MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORO, OREGON
Star key Experimental Range
Emphasizes Cattle Movement
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 19C3
BY.. JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribune Farm Editor
i A report on the Starkey
experimental forest and range
near La Grande emphasizes
better distribution of cattle
through salting, water devel
opment, proper fence place
ment and adequate range
riding.
"Results of studies at the
Starkey emphasize that man
agement of summer ranges
should be based largely on
the grasslands. Records of
Farm & Garden
FARM
Woodlot Facts
By DICK OLSON
Oregon State Farm Forester
A great amount of activity
is now taking place at the
F'kton State Forest nursery.
It began on November 27, and
already a million trees have
been lifted and packaged for
shipment or storage. Some
landowners in Jackson and
Josephine counties have al
ready received their seedling
shipments. The two Oregon
State nurseries, In Elkton and
Corvallis, will have over 6
million tree seedlings for dis
tribution this year.
... In the Pacific' Northwest,
production at the five public
nurseries in Oregon and
Washington looks good this
year. The cool, damp spring
and summer has been very
beneficial to the older seed
ling classes but it did hamper
sowing operations early in the
year. Total production in the
2-0, 3-0 and transplant classes
Is expected to be about 65
million. Of this total, the For
est Service expects to plant
SO million, Bureau of Land
Management will use 10 mil
lion, Oregon State Forestry
department, 4.5 million,
Washington Department of
Natural Resources, 2.1 mil
lion, and 17 million seedlings
will be available for general
public sales.
Two Million Seedlings
Private nurseries have near
ly 2 million seedlings avail
able for sale this winter.
To realize maximum value
from woodlands, they must be
fully stocked. The planting of
nursery grown trees is one
way to get reproduction on
unstocked forest land.
Besides making understock
ed woodlands more produc
tive, the planting of trees help
conserve soil and water val
ues. When market conditions
are favorable, cash crops of
fence posts, poles, Christmas
trees, fuel wood, pulpwood
and saw logs can be grown at
a profit from plantations.
, If you are an owner of un
productive forest andor agri
cultural land, don't put it off
another year. Contact your
Farm Foresters office for in
formation concerning tree
planting, nursery order
banks, government cost share
planting, etc.
Five Oat Varieties
Boosted for Siskiyou
Yreka-Five oat varieties
re recommended for 1963
for hay for all of Siskiyou
county, according to Farm
Adviser Dave West.
Recommended are Kanota.
Shasta, Sierra, Overland and
Park.
STOCKMEN
FEED PELLETS
Your coarse or unpalitablt
roughage wifl make n base
for a modern balanced ration
that you can feed with little
labor and no wastage. The
increased meat or milk pro
duced wtll give you maxi
mum returns on a small cash
Investment.
MORTON
MILLING CO.
500 Ross Lane, Madford
Pesticide Laws
Effective Soon
Salem - Federal, regula
tions governing pesticide res
idues on raw agricultural
products will become Ore
gon's regulations on Jan. 25
Director J. F. Short of the
state department of agricul
ture signed an order to this
effect January 4. The order
followed a hearing Dec. 28
in which adoption of the fed
eral tolerances as Oregon's
requirements was at issue
except no issue developed, as
no one offered testimony ei
ther for or against at the
hearing.
Federal pesticide residue
tolerances prevail on raw ag
ricultural products that move
in Interstate commerce. For
this reason, federal toleranc
es are rather unformly used
by the various states.
: Moreover, J. D. Patterson,
SDA's chief chemist, points
out that the financial outlay
for investigations and studies
at the state level would be
extremely costly and time
consuming. This seemed un
necessary since Oregon inves
tigations presumably would
come up with the same re
sults as the federal govern
ment. Because changes occur rath
er rapidly in this field, the
department anticipates it will
need to hold periodic hear
ings to review, the tolerances.
