$ A
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 12. 1963
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
Irrigation Course Popular
With Jackson County Farmers
' Last week's short course on
irrigation co-sponsored by the
Jackson county extension
service and Pacific Power and
Light company was well at
tended with 64 people the
first dav and 74 the rnnd
day. according to County
Farmers learned how the
water moves through the soil,
how the plant absorbs water,
how various water measuring
devices can be used, irriga
tion equipment available and
its proper use.
Marvin N. Shearer, OSU
Agent Bert G. Wilcox.
'irrigation specialist, illustrat-
Forage and Feed
Farm Bureau Topics
Montague - Farm Advisors
Dave West and Sedg Nelson
spoke on forage production
and feed utilization, respec.
tively, during the recent Shas
ta Valley Farm Bureau meet.
ing in Montague.
John McMurry, c e n t e
chairman, introduced the
speakers, both of whom are
with Farm Advisor's office in
the county court house.
West showed pictures and
charts of statistics worked out
on a forage experimentation
on the- C. A. Grissom ranch in
Edgewood. West stated "We
should gear our production to
the forage we can produce."
Therefore it U wise to deter
mine how to get the greatest
production for the least
amount of outlay.
Siskiyou county ranchers
are hay and barley exporters
as well as shippers of about
30,000 head of cattle annual
ly, West said.
The experiments at Grls-
som's were with fescue. West
pointed out that once fescues
get started no legumes will,
prosper, therefore some nitro
gen fertilizers should be used
to stimulate growth,
Oiher Experiments
Other experiments w e r e
those conducted on the Star
ranch in Fort Jones with La
honta alfalfa. Frost and
weather conditions have a
great bearing on production
of all forage, as well as the
timeliness 'when fertilizers
are used. Availability of irri
gation water is also a serious
consideration, it was pointed
out. .
Soil testing will help in
determining what type of for
age each rancher should de
velop. The testing will also
help in deciding what type
and the quantity of supple
mentary fertilizers would be
the most effective. West em
phasized that personnel from
the farm advisor's office arc
always willing and ready to
help each rancher with his in
dividual problems.
Nelson pointed out In his
presentation, also done with
statistical charts, that farmers
should find the best way to
feed their own cattle, thus
"licking" the problem of uti
lizing the large weaner calves
which are often not in de
mand by the buyers.
He stales, "There is a solu
tion for each ranch, most of
them varying a little." Here
again the office is ready to
give help.
Charts showed the increase
in weight of individual ani
mals both in the growth and
the fattening period with
various types of feed ond
combinations of feeds. Nelren
cited the types used by many
of the stockmen who were
present In the audience, who
were ready to discuss their
operations after the meeting.
Other business included the
appointment of addit 1 o n a I
delegates at large to serve
with George Williams. They
were Gary Townley and Carl
Rico.
Mrs. George Fiock reported
briefly on the State Farm
Bureau convention in San
Diego in November. Carrol
Strecter, editor of Farm Jour
nal, told the conferees that
California was ten yiars
ahead of many slates in crop
production and use of ma
chinery. W. Clconc Skousen
ed the proper and improper
methods of irrigation with
colored slides. The slides of
poor irrigation showed water
flooding farm land and pud
dling up. Other slides showed
proper use of a distribution
system and controlled use of
water.
Water has to be supplied
a plant at the same rate it is
used and given off, Shearer
said.
Wilcox explained how wa
ter is stored in the soil as
films around soil particles.
The finer the soil particles,
the greater the surface area
covered, he said. An acre fur
row slice of silty loam soil
when irrigated would provide
a surface which would cover
Illinois and part of Indiana.
Shearer recommended that
farmers irrigate when 50 per
cent of the available water is
gone from the soil as indicat
ed by various measuring de
vices. Then, Irrigators should
put a little more than SO per
cent in the soil to allow for
watr losses. Land should be
leveled to improve surface ir
rigation, it was pointed out
Andrew H. Schmidt, agri
cultural sales engineer. Pacif
ic Power and Light company,
Medford, talked on sprinkler
irrigation, types of sprinklers
nozzle size, spacing and pres
sure relationships, effect of
wind and methods of overcom
ing deficiencies. He also told
how to select a pump and In
stallation of pumping plants.
