TUESDAY. AUGUST 30. 1960
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, ORE.
A 5
7 &&3?1
Valley Farm Tour Group
See Agricultural Variety
STEP DOWN - Ed Taylor, member of the the county's agricultural economy condensed
Medford Chamber of Commerce farm tour in one morning's visit. Fruit, truck farming,
held recently in Jackson county, steps off poultry and dairy operations were visited,
the school bus at the Root brothers orchard Future tours will be held i requested and
. north of Medford. Only a handful of people arrangements can be made,
took the tour, which covered all phases of
Rogue River Youth Takes
Championship in Dairy
David Strickland, Rogue
River, took a grand and sen
ior championship in dairy at,
the recent Jackson county
4-H and FFA fair with his
registered Guernsey senior
cow.
,, Other senior and grand
champions were Carol Foote,
Central Point with her other
Guernsey senior cow; Geor
gia Hubbard, Antelope, with
her registered Hoistein senior
cow; Sue Higginbotham, Cen
tral Point, with her other Hoi
stein senior cow; Jerry Moore,
Reese Creek, with his regist
ered Jersey senior cow; Geor
gia Hubbard, Antelope, with
her senior other Jersey cow,
Marilyn Deckelman, Evans
Valley with her registered
senior cow and entry in ad
vanced dairy Hoistein and
other breeds class.
Junior champions were
Danny Reter, Siskiyou, in
junior heifer class; Kathy Lar
son, Jacksonville, in senior
heifer class; Georgia Hubbard,
Antelope, in senior heifer
class and in the registered
Hoistein senior cow class;
Cathv Leeler. Central Point,
in the senior heifer calf class;
Craig Lathrop, Central Point,
in the senior heifer class;
Diane Brewster, Applegate, in
the senior heifer class; Mm
. day Jacket, Talent, in senior
- heifer calf class; and Paulette
Anderson, Antelope, in the
junior heifer calf class.
DAIRY
Registered Guernsey Senior Cow
- David Strickland, Rogue River,
flrst.
Registered Guernsey Junior Cow
- Elizabeth Clark, Griffin Creek,
first; Zane Strickland, Rogue River,
econd.
Senior Heifer Donna Geren. An
telope, first; Danny Retter. Siski
you, second; Steven Geren, Ante
lope, third.
junior neiitrr &une on hmoi.
Hntrup River, first.
Junior Heifer Calf Danny Ret
ter. Siskiyou, first.
Production Cow and own calf
Feppi Clark. Griffin Creek, first.
Other Guernsey Senior Cow
Carol Foote, Central Point, first;
Marthanne Goodwin. Griffin Creek,
second; Danny Retter. Siskiyou,
third; Mary Ann Cantrall, Jack
tnnvillP fourth- Richard Anderson.
Antelope, iifth; Elizabeth Clark.
Griffin Creek, sixth; Margaret
S. Goodwin, Griffin CreeK, seventn,
Junior Cow Donna Geren, Ante
lope, first.
Senior HpiOr Kathv J. Larson,
Jacksonville, first; Stephen L.
nark nriffin Creek, second: Rus
sell Fields, Jacksonville, third; Lea
Geren. Antelope, rourth.
Junior Heifer Mary Cantrall,
Jacksonville, first; Richard Ander
son, Antelope, second: Janet Ren
fro. Siskiyou, third; Lynn Merri
man, Siskiyou, fourth.
Senior Heifer Calf Carol Foote,
Central Point first: Margaret Good-
win. Griffin Creek, second; Richard
Anderson. Antelope, third; Eliza
beth Clark, Griffin Creek, fourth;
Mnrv Ann Cantrall. Jacksonville,
fifth: Stephen L. Clark. Griffin
CrAflr eivth
Junior Heifer Calf Susan Cor-
nutt, Gold Hill, first; Richara An
derson, Antelope, second: Marth
anne Goodwin, Griffin Creek, third;
EHznhPth Clark. Griffin Creek
fourth; Mary Ann Cantrall. Jack
sonville, fifth; Konam i names,
Jacksonville, sixth; Karen Grubcr,
Rfllpvifur pvpnth
Production (Cow and own calft
Carol Foote. Central Point, tinu;
Marthanne Goodwin. Griffin Creek
spennri- Richard Anderson. Ante
lope, third; Mary Anne Cantrall,
Jacksonville, fourth: Margaret S.
