I A
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1961
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, ORE.
Local Farm Land Appraisal
Receives Careful Survey
... . By JOE COWLEY
' Mail Tribune Farm Editor
"' A group of men pour over
a set of topographical maps
in one of the county court
house offices. Then, they drive
out to the country, walk over
(arm lands, make notes on
aerial maps, examine sheaves
of records.
I What are they doing? Jusl
trying to figure some devilish
way to raise taxes some farm
ers figure. But, they are ap
praisers from the county as
sessor's office attempting to
establish the true cash value
$ farm land. These men may
Ijnock on neighboring farm
hhuse doors and examine
farmland sales to make more
iSertain their estimates of
"what a farm may bring on
tjjp market.
: Using an established formu
la used throughout the state,
these men figure the apprais
ed value. This value is what
the assessment is based. No
body in the assessor's office
can toll you Just what farm
land will be worth taxwise
if a school district raises a
bond for a new building.
These tax experts have to find
out what the lax demands will
be from each taxing unit
which may cover a piece of
farm land. This includes a
school district, fire" district,
waler district, and irrigation
district. Each such taxing unit
is authorized under state law
lo.levy taxes. Each represents
a slice of the overall tax pie
And each of the appraisers
arid higher echelon personnel
In the assessor's office must be
an expert. Each of these up
praiscrs must take an exam
ination before he is certified.
This certification is required
before a man becomes an ap
praiser 1. These are the quali
fications set down by the
stale civil service commission:
graduation from college with
major courses in business ad
ministration, forestry, agricul
ture, engineering or allied
field; or a satisfactory equiva
lent combination of experi
ence and training. "Applica
tions can only be accepted
from those persons who meet
these experience and training
standards," the state civil
service stipulates.
Staff Has Wide Experience
The local assessor's staff In
cludes former bank personnel,
real estate men, farmers and
foresters.
We wanted to see how
farms arc appraised so we
went on a field trip with Ap
praiser Tom Hess. Tom was
raised on a farm in Klamalh
county, took up a homestead
in the Columbia basin in
Washington state and now
leases that farm land. Before
starting out, Tom explained
that a farm can be appraised
in many ways. The accepted
method of finding market
value is by use of three in
dicators: reproductive cost, in
come return, and comparative
sales. .
Tax assessments arc really
a special type of mass apprais
al in which the main object
is uniformity between each of
the tracts. The big problem
is not to establish the exact
sale price but to place each
ownership unit In its proper
value relationship to every
other unit in the tax district.
For Instance, if one land tract
is worth twice as much as a
second land tract, the tax as
sessment of the first should
bo twice that of the second.
One of the records Hess
carries with him when exam
ining a farm is a physical in
ventory. It gives a detailed
picture of the farm. Hems for
the Inventory vary with the
type of farm. For Instance, a
description of fruit trees and
irrigation works may be need
ed In an orchard area. The
value of dccidlons trees and
plants arc exempt under Ore
gon law.
Next, the legal description
is required. Every tract of
land has Us own legal de
scription. 11 appears on the
deed of transfer. County plat
books or local maps are quick
reference guides for locating
' the farm in relation to towns,
roads, schools and other local
features. The plat book usu
ally shows farm boundaries
and the name of the owner
when the plat map was made.
Hess, as appraiser, must be
sure mat tne legal Descrip
tion fits the boundaries of the
farm exactly.
Uses Appraisal Map
The appraiser uses an ap
praisal map. Hess must know
the soils of the area. He can
check this with the county ex
tension office, tlic Southern
Oregon Branch Experiment
station or the soil conserva
tion service. Using an aerial
map Hess marks off areas of
different soils on the farm
and inks in numerals to tell
the classes of soil found. These
classes set by the various agri
cultural offices indicate the
productivity of the farm. Hess
follows seven different soil
classifications. Four are till
able and three are non-tillable.