L,ee It. Hansen, agricultural
sales director, Pacific Power
and Light company, Portland,
talked on irrigation schedul
ing and how and when and
how much water to apply as
spoke on the threat of Com
munism and. that we must be Indicated with gypsum blocks,
ever mindful of Its Infiltra- tenslomolers, dendrometers
lion Into our government. 'and soil samolino
Chit Chat
By JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribune Farm Editor
Sunday night, like George Wilson on the TV program,
"Dennis The Menace," we cleaned up our study and dis
carded a ton of notes and various papers, most of it on
agriculture.
This convinces us that American agriculture is kept out
front by almost as much fcaper as seed and fertilizer. Of
course, chemicals have helped considerable, too, to make
the United States a leader agriculturally. Many of the papers
and articles we stacked up dealt with the question, "Agri
cultural Chemicals Boon or Bane?" as so aptly phrased
by Dr. V. H. Freed, chairman of the OSU department of
agricultural chemistry.
An article in the National Hog Farmer, June, 1960 stated:
"America's abundant food supply the world's safest, clean
est and most wholesome currently is being threatened by
sensation-seeking administrators of hastily-passed laws." It
referred to the Delaney clause of the food additives amend
ment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic act. This was the pro
vision under which tons of cranberries were destroyed dur
ing the Thanksgiving season of 1059.
Currently, Rachel Carson is being criticized for being
a sensation seeker In her book, "Silent Spring" which
sounds the alarm over application of agricultural chemicals.
However, we think her book might have been more sen
sational if it had a title like "The Silent Women."
Our little pile of printed material contained several
articles by prominent authorities on agricultural chemicals
and chemicals in general. Each one generally agreed (few
scientists agree exactly on anything) with Dr. Freed's statements.
"Significant advances In agriculture over the past 50 years
have allowed 12 per cent of our people to feed and clothe
the nation leaving 88 per cent of the people to produce the
present high standard of living enjoyed by all," Dr. Freed
stated.
The OSU professor traced the settlement of the country
and evolution of farm mechanization. This tended to de
velop specialized crop areas making it possible for one
particular crop pest or disease to cover hundreds of acres
in one locality and do serious damage on a national as well
as local crop scale.
GARDENING TIPS
By JOHN W. McLOUGHLIN
County Exltnsion Agent
Flower Forcing
One of the most rewarding
pleasures gardeners have dur
ing the winter months is the
forcing of spring flowering
trees and shrubs for Indoor
decorations. '
Forsylhla, spirca and mag
nolia arc just a few of ihc
plants that may be forced.
The flower buds of these
plants arc fully formed in
the fall. It we supply sonic
warmth and moisture to the
branches of these plains, ..af
ter they have had at least six
ivccks of cold weather, they
will produce a profusion of
bloom.
The branches to cut for in
door forcing can easily be de
termined. Most spring bloom
ing trees and shrubs have an
abundance of buds along the
young shoots. The larger, fat-
I
HIGHEST QUALITY
FIELD SEEDS
COMPLETE STOCK OF
FARM
FERTILIZERS
Priced Right
Don't Be Satisfied With less Than the Bost-SEE US
FIELD -
SEEDS
Grains
Grasses
Vetches
Alfalfas
Clovers
is
Our seed barley
scarified to remove
beards. Makes for an
evener stand.
FIELD
PLANT
FOODS
Super
Gypsum
16.20 Ammo-Phos
Am. Sulphate
Am. Nitrate
Sulphur
BORON
14-14-14
6-20-20
12.12-6
let Us Clean
Your
Seed Grain
Inoculenls
for
legumes
hi
Complete Stocks Covered Only at Our FARM STORE
10th and Fir Straeu
l,'.(1'M;H8H-af.'.Ms'M;M!l
Ler buds are usually flower
buds'. The smaller buds are
leaf buds. Select the branches
that contain a good number
of flower buds.