Heavy Bone Best
For Breeding
Yreka Breeding cattle
should be selected with heavy
bone, according to Siskiyou
county farm adviser Sedg
Nelson, '
"Even with the develop
ment of meat type beef, we
still want big cattle, large
frames and thick bone," Nel
son commented.
"With increased interest in
carcass composition there is
a need for an accurate way to
estimate muscling in live
cattle. Sythe, Orts and King
at Texas A & M studied the
relationship between bone
thickness and muscling in 28
Hereford steers. Strong posi
t i v e correlations obtained
showed bone weights to be
closely retoted to bone length
(greater length, greater
weight.).
"The positive correlations
between bone weights and
the yield of loin, rib a n d
round suggest that a close re
lationship existed between
bone thickness and muscling
in these cattle.
"Others have noted a signi
ficant relationship between
cannon bone circumference
in the live animal and the
yield of primal cuts (chuck,
rib, loin and round). Thus it
seems that size of bone is one
valid factor in estimating red
meat yields in live cattle."
Management Men
Our firm has funds to invest
In small, progressive commer
cial or industrial enterprises.
Write to Fred H. Hoyer & Co.,
Management Consultants, 561
Monroe Street, Corvallis, Ore.
Counsel With ...
Mr. Insurance Fred Brennan
FOR ALL. YOUR INSURANCE
NEEDS, SELECT A CERTIFIED
INSURANCE AGENT.
QUALIFIED
ALL LINES WRITTEN
F. R. Brennan, C.I.A.
MEDFORD INSURANCE
Agency
PHONE 773-7343
27 North Holly Street
utilization since 1940 show
grasslands are grazed much
more heavily than , adjacent
timbered range. Consequently,
efficient use of. summer
ranges is largely dependent
upon securing proper distri
bution of use over all range
types," the report noted.
Salt Grounds ;
Properly located salt
grounds have helped in con
trolling cattle distribution,
it was pointed out. Starkey
officials recommended use of
a sound stump, an 8-inch
spike and the hole in the
salt block. Starkey used about
one salt ground per 460
acres. The salt is moved
throughout the grazing sea
son' to draw cattle into areas
of unused forage or to dis
tract them from areas that
have received sufficient use.
Low-cost numerous, strateg
ically located stock ponds
were consructed to change the
Starkey into a well watered
range. Cattle distribution
materially improved and more
uniform use was made of
forage.
Small stock ponds for a two
or three-month period attract
ed cattle to little used areas.
This distributes small groups
of cattle to many places rather
than large groups in areas of
limited grazing capacity, the
range reseachers said,
Concentrations o f cattle
along fence lines were re
duced by locating fences on
or near ridge tops. Fences
were placed along drainage
boundaries rather than across
them to make natural use of
drainages. Fence maihtenace
costs were reduced by placing
them on ridge tops. (However,
lin this county that is not al
ways practical.) t . ' . , -
"Experiences a t Starkey
have shown that range riding
is essential for getting good
distribution of cattle," the
the range officials noted. "The
size of range unit that one
man can cover effectively is
approximately 15,000 acres.
By having a relatively small
unit, the range rider can pre
vent cattle from concentrating
in an area. He is able to ex
amine the range -more
thoroughly and : move cattle
into areas of more available
forage. One advantage of the
deferred grazing system is re
duced area for the rider."
Good Rang Rider '
"A good range rider knows
the country and the - way
cattle naturally tend to use it.
He has a wealth of background
information essential for get
ting proper distribution of
use. He knows If there is
enough feed in an area to
warrant development of a
small spring. He knows if the
establishment of a salt ground
would be Just as effective for.
getting better - distribution.
Success or failure of making
the best use of a range unit
depends almost entirely upon'
a competent range rider, the
report stated. .
The objectives of this
study are - to compare the
effectiveness of d i f f erent
grazing systems and stocking
rates for. securing maximum
production of forage and
beef. The response of the
range vegetation to tnese
treatments will be studied to
develop standards for judging
range condition," it was ex
plained. I
The two grazing systems
being compared are a season
long system which allows
cattle to graze unmolested for
the entire season' and a de
ferred-rotation system. One
units deferred during the
first half of the grazing sea
son in alternate years. After
mldseason, the 1 cattle are
moved to the second unit.