The detailed aerial map
shows trees and other land
marks which the appraiser
can follow as he walks over
the farm. This is not a swivel
chair job. '
Hess explained ho often car
ries a soil auger, an instru
ment which looks like an over
sized wood drill. With this he
can test the depth of the sur
face soil and the quality of
the subsoil. The soil depth
could be overlooked and is
often the most important fac
tor in determining the produc
tivity and value of the farm,
the. assessor explained. While
he walks the appraiser cx
a'mines the drainage, soil tex
ture, condition of Irrigation
ditches, creeks, etc.
In this country where water
is so important, in contrast to
dryland wheat farming, an ap
praiser must know whether
the farm owner has lop pri
ority water rights or receives
a steady supply of water from
an irrigation district. He may
add $150 an acre value be
cause of irrigation water. He
will cheek Ihc water right
nrinritv bv looking up the
date in the walennaster's of
fice; the earlier the higher tne
priority. He will also ask the
former, and perhaps local peo
ple, whether a creek on the
land dries up in the summer.
All this goes down in the true
cash value columns In the rec
ords. Talk To Old Timers
"Often we will go out and
talk to somebody who has liv
ed iii the area for a long time,
knows the lands and their pos
sible values," the young ap
praiser explained. "From this
we can get a basic knowledge
of the area on wlilcii to ami
our own findings and build
our file of Information."
Asked how cooperative
farmers are in allowing on
the spot appraisals of their
lands, Hess answered that they
are usually cooperative. He
has been bit by dogs and one
fanner forced him off the land
with a shotgun. Then the ap
praisers cannot make as accu
rate 'estimates and must fall
back on general facts and the
tax often bo un much high
er than they ordinarily would.
The cropping system aim
management of the farm land
can be figured from informa
tion from various local farm
offices on the soil productiv
ity. Where general farming is
followed estimates must be
based on average rotation with
estimated crop yields. Range
area estimates can be made
according to the total carry
ing capacity of the ranch, Hess
said. In areas raising fruit and
vegetables annual production
figures must be obtained. In
the local pear orehurds this is
somewhat difficult since this
is a Jealously guarded secret
with growers. Only average
production figures can bo
used.
One danger in estimating
the cropping system and man
agement is failure lo make
proper allowance (or manage
ment and addition of fertiliz
er, the appraiser explained.
I'oor (arm land could produce
lop yiclds tinder a good man
ager and rich farm land could
produce poorly under careless
farming.
Use Incoino Method
The Income method can be
used alter the appraiser has
valued the physical produc
tion. Three main steps are
used In arriving at income
I value: estimation ot gross In-
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come, expenses and capitaliz
ing net Income.
The American Society of
Farm Managers and Rural Ap
praisers with the Doane Agri
cultural Service has issued a
series of standard prices. They
arc set by a committee of ap
praisers and agricultural econ
omists after studying all avail
able information from
throughout the country. These
prices can be applied lo the
physical production figures to
determine gross income.
Improvements, repairs,
maintenance and depreciation
must be figured also. Unless
the appraiser keeps a close
check on expenditures for
building repairs, water sys
tems, fences and other Items
he can wander around In a
maze of figures. Many other
expenses which must be esti
mated are costs of machinery,
fuel and oil, feed, livestock
veterinary help etc.
When valuing buildings,
Hess explained how he meas
ures the square feet of each
building. Then he figures the
replacement cost based on the
type of construction, material
and workmanship. He checks
both the exterior and interior
for material and condition.
From the replacement costs he
subtracts depreciation. The
state tax commission building
manual indicates eight class
es of houses. Class III Is a fair
home.
"This particular farmhouse
is a pioneer homestead built
in 1851," Hess explained. "The
biggest trouble with these old
houses is that the underpin
ning and foundation gives
way. The amount of remodel
ing expenses doesn't make for
value.
"We get blamed for raising
taxes," Hess remarked. "We
don't. The taxpayer does that
every time he votes in a school
bond issue, demands more
government services, puts his
land under an irrigation dis
trict, or votes in a fire dis
trict. The old saying still ap
plies: You can't get something
for nothing."