Gnndwin On f fin Creek, fifth.
Registered Hoistein (Senior Cow)
Georgia HUDDara. nmeiope. msi
Kay biepnenion, tteese wees, wt
Registered Hoistein Junior Cow
Georgia HUDDara, Anieiope, urn,
Senior Heifer Georgia Hubbard,
Antelope, first.
Junior Heifer Cecelia Fichtner,
Central Point first.
Senior Heifer Calf Clare Mar
tin. Rogue River, first: Kay btcpn
fnmn Hppcp Crpek second
Junior Heifer Calf Georgia Hub
bard. Antelope, first: Kay Stephen-
Higginbotham, Central Point, first;
Steven Geren. Antelone. second:
Garry Cook, Talent, third; John
Anhorn, Central Point, fourth. !
Junior Cow Blllv Ullom. Central
Point, first; Bob Hubbard. Ante
lone, second; Georgia Hubbard. An
telope, third; Alice Kuitert, Apple
gate, fourth; Jennie Kuitert, Apple
gale, fifth; Gary Cook. Talent,
sixth; Douglas Cook, Talent, seventh.
Senior Heifer Sue Hieeinboth-
am. Central Point, first; Dale
Vaughn. Antelope, second; Laqueta
Stephenson, Reese Creek, second;
Carol Foote. Central Point, fourth;
Tim Higginbotham, Central Point,
mm. .
Junior Heifer Jennie Kuitert.
Applegate. first; Alice Kuitert, Ap
plegate, second; Adrienne Brion,
Applegate, tnira; Tracy iegier,
Central Point, fourth: Steven Geren.
Antelope, fifth.
Senior Heifer Calf Cathy Leg
ler. Central Point, first; Stanton
Hall, Sains Valley, second; Marilyn
Winingham. Appiegate. third; Cindy
Bartley. Central Point, fourth;
John Bush. Sams Valley, fifth.
Junior Heiier Calf Georgia Hub
bard. Antelope, first; Josca A. Leeu
wenburgh. Antelope, second; John
Anhorn, Central Point, third.
Production (Cow and own calf)
Steven Geren, Antelope, first;
Georgia Hubbard, Antelope, sec
ond; John Anhorn, Central Point,
inira; uiuy uuom, i-entrai romi,
fourth.
Registered Jersey Senior Cow
Jerry Moore. Reese Creek, first;
Marilyn Lathrop, Central Point,
second; Kathleen Frederick. Cen
tral Point, third; Dennis Cornutt,
Central Point, fourth.
Junior Cow Greg Lathrop. Cen
tral Point, first; Lanny Parsons,
Rogue River, "second; Billy Retter,
Siskiyou, third.
Senior Heifer Craig Lathrop,
Central Point, first; Michael Mat
theisen. Reese Creek, second.
Junior Heiier Lanny Parsons,
Rogue River, first.
Junior Heifer Calf Kathy Za
pell. Talent, first; Billy Retter. Sis
kiyou, second; Richard F. Botteer.
Jacksonville, third; Lanny Parsons,
Rogue River, fourth; Jerry Moore,
itcesc creeK, nun; Steven btricK-
ano, Koeue Kivcr. sixth: Dennis
Cornutt, Central Point, seventh.
Production (Cow and own calf)
Dennis Cornutt, Central Point, first;
Billy Retter, Siskiyou, second.
utner jcrsev benior cow oeor-
eia Hubbard. Antelope, first: Lanny
arsons, kosuc Kiver. second: Karen
jossy. Antelope, third: Linda bom
ncr. Taient, tourtn; banay Brew
ster, Applegate, fifth; Richard Botl
ger, Jacksonville, sixth; Penny
Fletcher. Siskiyou, seventh.
junior Cow Kathleen Jrreder ck.
Central Point, first; Stan Billings,
bisKiyou, second; wayne rietcner,
oeucview, tnira.
benior Heifer Diane Brewster.
Applegate, first; Susan Head, Ap
plegate, second; Michael Matthei
sen, Reese Creek, third; Sandy
Brewster, Applegate, fourth.