Three stocking rates uses
are light, 10 acres per cow
and calf per month; moderate,
7.5 acres; and heavy, 5 acres.
Records are collected in
each pasture on herbage pro
duction, floristic composition,-
forage utilization, g r p und
cover, tree reproduction and
game use. Also weights are
taken of cows and calves
before : and after grazing.
Effectiveness of the different
grazing systems are studied
using this criteria.
More Uniform
More uniform use between
grassland and open forest
range on the Starkey has. in
creased the use of the major
forage species in the open
forest range, the range ex
perts said.
"A study Is under way to
determine the effects of three
intensities of herbage removal
and four dates of harvest on
herbage production of elk
sedge. Intensities of herbage
removal being tested are 20,
40 and 60 per cent," the re
port stated.
"The broad purpose of this
experimental area Is to de
velop methods which will
promote better grazing man
agement on both public and
private lands. More specifi
cally, the objective it to learn
basic facts about forest and
range vegetation. With this
knowledge, management
methods can be developed
which will provide maximum
production of forage, timber
and water, the report ex
I plained.
So, one would guess from this spokesman's comments
all that those attending the Oregon Dairymen's association
session could hope to get out of it would be a brass ring
on the Dairy-Go-Round.
Chit Chat
By JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribune Farm Editor
The farmer's hot stove league is in operation with farm
problems being -fully discussed by both farmers' and non
farmers. ,
And there seem to be' plenty of farm problems to start
off the new year. i
The past week has seen headlines on the dairymen's
price problem. "Oregon's fluid milk program would con
tinue to be administered by the state's department of agri
culture under a proposed bill adopted Wednesday by the
Oregon Dairymen's association," according to one news story.
The governor would appoint a seven-man audit and
stabilization commission to advise the agriculture depart
ment. The commission would include four producers and
three processors. To be commissioners producers must have
earnings of at least 51 per cent from sales of Grade A milk.
One processor would be from a cooperative association and
two would represent independent processors. Such a com
mission would represent various geographical areas in the
state. The state department of agriculture would have emer
gency authority to establish prices and market orders with
approval of the commission.
This sounds very concrete and definite. Actually, it
Isn't, One of the leading Oregon dairy industry spokesmen
said, "I came back from the meeting just as confused as
before."
He also said no proposal was .made in bill form. It was
a very rough draft and the proposal would be presented the
state legislature, probably, in outline form. The original
dairymen's proposal was a voluntary set of controls to take
it out of the hands of the state department of agriculture.
This proposal tosses it back to the department.
7...
The expected debate between Processor Gordon Coleman
and Dairyman Dick Westerberg didn't come off. Dick, quickly
sizing up the taut situation, figuratively changed his striped
dairyman's overalls for a pair of striped pants. Diplomatical
ly, he became as indirect as a county school superintendent
at a hot school district reorganization meeting and talked
all around the subject.
The pear industry has been busy "with a whole series of
meetings. The massive machinery from interlocking director
ates of this obligarchy is running quietly and efficiently
with little public. noise. As usual it Is getting things done.
Recently two representatives of the Medford - pear dis
trict attended a San Francisco meeting of the Northwest Bart
lett and California Bartlett promotion groups. Planning for
next season is still in formative stages, according to one
pear shipper. Another meeting is set for late in May. People
from all California pear districts attended the meeting to
establish new cooperative agreements. . ..
CATTLEMAN DIES A. B. (Bert) Hoy, prominent Siskiyou
county cattleman died Nov. 15. He was a pioneer in the
registered Hereford movement In California and was named
Siskiyou county cattleman of the year in 1956. His ranch
was two miles from Weed.