Committee Man
Named (or Sale
At Red Bluff
Red Bluff, Calif.-Mcmbers
of the sifting and judging
committees for the "20th An
niversary" Red Bluff Bull
Sale, who will check a record
consignment of 515 Head of
service ago bulls, Feb. 2-4,
were announced today by C.
F. Stover, sale chairman.
William Ross of Steamboat
Springs, Colo., one of the na
tions outstanding cattle
Judges, will serve on the
Judging and grading commit
tee, Stover said.
Other members of this
group of experts will be: Reu
ben Albaugh of the Univer
sity of California at Davis;
Harold Thurbcr of the Tejon
Ranch at Bakersficld and
James Ellings, Sacramento
County University of Cali
fornia Extension Service
agent.
Judges will assign Univer
sity of California record of
performance grades to each
bull consigned for sale and
place them for sale order. No
bull grading below "two
minus" on the university scale
is offered for sale through the
ring, Stover said. Bulls are
graded and Judged on the
basis of their conformation
and desirability as range and
herd sires.
Judgos Lilted
Judges of loose pen lot
range bulls will be Abner
McKcnzie, a Red Bluff bull
sale committeeman; Roy Car
michael, Tehama and Plumas
County cattleman and Cam
eron Cliff, Burns, Oregon
beef producer.
The sifting committee,
which checks the bulls for
soundness, is headed by Bill
Owens of Red Bluff. II also
includes Elwin Roncy, Butte
County cattleman: Dr. Joe
Giambroni, Red Cluff veter
inarian and Dr. King Jarvls,
state veterinarian In Red
Bluff. Monte Boll, Glenn
county farm advisor, will
serve as clerk to the commit
tee. Dreed consultants to work
with the sifting committee In
clude: Angus, Elwin Honey,
llutte county; Shorthorns, T.
B. Hawkins, llollistcr: Here
(ords, Dale Carithers, Mis
sion San Jose.
The Red Bluff bull sale is
known as the nation's largest
sale of selected and graded
service age quality beef bulls.
It was the first sale In the
United States to apply record
of performance grades to all
bulls sold through the ring,
according lo Chairman
Stover.
EMBARRASSING
Portsmouth, England-iUTP-A
member of Jhe Portsmouth
Aero I'lub, making a prac
tice parachute Jump, landed
on the grounds of a hush-hush
secret electrical factory proj
ect to the embarrassment of
all. 0(
-CHIT CHAT-
ly JOE COWLEY
Mill Tribune ""arm Editor
The Inauguration is over and President John F. Kennedy
is moving in on farm and food problems already, true to
his campaign promises.
Saturday, JFK ordered an increase in free food distribu
tion to needy families in chronic unemployment areas. He
ordered the new secretary of agriculture, Orville L. Free
man, to expand the food distribution program using funds
now available.
President Kennedy had promised to help farmers attain
a high level of prosperity, to try to solve the farm surplus
problem and see to it that the needy in this country and
others received these surplus foods. This abundance should
be considered a blessing and not a curse, Kennedy repeated
so often throughout his campaign.
So Kennedy is moving ahead, but cautiously. This food
is being distributed to distressed areas. Now this program
covers 1,100 counties and 120 cities and towns. The current
distribution includes flour, corn meal, rice, dry milk, eggs
and lard.
But, let's look at this beginning realistically. Giving sur
pluses to needy groups is charitable, it reduces stocks with
out reducing production, it helps the middlemen, those who
distribute the food, by maintaining large volume operations,
and it has much more political appeal than reducing pro
duction to meet market demands.
The experts figure that raising incomes in the lower
income bracket would not remove surpluses. They don't
think that lower prices, improved diets, school lunch pro
grams, food stamps or food donations will solve the surplus
problem, either.