Junior Heifer Candy Gail,
Rogue River, first; Martin Janssen,
Applegate, second; Duke Janssen,
Applegate, third; Dennis Phillips,
Eagle Point, fourth; Les Geren,
Antelope, fifth.
benior Heifer calf L.inaa bom-
mer, Talent, first; Diane Barton,
Antelope, second; Diane Brewster,
tnira; Don Henfro. bisKiyou. tourtn;
Danny Barton, Antelope, fifth.
Junior Heifer Calf Sandv
Brewster, Applegate. first; Karen
jossy, Ameiopc, secona; wary ner
riott. Applegate, third.
Production Cnw and own calf)
Linda Sommer, Talent, first; Stan
uiuinBs. biskivou. second
negisterea All other benior tow
Marilvn Deehelman. Evans Val
ley, first,
neeistered All Others Junior cow
Aiariiyn ueckclman, tvans vai-
ley, iirst; Sharon Downing, Appie.
eate. second.
junior Heifer Julie Ann bmim,
Rogue River, first: Marilvn Decker
man. Rogue, River, second. i
senior Heifer Calf Minoy tiacK-
ct. Talent, first.
Junior Heifer Calf Maruyn
Deckelman, Evans Valley, first.
Production (Cow and own calfi
Marilyn Deckelman, Evans Valley,
first.
Senior Heifer Calf John McDon
ough. Sams Meadows, first.
Junior Heifer Calf Paulette An
derson, Antelope, first.
Other Milking Shorthorn (Junior
Heifer Calf) , Sharon Downing.
Applegate. first.
SHOWMANSHIP
Advanced Dairy (Jersey) oeor
am, Central Point, second; Steven
Geren, Antelope, third; John An
horn, Antelope, fourth; Kay Steph
enson. Reese Creek, fifth; John
tiusn. Meadows, sixth: Jennie Kui
tert, Applegate. seventh; Cecelia
tichtner. Centra! Point, etehth
Intermediate Dairy Jersey Jerry
Moore, Reese Creek, first; Diane
Brewster. Annleeate. second: Mich.
ael Matthcisen. Reese Creek, third
Richard J. Botteer. Jacksonville
fourth; Marilyn Lathrop. Central
ruiui, mm; fwainy z.apeil, Taient,
sixth; Greg Lathrop, Central Point,
seventh: Stan Bi hint's. KUkivnn
eighth; Kathleen Frederick, Central
r-uuii, ninm craiff L,atnroD. Cen.
tral Point tenth? CnnHv nnii riniA
Hill, eleventh; Martin Janssen, Ap
plegate, twelfth; Duke Janssen,
Applegate, thirteenth; Dennis Phil-
upa, nt-ese treeK, lourteenth.
Guernsey David Strickland,
Rogue River, first; Carol Foote,
Central Point pcnnri T)ioV,-,-,j a
derson. Antelope, third; Margaret
o. uuuuw ii, niinn i-reeK, tourth;
Stephen L. Clark, Griffin Creek,
fifth: Russell Field firifrtn rrMir
sixth; Donna Geren. Antelope, sev-
cimi. ouaaii ornuii, central foint,
eigntn.
Hnistcin and Other Breeds Bob
Hubbard. Antelope, first; Cathy
Leeler, Eagle Point, second; Billy
vj.mm ifiuiHi x-uini. iniro; pau
lette Anderson, Antelooe. fourth
Gary Cook, Talent, fifth; Alice
Kuilcrt. Applegate, sixth; Douglas
.wi, at v i-iu n; nm tiigQiniJOiiiam.
central Point, eighth; Adrienne
Brion, Applegate. ninth; Tracv Leg
Ier. Central Point, tenth; John Mc-
wunougn, bams valley, eleventh
Dairy All Breeds (Beginners,
First Class) Mindy Hacket. Talent,
first; Cindy Bartley. Central Point
second: Susan Head. Applegate,
"",u. ijeren, Antciopc, tourtn;
Danny Barton. Antelope, fifth;
Wayne Fletcher, Bcllcview. sixth;
Karen Gruher. SUkivon nivflnih
Stanton Hall, Sams Valley, eighth!