Fruit Supplies Gain,
According to Specialist
Corvallis - Increased sup
plies of fresh and processed
fruit along with an increased
domestic demand are seen for
The problem in both states is overproduction. Medford's
comes from last season's Bartlett overproduction which is
crowding the winter pears and causing carry overs. Cali
fornia has 14,000 to 15,000 acres of new Bartlett plantings
coming into production in the next few years. . .
Roughly two-thirds of Medford pears go to fresh pack
and one-third to canneries. Last year 20,000 tons went to
the fresh market and about 10,000 to 12,000 tons to the
cannery. And Bartletts are still in the terminal market and
are being sold below storage and packing prices. Actually,
shippers say,, the current school lunch program is merely
giving shippers and growers something Instead of nothing
for their pears. Incidentally the pears which were sold for
juice to the Walnut Creek Canning company near uaklana
brought about $5V4 a ton. -.
-f-
The Bartlett pear peeler evolution has also added to
the amount of pears on the market. Peelers have gone from
the Ewalt peeler, to the feeler peelers to th new chemical
peeler. The Ewalt peeler trims about one-eighth of an inch
off the pear and the knife is pre-set. The "feeler peeler" or
contour peeler automatically shapes itself to the pear con
tour and removes compartively little. It has placed a third
more pears in the can. So, instead of getting 40 Cases of
canned pears to the-ton, canneries get 50 cases per ton.
Incidentally, the pear growers have a program coming
up Monday Jan. 28 sponsored by the Jackson county ex
tension service. Topics range from pear pest control to
rehabilitation of declining pear trees. The peach growers
have their program the next day,' Jan. 29. Topics include
prediction of peach harvest sizes, planting trends of fresh
peaches, and peach insect pests.
County Judge Earl M. Miller promises to get the Jack
son County Regional Planning Advisory committee under
way again in the near future. .The Rural Area Development
program would be part and parcel of it. Although unimpress
ed with the bureaucratic array of talent displayed at the
regional meeting in Portland this fall, we still feel this
program is important to Jackson county.
We have been Interested in the program developed In
Taos, N.M. because of its broad scope. It has included a
bridge across the Rio Grande gorge, plans for a community
house, Spanish Fortress Mission Museum (apparently similar
to the Jacksonville museum), Small Business administra
tion loan to a cleaning establishment, men's wear store, a
state utility linemen's training school and Picuris Pueblo
various projects including water -and sewages, publication,
arts and crafts, etc., a Christmas tree farm, an A & W Drive-
in and the Ojo Caliente Community Center.
370 Cattle Sell
At Midway Yard
In Friday Event
A total of 370 cattle were
sold at the Midway Auction
yard at its regular Friday sale,
according to Bill Bray, owner
Choice steers calves at 230
to 325 pounds sold for $30 to
$34; 350 to 425 pound calves
sold for $28 to $30 and 450 to
850 pound calves brought $26
to $28. : . : ' .
Medium quality steer calves
generally sold for $25 to $27.
, Good to choice heifer calves
sold tor $25 to $26.80. Medium
quality heifer calves went out
at $23 to $25.
Good yearling steersweigh
ing 575 to 650 pounds, sold for
$26 to $27. Those weighing
675 to 750 pounds went at $24
to $25.75'. Medium quality
yearling steers sold for $22 to
$25.
Forty head of 800 pound
Hereford heifers sold for
$23.10. Other penlots of 550
to 700 pound heifers sold from
$22.50 to $24.50.
Holstein Siear Calves
Holstein steer calves sold
for $22 to $24.50, light year
ling Holstein steers went out
at $21 to $23, with 800 to 000
pound steers going for $20 to
$21.50.
Good Hereford cows with
calves at side sold from $200
to $242.50 per pair. Medium
grade pairs went from $165 to
$200 per pair.
Fat heifers, 700 to 900
pounds, sold for $21 to $22.80.
Young, fat cows sold for $17
to $20. Good utility cows sold
for $15 to $16.50. Cutters
brought $12 to $14.75. Can
ncrs sold for $9 to $12.
