicinity of storage facilities. In summing up the situation in this area, White and Tucker commented on the need for close work between extension special ists and the farmer to work out the best program for a given area. Improved varieties, sound fertilization programs based on soil tests, and better production practices point the way to a good potential for local growers who wish to increase their plantings of corn this year and in the years to come. Research has dem onstrated that outstanding yields of both shelled corn and silage corn are p o s s ible and econ omically feasible under proper conditions. Growers in both Jackson and Josephine counties have obtain ed even higher yields than have been grown at the experiment station. This leaves little doubt that more farmers, prospecting for a cash income crop, will find it in corn. Commercial grow ers should strive for 100 bushels per acre on average irrigated land. Better soils will exceed this. Points Suggested Farmers planning new or ad ditional corn production either for silage or for grain are urged to consider carefully four im portant points: (1) the necessity for firm market commitment excess of local use, (2) proper fertilization programs, (3) pro per and adequate i r r i gation, (4) good production practices in cluding weed control, etc. Any producer planting corn this year is encouraged to make use of the data available from county agents and experiment station personnel. In this way there is a greater chance of a successful operation on a modest scale to point the way to even greater corn production in the Rogue River valley in the future. Seed Officials Group Schedules Meeting Salem New p r o c edures in testing seeds and marketing practices related to regulatory inspection are among features slated for the annual meeting of the Western States Seed Of ficials association, "slated for Oregon May 2 and 3. Sessions will be held at Ore- g o n State college so officials may view the stjate seed test ing laboratory, according to Hugh Taylor, Salem, western regional member on the ex SILAGE HARVEST--This picture shows the 1956 field harvest of silage corn on the Homer Conger farm near Central Point. The tractor driver 4s Dick Saltsgaver and the truck driver is Frank Hammon, both of Cen tral Point. This stand of corn is Illinois Hy Foinnn) omid Qcardem tW- amiine iiii.iii.ini.. , miiiiiiu j I L-ll !!!-LJzi!!rwTw' uisr..,..! r .. ' ' - , CORN DRYER Wes McDonough of Sams Valley recently purchased a corn' dryer of this type for use in drying his own corn and contract drying for others. The unit in the fore ground is the heating element, which burns butane or pro pane gas. This hot air is then forced by an electric powered blower, into the rotating drying drum in the rear. Maximum drying capacity of the machine is 36 tons of shelled ocrn hi a 24-hour drying day. v Local Young People Will Attend School The executive council of the Jackson County 4-H Leaders as sociation Monday selected 26 boys and 24 girls to attend the annual 4-H summer school June 11-21 at Oregon State college. Two alternates, a boy and a girl, were also seiectea to at tend the session if any cancella tions are made.' Boys Selected Boys scheduled to attend the session are Carl Skyrman, Cen tral Point; Truman Elmore, Applegate; Ronald Daugherty, Medford;: Larry.- Meyer, Eagle Point; ' James Reneau, Talent; Bobby Holt, Medford; Matt Rode, Medford; Earl Bowen, 4,000 Soil Samples Tested in Oregon Corvallis More than 4,000 soil samples from Oregon farms were tested during the past year by the Oregon State college soil testing laboratory as cost-conscious farmers tried to boost re turns from each dollar spent for fertilizers - and lime. The testing service, started in 1953, provides a standard $2.50 soil test that shows potash and phosphorus needs, degree of acid in western Oregon soils, and an alkali test for eastern Oregon. An analysis for magnesium re quirements was recently added to the western Oregon test. An instruction leaflet. "How To Take A Soil Sample And Why," prepared by soil conserva tion specialists T. L. Jackson and Arthur King is available from county extension offices or the OSC bulletin clerk. County agents can also explain special tests available and ACP cost- sharing programs for liming soils. ecutive committee of the Na tional Seed Control Officials. The program also will include discussions on cooperation be tween certification and seed con trol agencies: demonstrations of seed blending methods; variety testing; a talk on public rela tions for seed inspectors; and a tour of the state seed processing and testing laboratories. The word giraffe means one who moves swiftly." 