Second Class Julie Ann Smith,
"us mver, nrst; Billy Hetter, Sis
kiyou, second; Don Renfro. Siski
you. third; Marilyn Winingham. Ap.
p eeate. fourth: Janet Renfro. Sis
kiyou, fifth; Clare Martin. Rogue
d ' c jHliue oiepnenson,
u.0m vicen, Buvemn iatny j. car-
son, Jacksonville, eighth; Josca
ucuwenourgn. Antelope, ninth
oteve btrickland, Rogue River,
DAIRY GOATS
. Ji"ne "attire Doe Betsy Jahn,
Medford, first.
Alpine Mature Doe Ron Smith,
Medford. first.
Doe Kid Betsy Jahn. Medford,
first.
Nubian Mature Doe Ron Smith,
Medford, first; Janet Glidden, Med
ford, second; Martha Humphrey,
West Side, third.
Doe Kid Ron Smith. Medford,
IlFSl Janet Li dripn MnrtrnrH
Ond: PhilHn Jnhn Mr.Hfr.rH thfrH
Production (Doe and own kid)
janei uiidden, Medford, first; Ron
0i i ii in, muu i ura , secona.
baanen Mature nnn Phlllln
wniiii, mcuiuiu, ursi; unarics Ulld-
utn, meaiora, second; Ciary Morris,
Lone Pine, third.
Yearling Doe Charles Glidden,
Medford. first.
Doe Kid Martha Humphrey,
"ia oiuk, nisi; ieui ri orris, mea
ford, second: Kittv Whionle. Mrri
ford, third; Charles Glidden. Med
ford. fourth.
Production (Doe and own kid
Phillip Jahn. Medford. first; Charles
Glidden, Medford. second; Gary
Norris, Medford. third.
Senior Showmanship Martha
Humphrey, Medford. first.
Intermediate Showmanship
Phillip Jahn. Medford, first; Janet
Glidden. Phoenix, second; Gary
Norris. Medford, third.
Junior Showmanship Ron Smith,
Medford, first; Betsy Jahn, Med
ford. second; Kitty Whipple, Med
ford, third; Charles Glidden. Phoe
nix, fourth; Leta Norris, Medford,
fifth.
Jla Hubbard, Antelope, first; Karen
ossy. Antelope, second; Linda
Sommer. Taient. third: Diane Bar
ton, Antelope, fourth; Sandy Brew
ster, Applegate. fifth.
Advanced Dairy (Guernsey)
Marthanne Goodwin. Griffin Creek,
first; Zane Strickland. Rogue River,
second; Elizabeth Clark, Griffin
Creek, third; Denny Retter, Siski
you, tourtn; Konaid Thomas, jbck
sonville. fifth; Lynn Merriman, Sis
kivou. sixth.
Advanced Dairv Hoistein and
ion Reese Creek, second. other Breeds Marilvn Deckelman,
? Other Hoistein Senior Cow Sue Rvue River, first; Sue Higginboth.
July Low Month
For Rail Traffic
Salem-As is normal, July
was a low month for Oregon's
shipping point operations
Only 200 cars of fruits and
vegetables moved under grade
inspection. Grade movement
in July was at a complete
standstill at packing houses in
four of the eight districts.
Malheur county's early po
tatoes accounted for 56 per
cent of the July movement.
Hood River moved 17.7 cars of
sweet cherries under inspec
tion and the Portland district
handled 66.5 cars, mostly po
tatoes. Salem district's three
car A completed the picture,
By JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribune Farm Editor
About 12 people took a com
pressed agricultural tour of
the county's agricultural lands
recently and heard brief de
scriptions of fruit growing,
truck gardening, egg produc
tion, beef and dairying.
The chartered school bus
took the group past Dunbar
and Parsons' orchards as the
first points of interest. Coun
ty Horticultural Agent Clif
ford B. Cordy explained that
the wind machines the group
saw in one of the orchards
were not very effe ctive
against frost.
Last frost season frost hit
trees right up to the base of
the machine, he pointed out.
The oil-burning orchard heat
ers are the cheapest source
of heat. Growers are convert
ing gradually to the return-
stack or less smoke produc
ing heaters, but these cost $7
each and it takes roughly
twice as many to heat an
orchard as the old open pots.
Fears, he pointed out, are
a life-time investment. Point
ing to an orchard on the Foot
hills rd., he said it was new
in 1885. Peaches are a com
paratively short time invest
ment he said pointing to a
nearby peach orchard which
was planted a few years ago
and is now out of production.