Choice veal went out at $26
to $29. Slaughter bulls sold
for $20 to $21.10.
FROM
THE
GROUND
UP
By (ART BARTLETT
In answer to our inquiries, Terry L. Moynihan, manager
of the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc., wrote:
"The board of trustees of this cooperative expressed In
terest in the RAD program about l'i years ago and began
by carrying articles in our newsletter to consumers. Ap
proximately a year ago we learned that Rural Electrification
administration had a Rural Area ' Development staff, and
requested that James S. Wood (assistant to the director,
special projects) be assigned to visit this area. Mr. Wood
spent a week with us last spring and w set up meetings
in each of the areas served by the cooperative and made
special visits to particularly interested groups.
"These people were all informed as to what was avail
able to them and were encouraged to use these facilities
in developing projects.
"One Important thing we have learned is that you never
want to become discouraged and that you must keep push
ing the projects. If you intend to see them through to a
successful completion, it takes a considerable amount of
time and patience. We have worked with the local Area
Redevelopment administration committee, but at times have
had to help them circumvent red tape when time was a
factor. .
"We are certain Mr. Wood can be of great assistance
to you and your area, as he was to us. If he cannot do the
Job himself, he can refer you to someone who can. And If
at any time we can be of further assistance, please let us
know. We shall be glad to do anything we can."
So the program is set up. It has worked in other areas,
particularly in Taos, N.M. and the help is available. The
rest is up to the people of Jackson county. Wt hopt they
don't allow this program to become bogged down In (low
committee maneuvers.
1963 by R. H. Groder, Oregon
State University extension
fruit and vegetable marketing
specialist.
Estimates are that total
supplies will top those avail
able during the first part of
1962. Supplies of canned de
ciduous fruits are expected to
continue large, while dried
fruits and tree nuts supplies
will be somewhat smaller. In
creased demand is expected to
come from the population in
crease coupled with high con
sumer incomes.
The export market view
point docs .not appear as
bright, Groder notes. The
United States Is expected to
find it more difficult to export
citrus fruit and apples due to
increased supplies in foreign
countries.
In 1963 and the next few
years, total U.S. deciduous
fruit production should con
tinue its upward trend of the
past two or three years based
on national tree numbers and
acreage figures, Groder adds.
This is expected with apples,
sweet and sour cherries,
peaches, pears, prunes and
cranberries.
In Oregon, the loss of prune
and nut trees from the Oc
tober storm may reduce local
production and income in
1963 and keep the state from
following the national trend.
Growers faced with re
planting should consult their
county extension agent for in
formation on planting stock
and also consider long run
market prospects and compet
itive positions when making
planting decisions, Groder em
phasizes. Although strawberry ' ac
reage is being reduced, yields
per acre have increased as
have imports. Marketings dur
ing recent months have been
slow and unless storage with
drawals improve between now
and May, carryovers may put
pressure on prices in the new
season, he cautions..
Spring planting plans
should not be made without
a further look at cold stor
age holdings, prospective
plantings and market condi
tions, Groder cautions.
Pruning of fruit trees is one
of the major winter season
agricultural jobs that is neces
sary each year in this area.
To accomplish this task each
year requires a great number
of man days is one of the more
expensive operations the orch
ardist has in connection with
the production of a fruit
crop.
Since pruning of fruit trees
is largely a hand operation
that requires a large labor
force, every man In the area
who is willing and able can
find employment In the orch
ards during the winter. Need
less to say that many men
are willing but not able, while
greater number are able
but not willing to undertake
such work. The laborer's
earnings for pruning will
vary widely depending on
several factors. Among these
are such things as whether or
not the pruning is paid for on
an hourly basis or by the
unit. Trained, efficient, fast
pruners can make good wages
when they prune by the unit
or for so much per tree.
A large portion of the
pruning labor force are
neither trained or efflcent, in
stead they more or less ac
complish the job by a random
hacking out or off of the
trees limbs. In this instance
a foreman who is well trained
in pruning must be employed
with each group of pruners
to get a fairly decent job done
and at a rate the orchardist
can afford.