'the Don 't Miss .... YOUR HOME THEATER Tonite at 7 - KBES-TV Southern Oregon Operation Home Improvement An Intercommunity Effort to Barter Our living Rogue River; Bob Kuest Med ford; David Foote, Central Point; Terry Gail, Gold Hill; Charles Bedcock,. Hogue River; Craig Wright, Medford; Gary Richardson, Talent; Wayne Dits- worth, Talent; James Scott, Med ford; Gene Holt, Medford; James Fraink, Central Point; Dean Sommer, Tlent; Bill Anhorn, Central Point; John James, Tal ent; Gerald Reneau, Talent; and Russel Frink, Central Point. Twenty-four Girls Girls planning to attend the summer, school are Nancy Barnes, Medford; Even Nieder- meyer, Medford; Roma Shafer, Prospect; Joan Dobrot, Central Point; Susie Palm, Eagle Point; Nyla Murray, Medford; Romelle Fossen, Jacksonville; Sharon Coffman, Central Point; Virginia Martin, Medford; Carol von der Hellen, Central Point; Margaret Taylor, Central Point; Carol Myers, Central Point; Jeanette Nouguier, Medford; Ann Darl and, Medford; Ursula Bates, Medford; Mavis Strom, Medford; Alison Pinkham, Central Point; Nelda Chapman, Talent; Julie Ashton, Central Point; Patsy Charley, Medford; Marilyn Mar tin, Medford; Pat Cranston, Med ford; Mary Daniels, Central Point; and Karen Jossy, Eagle Point. Alternate boy is Steve Geren, Eagle Point, and alternate girl is Daryl Zapell, Talent. County 4-H Agents Miss Mar- jorie Hattan and Glenn Klein said some of the club members may cancel their reservations and names are being taken for the summer school waiting list. Calcium is the nutrient most likely to be short in the diets of city-dwellers. YKDAHG -$7 10 1 1 l V T" ' - . brid number 1570, planted in 38 inch rows, 23,000 plants to the acre. It was harvested Oct. 5, 1956 and the yield was 39 tons of silage per acre, due in large measure to a good fertilization program.. Sheep Destroyed , To Control Scrapie Salem Recent quarantine and destruction of a large flock of purebred sheep in Oregon and similar action on a ram and its progeny in another flock here should not be cause for alarm on the part of the Oregon sheep breeders. Neither should it cause the general public to be alarmed beause the disease is not con tagious to humans and affects only sheep and goats. This assurance comes from Dr. A. G. Beagle, in charge of livestock disease programs in Oregon for the federal govern ment, and Dr. K. J. .Peterson, who holds a similar position with the state department of agricul ture. Recently 1,400 purebred sheep were desetroyed on the Vassar ranch in California where scrap ie - was diagnosed. Federal and state officials are now engaged in tracing all animals sold from this ranch, and they and their progeny will be destroyed. As a result, several ranches in Ore gon will have one or more sheep possibly exposed to the disease which must be destroyed. Also, scrapie diagnosed in the Hutchinson and Whiteside flock at Lincoln, California, was traced back to the Broadmead Farm at Amity. This situation, together with two other known cases and another suspicious one ? t - b if r -. t, ' See us for the inn inn o m i u dttd ChkEt A High-Profit Formula For Today's Improved Strains You have a head start to profit with Triangle's "Famous Formula" Chick Starter. A high content of Vitamins and Antibiotics prevent losses from disease, stunting and other setbacks. A high level of proteins and additional feed values promote faster growth and sturdy develop ment For greater feed efficiency and better egg profits ask your dealer for Triangle Chick Starter now! i LOCAllY IT Morton Milline eW I -.- SS West Jackson Two-Year Study Compares Silage Preserving Plans Results of a two-year study comparing two popular methods of preserving grass silage as compared to no preservative have been released just in time to make plans for this year's silage program. Preservatives tested were dried beet pulp and sodium meta bisulfite. Results of this study show considerable advantage in use of dried molasses beet pulp, according to Earle Jossy, county agriculture agent. Beet Pulp Silage Dried molasses , beet pulp re duced juice losses and absorbed enough nutrients to mora than pay its costs. It was also higher in dry matter, more digestible and more palatable. Cows pro duced better on "beet pulp silage, which .also showed less damage by rain in the normal develop ment of silage preserving bac teria, but the silage was of good quality. These results were obtained by J. V. Bateman and I. R. Jones, dairy husbandmen at Oregon State college. Sodium metabisulfite and beet pulp were compared in 1954-55. Ensiled forage was first cutting alfafla with 20 per cent grass. In one silo, 200 pounds of beet pulp per ton of forage was spread on the forage in the wag ons before blowing in the silo. Eight pounds of sodium meta bisulfite per ton was added to the other silo by adding to the forage at the blower. Both silos were wood stave, upright 12V4 by 33 feet. Test Continued In 1955-56, the bottom halves of both silos were filled with oats and peas and the top halves with oats and vetch. Two hun dred pounds of beet pulp per ton was added to one silo and no preservative to the other. The alfalfa grass silage made in 1954-55 was fed to two groups of 12 cows paired according to age, weight, milk and butterfat production, and stage of lacta tion. These cows were fed seven weeks. Cows on beet pulp silage ate more silage, gained more weight and produced an aver age of 3.2 pounds more milk a dap than those on silage pre served with metabisulfite. traced to the Broadmead flock, resulted in official order to destroy the entire flock of more than 700 head. Dead line Sunday Classified la at noon Saturday: 10 a.m Monday tor Monday other daya 5:30 orevioua day. faf flow See Your Local Fertilizer Dealer l. g. McLaren &co. Distributors 1002 S. Central Phone 2-6181 Starter 603-665 N. Tillamook Portland 12, Orago