Pear trees in the old orchard
are still producing, he point
ed out. Peach trees produce
in 3 to 5 years and pears in
10-15 years.
Passing orchards m winch
some of the trees appeared
lifeless, the horticultural ag
ent said they were affected
by pear decline. This hits
trees at random and may be
due to a combination of fac
tors. Specific cause or causes
have not yet been deter
mined, he noted. Oriental root
stocks seem most susceptible.
Reaching the 401 orchards,
Cordy noted that most of pres
ent pear orchards formerly
supported apple orchards.
Collar rot forced these trees
out of production, he added.
Pointing to the heavy black
soil, Cordy said it is called
Phoenix clay-adobe which con
sists of 65 per cent of the
soil around the foothills. This
is good pear soil when it is
deep enough, he noted. Unless
it is at least three feet deep
it is dificult to irrigate, he
said.
10,000 Acres Producing
The county has about 10,000
acres of pear production. Va
riety changes have been made
due to demands of the house
wives. For instance, the How
ell variety was one of the
easier varieties to grow and
seemed satisfactory as an all-
around pear to everybody but
the housewife who thought it
was too tart. This shift from
one variety to another is the
reason for grafting new vari
eties on root stock. This top
work causes a five years loss
in production, Cordy said.
Bartletts must be out of
storage by the first of No
vember to hold their peak
quality. The less plentiful va
rieties of P. Barry and Nellis
can remain in storage until
June.
Cordy noted that 401 or
chard has planted a young ap
ple orchard to satisfy the spe
cial need of the gift box trade,
Replying to questions, Cordy
said that D'Anjous, the winter
pear variety, are picked late
in August or the first half of
September. It must be re
moved from storage in March
for best quality fruit.
The Red Bartlett was de
veloped in Yakima from 1946
to 1948, Cordy noted in reply
to another question. The
Rogue valley is one of the few
areas where it does "real
good." During the last three
years about a thousand acres
have been planted to pears,
It will take about 10 years
to catch up to the damage
done by decline, he said
Pointing out an abandoned
orchard surrounded by other
orchards, Cordy noted that
that such an orchard attracts
diseases and ' insects which
spread to neighboring or
chards. Cordy's office salv,
aged damaged spray contain
ers, from the burned Faber's
feed store in Medford and a
local orchardist bought it and
applied it to the abandoned
orchard, he said. In the mid
1930's 1,500 acres of pear or
chard trees had to be cut down
due to blight.
Stopping at the Root Broth
ers Indian Springs orchard
Cordy noted that it represents
an i nte g r a t e d operation
Smaller orchards find that
rising costs force them out
and a packing house such as
Myron Root and company
finds it must own. orchards
to ensure a steady supply of
fruit. The Indian Springs or
chard of 180 acres is one of
several, totalling 650 acres,
which the company owns.
When tour members alight
ed from the bus, Bob Root,
a co-owner of the orchard
pointed to equipment lined up
near the road. He estimated
total brand-new replacement
costs for the equipment at
V.1,875. This included $4,500
for a spray rig, $6,600 for a,
D-2 tractor, $3,750 for a
wheel tractor, $1,800 for a
rear-end lift, $3,000 for a
truck, $1,400 for a disc, $300
for a springtooth harrow,
$250 for hand tools, $200 for
ladders and $75 for picking
buckets.
This is the equipment which
would be used in orchards of
85 acres or more, it was ex
plained. Costs Outlined
How much does it cost to
produce, harvest, pack, store
and sell a pear crop from one
tree, plus other incidental
costs?
The Root brothers estimate
costs of producing and har
vesting a pear crop from one
tree is $10, costs of packing,
storing and selling $15 per
tree.
Production costs per tree
in labor would include 70
cents for pruning; spraying,
12 cents; orchard heating, 28
cents; thinning, 24 cents; ir
rigation, 12 cents; seeding,
grubbing, etc., 75 cents; har
vesting, $1.62, which brings
the labor total to $3.82. Other
costs include $1.06 for chem
icals, 81 cents for orchard
heating oil, 26 cents for trac
tor fuel, 36 cents for equip
ment repairs, 24 cents for ir
rigation, eight cents for util
ities, 18 cents for insurance,
mostly on labor, 28 cents for
taxes (mostly property taxes),
14 cents for soil conservation
69 cents for depreciation,
$1.50 for interest on owner's
investment, and owner's time,
57 cents.