Anticipating the president's next move, suppose we
ship surplus farm goods to other countries with the U.S.
taxpayers paying all or part of the tab? Foreign govern
ments might not appreciate it. Such imports might force
the foreign farmers to sell their competing products at
lower prices. Or, such imports might put a new food in
the mouths of the foreign consumers and replace the type
of food produced by the native farmers. After all, the stom
ach can only hold so' much. Then, too, suppose a country
comes to depend on large U. S. exports and something
happens to cut them off?
These are just a few of the farm questions which the
new administration must answer and they will be answered
cautiously. The 42-year-old ex-governor of Minnesota is a
cautious man in a job reluctantly accepted, according to
capltol observers. He knows that outside of wheat, there
may be great difficulty in getting major new "control" pro
grams through the Congress the next year. Much of the
Midwestern farm belt voted Nixon.
However, we agree with the boss. The young Bostonian
sounded a clear, high note during his inaugural speech.
Whether he can be an effective pied piper to lead this na
tion out of its troubles remains to be seen. Details of the
farm program will be developed after a meeting with loaders
of farm organizations in Washington, D. C, Jan. 26.
Then, Kennedy, Freeman and advisors must decide on
methods and devices to raise the farmer's income level.
Both Kennedy and his party have proposed rigid production
controls, higher price supports, production payments to
producers and marketing orders and agreements. This
could mean higher, taxes and food prices, although the
Kennedy group says this need not be so.
Wheal and corn are the two most serious surplus prob
lems. A little over half of the $9.1 billion of tax money
tied up on farm surpluses is invested in these two com
modities. Wheat ties up $3.7 billion and corn $2.7 billion,
according to reports. Both of these products are included
in the distribution to the needy program-flour and corn
meal. It may be that the amount of flour and corn to be
distributed through the relief to needy program will be
increased greatly.
Arizona Denies Apple Seizure
Salem - The state depart
ment of agriculture has re
ceived assurance from the Ari
zona commission of agricul
ture and horticulture that Ari
zona has no restrictions on
apples from any state in the
United States.
Recently reports reached
the plant division office of
the Oregon department that
fresh apples being transported
in passenger cars going
through border stations of Ari
zona had been seized.
In reply to a query from
Plant Division Chief Hugh
Taylor, the stale entomologist
for the Arizona department
said, "We (Arizona) have had
no restrictions on apples for
15 years."
He added that there were a
number of reports about ap
ples and grapes being seized
at border stations. "We are
unable to trace any of these
reports," he said, adding "Our
records show no rejections."
The Arizona official, W. T.
Mendcnhall, said further that
no permits are required to
transport apples or any other
raw material into Arizona.
The only Arizona permits re
quired deal with items such as
citrus nursery stock and live
insects.
Rep. Joe Rogers, who runs a dairy farm at Independence,
explained that some distributors are making such gifts or
loans to retailers and thus take unfair advantage of com
petitors. The price of this equipment goes into distributor's
cost of business and so lowers the price which distributors
contend they are able to pay for milk.
Dick Wcsterberg, Ashland, president of the Oregon Milk
Producers said, "Distributors have been giving away their
profits and ours: they should be given the chance to get
away from these practices which many of them do not
believe in."
Discount and loan practices are reported at $5 million
annually in the Portland milk shed. A survey made in 37
areas disclosed that the actual payers of discount deals
are the milk producers.
, The dairymen also endorsed a proposed negotiating law
to prevent dealer discrimination against farmers who or
ganized to negotiate for prices of agricultural produce.
Some growers have been by-passed by processors when con
tracts are made for milk supplies.
Glenn Lay of the American Dairy association reported
that the largest per person milk consumption In Oregon
is in the Klamath Falls area. Why not in the Jackson
county area?
Much of the program during the annual Jackson County
Fruit Growers League meeting Friday was on the labor
problem. It centered on the Agricultural Workers' Organ-
izing committee, a problem ably presented by Oregonian
Agricultural Editor Joe Bianco.
However, it seems there are more problems confront
ing the growers in the future than the unionization of work
ers. An agriculture department study indicates migratory
farm workers in 30 inland states are in a "precarious situ
ation." Companies and organizations which promoted move
ment of migrant workers from southern Texas to the north,
east and west are active on a reduced scale now.