Many fruit trees bear their
flowers on short branch -s
called spurs. Select branches
with spurs for arrangements
using apple, cherry, pear and
ornamental crabapvlc.
Keep in m' d the type of
arrangement you plan to
mukc. You will then be able
to select the branches thai
arc best suited for the ar
rangement. Branches with
curves and angles can be ef
fectively used In various type
of arrangements. For Ideas on
the various types of arrange
ments and how to make them
call the Jackson county ten
sion office (773-8215) and ask
for the bulletin on "Ar: ng
ing Flowers."
Follow good pruning prac
tices when cutting the branch
es. In addition to obtaining
desirable branches for forcing,
you want to retain the es
sential form of the plant.
Prune the branches flush
with the trunk or main
branch. Paint the exposed
wood of any cuts over one
Inch in diameter.
Treatment Alter Cutting
Pound the end of the stem
with a hammer or hu ge stone
to encourage water uptake.
Then moisten the bud scales
by soaking them in a large
tub overnight or spray them
with water several limes a
day. Then place the stems in
a pail of water.
Place the pail In a cool spot
to allow the buds to develop
(BOO degrees F. is best). A
cool cellar or pantry is a good
location as no light is neces
sary during this stage. Higher
temperatures will speed up
bud development, but will re
duce the size, color and keep
ing quality of the blooms.
Bring the branches into
light when the buds arc
plump. Do not place the
branches directly in th sun
An ideal location for this
stage of forcing is a cool bed
room or a sun porch that is
partly heated.
Arrangement
Remove the branches from
the pall and arrange them
when the buds arc well de
veloped and some color is
evident. Branches removed
! from a crowded pall at this
stage are less likely tn have
i bruised or broken flowers
; than branches removed later.
A list of some plants that
i arc successfully forced and
j a description of their flowers
j may be obtained from the ex-
tension office.
Scientists estimate that North American crops are at
tacked by over 3,000 economically important species of in
sects and an equal number of plant disease agents, and an
unestimated number of nematodes, rodents, weeds and other
destroyers, according to another article.
In 1954 the USDA estimated that to offset pest losses an
an extra 88 million acres must be cultivated. Losses follow
ing harvest would be equal to production from an additional
32 million acres, it was estimated. Various independent agen
cies have estimated pest destruction in the U.S. each year
ranges between 8 and 15 billion dollarfc. This Is equal to a
quarter of the nation's annual production despite use of the
chemicals now being so severely criticized. '
But why can't we use biological controls? some of the
better informed people ask why not find insects which
will feed on Insects, or weeds and plant diseases? There has
been some success with such controls as the Klamath weed
belt!? nn northern California range lands. But, a chemical
must be available to control the controlling insect in case
it becomes so numerous it gets out of hand.
REVIEW GOVERNMENT Jackson county 4-H club mem
bers received a view of the Oregon state government from
legislative Fiscal Officer Kenneth Bragg, center, during the
annual "Know Your State Government" conference in Salem
Feb. 7-9. Bragg was one of the speakers at the banquet
which ended the first day's session. Talking with him are
Carol Foote, Central Point, and Mike Elmore, Applegate.
Poultry Increase Seen This Year
Corvallis Increases in
national production ; of eggs,
Vegetable Crop
Outlook Given
Corvallis Oregon vege
table growers and processors
should take a careful look at
stocks on hand when making
1963 planting decisions, points
out Roland Groder, Oregon
State University extension
fruit and vegetable marketing
specialist.
Groder makes his comments
in an article in the new OSU
Farm and Market Outlook cir
cular. Copies are now avail
able at county extension of
fices. Yields of most major vege
table crops for processing were
larger in 1962 than in 1961.
This could lead to lower pric
ing or heavier carryover in
1963, the specialist notes. Dur
ing the early part of the cur
rent marketing season, buyers
in general were buying on cur
rent needs and waiting for the
market to adjust to the new
supply and demand condi
tions.