In the overall costs of pack
ing, storage and selling an
estimated $6.59 per tree is for
cost of labor.
Root noted that the Indian
Springs orchard included such
pear varieties as Bartlett, red
Bartlett, D'Anjous, Bosc, Co
mice, Nellis, and Packham's
Triumph. Always experiment
ing, like most of the pear in
dustry here, the Root broth
ers are using plastic pipe for
their irrigation system.
The group seemed very in
terested in the Beebe farm in
the Central Point area. This
is a small family farm oper
ated by father and son, Ken
neth W. and Kenneth R. Bee-
be. Interest was probably due
to this being the type of farm
operation many of the tour
members had grown up in.
As a county agent ex
plained, the Beebes do the
little things which keep their
fruit and vegetables at peak
quality. They use grass from
Otto Bohnert's grass seed op
eration for mulch around their
trees. Individual tree records
tell just what each is produc
ing, how it was irrigated, fer
tilized and sprayed.
The Beebes have what fruit
experts call one of the finest
Cornice orchards in the valley.
They have one acre in Cornice
pears, four acres in peaches,
four acres in apples and one
acre in young Bartlett pears.
They add a Triple 14 fer
tilizer, plus nitrogen for bet
ter color in their fruit. The
good color to their pears and
the rosy blush to their peaches
is proof.
Unlike many fruit growers,
the Beebes don't have harvest
labor problems. Tall Blackfect
Indians come each year to
pick. These meticulous pick
ers fill the. boxes just as the
Beebes want them and will
refill them if the owners are
not satisfied. During a season
the Beebes say they have few
culls. Each tree will produce
about 19 boxes.
Try Dwarf Fruit Trees
The Beebes are also experi
menting with dwarf fruit
trees. Dave Lowry, veteran
fruit grower and operator of
Associated Fruit company,
pointed out that it's , easier
to get pickers for the smaller
fruit trees since the fruit is
within easy reach. He esti
mates that dwarfs can be
picked for a third less
En route to Sams Valley
and the Korner poultry farm,
County Agent Earle Jossy
noted that the county has
12,471 head of steers, 21,181
head of dairy cattle, 10,606
sheep and lambs and 5,092
swine. Big reason that this
county doesn't have more cat
tle is that feed shipped here
costs $5 a ton more than it
does in Portland. Now there
are 46 Grade A dairy pro
ducers in the Medford-Ash-
land milk shed. Ten years ago
there were about 110, Jossy
said. Dairy cows have de
creased from 23,573 to 21,181
in five years.
The county's population
has doubled but the sale of
milk has not gone up at all
Jossy noted. One reason for
this is that a lot of dried milk
is used. Any increase in milk
police has however, gone
mostly to labor and distribu
tion costs.
Passing the Table Top Here
ford ranch, Jossy noted that
most of Uie valley's beef is
marketed out as weancr
calves. Because of the com
partively high price of feed
here compared to major beef
producing areas it does not
pay to raise fat calves.
The tour made a brief stop
at the Elmer Korner farm in
Sams Valley where 7,200 lay
ing hens produce eggs for the
Jackson county market. This
farm is also a family opera
tion. Korner and his wife,
Ann, do almost all of the
work with some hired help as
needed.
We visited the Korner farm
about a year ago and were
told then he planned to ex
pand and that his son, John,
hoped to establish his own
poultry operation on the same
40 acres. This was when the
egg market had hit a new
low, but Korner believed with
a tight, efficient, quality egg
operation he could ride out
the storm.
He has done that and his
optimism has born fruit. The
price of double A large eggs
climbed nine or 10 cents this
summer. Three new poultry
buildings are in operation
now. Foggers under the tin
roofs keep the birds cool and
help keep egg production up
Lights go on at night in the
hen houses to stretch out the
egg production day. The lay
ers sit up in wire cages with
droppings falling to the litter
underneath. This provides for
both sanitation and ease of
operation since a tractor with
attachment can scrape up the
litter into a nile.
Even the chicken manure
is used-it's sold to Lester
James, Sams Valley dairy
farmer.