Gardening Tips
By JOHN McLOUGHLIN
County Extension Agent
Now is a good time to take
steps to prevent plant injury
caused by winter conditions.
These simple precautions may
save you many headaches and
dollars later on.
Check young trees and
shrubs to see that they are
not being whipped into a
leaning position by winter
winds. A crooked tree or
shrub is unsightly and whip
ping in the wind will cause
root injury. Support these
plants with a broad band or
strip of burlap tied tightly to
a stake but loose around the
tree.
Sunburn often occurs on
smooth barked trees and
broadleaf everygreens planted
on the sunny side of a light
colored building. Break the
rays of the direct or reflected
sun by loosely wrapping trees
with burlap or screening
broadleaf evergreens with
boards, burlap and other ma
terials. Drying Hurts
Drying out frequently caus
es damage to plants in dry
locations. Be sure all trees
and shrubs have a good sup
ply of soil moisture.
Roots of small plants are
often heaved by the alternate
freezing and thawing action
of the soil. This is most likely
to happen in heavy soils.
Heaving can be prevented by
mulching heavy enough in
late fall after the soil has froz
en to prevent the thawing ef
fects of mild spells. Slightly
heaved plants may be pressed
back into the soil in the
spring. Heavily heaved plants
should be lifted and replanted.
GARDEN DESIGN
Before ordering seeds or
purchasing plants for this
year's garden you should for
mulate a garden design.
A garden design offers you
the opportunity to decide be
tween various alternatives be
fore the garden is planted and
to foresee future problems
and solve them with the min
imum of work.
The first step in making a
garden design is to obtain the
dimensions of the garden area.
Make a chart with these di
mensions in scale. Indicate
the present plants and con
struction in the garden.
Use reputable catalogs,
magazines and books to ob
tain plant descriptions. Then
make sketches of various land
scape proposals. These initial
sketches should be general
and not done in detail. Re
member this is your garden
and it should reflect your own
tastes and satisfy your own
desires.
After you have completed
several sketches showing al
ternate arrangements judge
the sketches critically. You
may be most pleased with one
particular sketch oi you may
want to use elements from
several for the final design.
When you have decided the
final design make exact draw
ings to scale of the plants on
the chart.
Formerly, these migrants used a crew leader to make
job contracts. Now- 60 per cent of them travel in family
groups and make their own work arrangements which
makes hiring them in large blocks difficult. And practically
all these workers have many days during the year when
no work is available. Since recruiting for fruit pickers
for this area extends as far as Texas, this could be Important
to the Medford pear district.
The USDA says long range policies are needed lo build
up and increase this work force. Attention needs to be paid
to regularity of employment, competitive pay scales and
acceptable transportation and housing standards.
Keep Your
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Now the farmer is guaranteed a support price on all
the wheat he can coax out of his acreage allotment. Under
Kennedy this control may shift from acres to the bushels
produced on those acres. A percentage of cropland would
also have to be taken out of production, loo, to prevept
a farmer In shifting to other crops, thus causing new
surpluses.
Corn and other feed grains now have no production con
trols. The president's farm advisers may cut production
of corn aand other feed grains. They may offer higher
price supports to farmers who take a certain percentage
of their land out of production. Besides the higher price
supports the government would pay the farmer in govern
ment' stored grain to cover what he might have produced.
The administration's farm experts gcnorally seem to think
that production and prices of hogs, cattle, dairy products,
poultry and eggs can be kept in line through control of the
feed grain supply. Kennedy will have to see if the farm
bloc can be recreated and support added from big city
congressmen for a new farm program, or what is more
likely, revival of parts of an old one.
The Fair Trade Practices act endorsement which is to be
Introduced In the state legislature Is the only resolution
at the Oregon Dairymen's association convention Jan. 9-13
which drew any discussion. This law would prohibit dis
counts to retail milk outlets and prevent distributors from
giving or lending dairy display equipment to retailers.
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