Although most 1962 packs
finished in heavier supply, in
creased costs of raw product,
processing and distribution
may prevent the price-cutting
needed to speed up sales and
the anticipated price adjust
ment may not occur. If this
happens carryover could be
troublesome as the 1963 pack
gets underway, he points out.
broilers and turkeys can be
expected in 1963, reports
Charles M. Fischer, Oregon
State university extension
poultry marketing specialist.
Fischer makes his observa
tions in the new OSU Farm
and Market Outlook circular
just published and now avail
able from county extension
service offices.
Egg prices in 1962 were
lower than in 1961 except for
September and November, he
notes, but recent seasonal
price strength may be enough
to induce a 5 per cent increase
in chickens raised for flock
replacements.
. Because of the increased
number of replacements rais
ed, together with a continua
tion of the uptrend in the
rate of lay, egg production in
the second half of 1963 will
likely exceed the 1962 output,
Fischer writes. This would
limit .the summer and fall
climb in egg prices in 1963
compared with 1962. 1
If production goes up and
demand continues to decline,
prices are likely to average
somewhat lower in the year
ahead, he points out.
Producers of poultry meat
had a better year, price-wise,
in 1962 than in 1961, with
changes in demand playing
the dominant role in estab
lishing 1962 prices.
Siskiyou Farmers
Hear of Weevil
Montague - Alfalfa growers
of Siskiyou county were given
instruction on the alfalfa wee
v i 1 problem and control
r e c o m mendations at two
meetings on Monday, Feb. 4.
One meeting at the Montague
hall was at 2 p.m. and the sec
ond one the same day at the
Fort Jones Elementary school
at 8 p.m.
Dr. Carl Koehler, entomolo
gist, from the University of
California at Berkeley, work
ed with Dave West from the
Yreka Farm Advisor's office.
The program included an
explanation of the weevil
problem in the county. The
prevalence of the pest is be
coming great in both Shasta
and Scott Valleys. The danger
is in the fact that the adult is
so small and is not easily de
tected while in dormancy.
Also, unless the fields are
closely inspected the damage
often resembles frost damage
from the distance, it was
pointed out.
Slides were shown to help
clarify detection, and also
actual specimens were shown
in laboratory bottles. The
weevil attacks, the leafs of
the young plants and sucks
juice from the stems. Often
the crop may be reduced by
half from heavy infestation
and the hay becomes inferior
quality.
Research indicates that if a
farmer, found weevil damage
last year, spraying or dusting
is in order, before the new
growth has reached a two
inch height., A dosage of 4
ounces per acre of either
liquid or granuals of Heptach-
lor has been found effective
and stays within U.S.D.A. al
lowances to avoid residue
damage if it is done early.
Either ground or air broad,
casting is recommended, both
being of equal cost.
A small black wasp is. the
natural enemy of the weevil,,
but is not found in. sufficient
quantity to be -noticeable in,
Siskiyou county. West stated,
Cook Pork Well
Housewife Told v
Salem Consumers should
take with a sizable grain of
salt claims such as "just
brown and serve", when they
prepare raw pork, products
for the table, . . ; ' .
This is the advice , of ; Dr.
M. L. Houston, supervisor of.
the state department of agri.
culture's meat inspection ac
tivity. . v. . .',
Undercooked pork, as ev
eryone knows, ma,y cause the)
human health, 'problem! o"f
trichinosis.. ' . . ' '
The housewife fan protect
her family quite easily against
possible trichina infection by
thorough heating 'of all raw
pork. .
But the need. , to. heat thor
oughly . may be , byerlobkGaV
when labels, on ..many -pork;
variety meats give the impres
sion that they can be pre
pared in a jiffy- ."Thin fresh
pork cuts, fresri pork patties'
and links as Well assail other
p o r k s h o u 1 d be heated'
through. ' 7. " ; . :i
Farmers have . twice as
much money invested in ma
chinery as the steel industry
and five times as much as the
automobile industry.
FRANKLIN
CUTTER
geen
ISTAM Psl
VACCINES! V
MEDICINAUS!;
INSTRUMENTS!