The Korner operation is a
complete one as the brooding
house, egg handling and stor
age and miscellaneous stor
age sheds show. Two large
grain storage tanks make it
possible for Korner to buy
his feed in large quantities
and at a price advantage. He
doesn t believe in fancy feeds
thinking that the extra cost
doesn't produce a correspond
ing extra profit. They figure
their cost and profit ratios
carefully and can tell you
such things as the year around
average percentage of lay,
counting all chickens on the
ranch, is close to 70 per cent.
They won't keep any hens
whose production drops be
low 55 per cent and seldom
keep layers longer than 12
months. It cost them about
33 cents to produce a dozen
eggs.
Final stop was at the Lester
James ranch in Sams Valley
as an example of conserva
tion farming. By carefully
squeezing every ounce of pro
duction from his soil conserva
tion practices James has
stretched the original 30 acres
to 93 acres. Twenty-six are
irrigated pasture with 21 acres
of alfalfa and grass seeded
for hay crop this fall.
Irrigation comes from three
reservoirs with a surface area
of 24 acres holding 161 acre
feet of water for irrigation.
All water is stored from win
ter and early spring runoff.
Two of the ponds are stocked
with warm water fish.
Additional irrigation from
the proposed Rogue basin
project may irrigate the rest
of the 93 acres and make it
possible for James to raise
fruit or vegetables or both,
he said.
Grade A milk for the local
market is produced by 30
head of Guernsey and Hol-
steins.
E2
PEAR ORCHARD - Bob Root, foreground, Neil, had to scrape it off in big globs. Those
with arm oulstretcher, points out the Root on the tour sponsored by the Chamber saw
Brothers orchard operation north of Med- some of the pear tree varieties on the 85-
ford. Tour members tramped through the acre orchard, the irrigation system and the
big sticky mud and some, like Medford equipment used to work the orchard.
Chamber of Commerce Manager Don Mc-
Blackberry
Problem?
Gall...
HAYSPRAY
SP 2-9279
INSPECT PRODUCE - Members of the looking fruit and vegetables were examined
Medford Chamber of Commerce farm tour by tour members, who saw this small family
were photographed recently as they inspect- fruit and produce operation. The Beebes are
ed the Beebe family's produce stand. In the gradually getting out of the .vegetable
foreground is Gerald Latham, Chamber business since they claim it is too hard work
president. Row on row of the tempting for the small profit receives.
Economic Changes Predicted
By SID HOLLINGS WORTH
Mail Tribune Correspondent
Berkeley, Calif.-The parade
of scientific agricultural ad
vancement may be halted by
curtailment of education as
well as research in various
colleges dealing extensively
with this subject.
This is the view of Dr. Bur
ton Wood, head of the depart
ment of agricultural eco
nomics at Oregon State col
lege, Corvallis, as expressed
in the closing address of the
recent 32nd annual conference
of the American Institute of
Cooperation at the University
of California.
Dr. Wood spoke of the
work being done for agricul
ture at Oregon Slate collcge:
which may be affected by
drastic reduction in attention
to problems dealing with the
growing and marketing of
crops.
A somewhat gloomy fore
cast was painted by Dr. Wood.
He quoted the Biblical ac
count of David, who went
forth to battle with the Phil
listines with five smooth
stones.
Briefly his five points were:
1. In 10 years the Pacific
coast region will have to feed
another 15 million or more
people, forming the largest,
hungriest and highest paid
group of consumers anywhere
near us.
2. The pressure of abundant
harvest will tend to keep gov
ernment at the controls.
Farmers are beginning to real
ize if they can not sell their
output to advantage, they
should not produce It.
3. Consumers do not care
whether farmers make any
money or not. Farmers must
realize their real competition
comes from themselves.
4. Cooperatives can no long
er effectively or economically
serve all farmers. They must
"grade" their producers just
as they grade their products.
Changes in cooperative struc
ture and procedure are in
order.
5. Public relations for agri
culture will get worse before
It gets better. Many citizens
feel farming Is a subsidized
Industry and that if it were
not for government, the farm
er today could not survive.
F. R. Wilcox, general man
ager of Sunkist Growers, Los
Angeles, who shared the plat
form with Dr. Wood, present
ed a more hopeful view of the
Sixties.
He called attention to the
fact that the least of the "cul
prits" contributing to high,
food prices is the producer,
whose take home pay has
dropped from 50 to 40 cents
or lower.
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