Improper Pruning
Many fruit trees In this
area have been improperly
pruned for several years.
Their limbs are relatively old
and are usually covered from
base to tip with fruit spurs
that are several years old
These old spurs are several
Inches long and may be forked
two or three times. They
blossom each year, but set
little or no fruit. Such fruits
as are produced are apt to be
small and misshapen. Trees
in such condition do not pro
duce much if any new wood or
new short spurs that are neces
sary in order for the tree to
produce good quality fruit of
Cattleman's Notes
Reveal Low Prices
And Cattle Weight
Editor's note: Sadg Nelson,
Siskiyou county farm advis
or, collaborated on the ar
ticle on the lata A. (Bart)
Hoy, prominent Siskiyou
county rancher with Mrs.
Orlo Davis, Montagu,
which was published on
this farm paga earlier.
Someone else erroneously
was given credit for the ar
ticle, He wrote this story
about the Hammond ranch
in Scott valley, also.
Charles F. Hammond, "Cat
tleman of the Year" for the
present year and from Mof
fctt creek country of Scott val
ley, showed me a note book
kept by his father. This record
was in his own handwriting
and covered various cattle
transactions in which he was '
involved from 1894 to 1921.
Charles Stuart Hammond,
the father, operated the home
ranch on the Scott river a
few miles downstream from
Fort Jones.
Up to 1917 cattle were sold -
on a half weight basis. . This
was to take care of the loss In
weight between the live aoi
mal and the carcass. Many
steers and cows were sold at
cents per pound on 500
pounds because they weighed
uoo pounds. Here is a typi
cal notation:
In 1894. Sold beef to J. C.
Mitchell for 5 cents. Cows and
steers. 49 steers, 19 cows, two
stags. Average 535 pounds."
Nearly every animal sold in
those days weighed over 1,000
pounds, as the steers were
three years or more in age.
A whole year s check for-a
large cattle operation was $2,
000 to $3,000. From this they
raised their family, bought
their ranch and paid their
debts.
Stockmen's Group
alls For Meeting ;
. special directors' mol
ing of tha Jackson County
Stockman's association will
be held at 8 p.m., Thursday,
Jan, 17 In th Jackson coun
ty extension srvlc ofile.
All directors, commute
chairmen and commit!
membm at urged to at
tend, according to Gordon
Stanley, Lak Cik, asso
ciation priidnt. Plant will
b mad for th forthcom
ing year.
Corvallis Jury
l-inrfr Mas flu
favorable sizes. If pruners J HIM J I'lUII VUlHf
would concentrate on old spur Corvalll - nipn a rin.,,11
removal in such trees for a Court iurv hero h. m,.
Henry Mazingo, 39, guilty of
manslaughter.
The jury of eight women
and four men returned the
verdict 4Va hours after re
ceiving the case.
Mazingo had been chamed
with first degree murder in
the shotgun slaying of his
wife, Ethel Mae, 25, at the
couple's home at Greenberry
near Corvallis last Oct. 21.
He faces a possible maxi
mum sentence of 15 years in
the Oregon Penitentiary.
year or so, It would be the
best treatment that could be
applied.
The simple removal of
limbs or limb tips is not an
effective way to improve the
health and performance of a
spurry old fruit tree.
It should be emphasized
that bearing trees of any age
from 6 years old and up can
become covered with old
spurs. 1
The time when farm equip
ment will be needed is near
and it may be well to check
over each Item carefully at
this time. Where repairs are
needed, they should be sched
uled for early attention. In
some instances farm mach
inery dealers may have winter
rates for equipment repairs.
At any rate it will not cost
any more to repair farm
equipment now than later and
if delays due to break-downs
are avoided, it may be far
cheaper to accomplish repairs
now.
METAL WORKS I
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aiHl CspM' MiiutiM
228? West Main
HOW 772-4440
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