And other supplies -to kcp
your livestock. ' an if pets
healthy and .well groomed!
West Main Pharmacy
Rexall Store
"Whore Prescriptions Are Filled Up to , .
Standard Not Down to Price".
135 yV. Main, Corner of Grape Ph'.'772-2330
The European corn borer is a good example. It came
into the U. S. in 1908. For over 20 years scientists worked
hard to find a cultural control resistant varieties o corn,
better planting dates, parasites and other non-chemical meth
ods of insect Control. When it became impossible for mid
westcrn sweet corn canners to process corn without permit
ting a few borers in the cans, the Food and Drug Admin
istration seized such cans as unfit for human consumption
the same agency which seized the 'cranberries with spray
residue. Insecticides became necessary for the corn.
"Pesticides are frequently accused of upsetting the bal
ance of nature, when in reality it would be more accurate
to say that pesticides are used to suppress organism al
ready out of balance," wrote George C. Decker, principal
scientist and head of the section of economic entomology,
Illinois.
People don't condemn the automobile because of the
numerous serious accidents and traffic fatalities. Nor do they
condemn aspirins. Yet, according to authorities, the misue
of aspirin and aspirin-like products alone will account for
almost the same number of deaths as do the misues of all
pesticides put together. Pesticides are tested and rctested,
by chemical companies producing them, by agricultural lab
oratories in various universities and by government laboratories.
Also, there is a comparatively new law called the Fed
eral Hazardous Substances Act. This specifies required label
language for niHny common household products. Drain clean
ers, cleaning compounds and many household products are i
not dangerous if properly used, but can be highly hazardous
if misued. women would learn if they read the hazard
tables in "Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products" that
their favorite perfume "Tantalizing Terrifier" has a misuse
potential equaling and even exceeding, perhaps, the misuse
potential of common insecticides like chlordane and DDT.
We could cite figures and statistics to illustrate the com
paratively few people who die or are injured by insecticides,
but you wouldn't remember them and probably wouldn't
even read them,
What is even more important is the growing responsi
bility the scientists who develop these chemicals feel toward
the public. The organization fostering this feeling is the
American Association for the Advancement of Science. Sci
entists have descended from their ivory towers, if they were
ever there, and individually and as a group accept the re
sponsibility to help sec their fellow citizens are fully in
formed of scientific advances that may affect their environ
ment and lives.
ALL FOR SINGING
Pierre, S.D. - ilTfl - State
Sen. Hoadley Dean intro
duced a resolution Monday to
permit singing at the Ml.
Rtishniorc Memorial in South
Dakota's Black Hills. The In
ternal Revenue Service last
fall prohibited students from
singing before the memorial
unless they paid an entertain
ment tax. Dean said the sing
ing v "a manifestation ot
freedom's joys."
INSTANT
IRRIGATION!
(Just Add Watery ,
Quickly Available
With .......
PORTABLE SPRINKLER
IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT
Commercial Firm lawn Garden
FREE
Estimates
Gladly
Given
Nash Ford Tractor
& Implement Co.
3005 Cnler like Hiway - 772-6425
If s t he Orange
for ALL Your
SPRING PLANT
0ooy
m NEEDS!
FERTILIZERS
BY THE SACK OR
BY THE CARLOAD
Gypsum Superphosphate
Sulphate of Ammonia
and
Complete Fertilizer Mixes
COMPLETE STOCKS ON
HAND
GRANGE
CO-OP
CENTRAL POINT
, ' : tT"1 i TTii
- x i 1 I m.L LK.
ji X ' ' '
v:v Kl i '4;:;-; Jl
1
A FULL LINE OF
SEED GRAINS: ;
Wheat, 0H, Bar
ley; also Rye, Peas,'
C levers. Alfalfa,',
and all the princf
p a I varieties e f
grasses.
REMEMBER . . . -'
You don't have fo
be a MEMBER to
trade here and
SAVE!
.EI-T
'I
'im.
u t
Highway 99
CENTRAL POINT
Phone 664-1261 or 773-4022
421 A Street
ASHLAND
Phone 482-2143
i