Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 18, 1963)
Winter Pear Research Opens Doors To New Markets, Aids Storage Life MEDFO&D MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON TUESDAY. JUNE It. 163 Corvalllf - Dividends meas ured in multi-million dollar totaU come ircm agricutural research in Oregon every year, according to a report prepared by F. E. Price, dean and director of agriculture at Oregon Staje university. Dramatic advances are be ing made in agriculture and they're not coming by chance. Price said. "They're coming from research." In terms of "no-inflation dollars," cash receipts from farm marketings have dou bled in Oregon since 1925, Price notes in his summary on accomplishments of the Picker Efficiency Study Results Given for Area Corvallis Studies aimed at improving picker effic iency and thus cutting costs for Oregon's apple and pear growers were reported by R. D. Langmo, Oregon State Uni versity agricultural econo mist, at the recent Oregon State Horticultural Society's meeting on the OSU campus. Information gathered the last two years will be a firm foundation for future studies which, In time, may compare costs of conventional hand 'picking methods with more mechanized means. The time and motion studies .conducted in Medford pear or chards in 1961 and 1962 are the most intensive studies made of tree fruit picking in this area, Langmo explained. Although the primary interest has been in pears, the find ings will generally apply to apple orchards. The studies are aimed at determining the actual effec tive productive time or activ ity of the picker, the econo mist explained. This is becom ing increasingly important to the orchardist who is finding it difficult to obtain the kind of labor he wants when he needs it. Not as many workers would be needed if picker ef fectiveness is improved. Shows Time Allocation The study showed that pick ers spent 31 per cent of the time moving themselves, fruit, boxes and ladders and only 28 per cent of their working time actually picking fruit. , . Low picker productivity re sults in scheduling problems and increases the indirect costs associated with picking. He feels picker efficiency can be improved through better planning and supervision by the grower. During the 1962 season, a similar study was made with the pickers using self-propelled, three-wheeled machines to move themselves about the trees. When this study is com pleted, researchers will be in a better position to make cost comparisons, Langmo said. Additional study is plan ned for the 1963 season, again with machines. However, next year, facilities permit ting, pickers will unload the fruit into bulk bins that re . quire shorter stops and fewer delays than is possible with the conventional field lugs. A complete report of the 1961 study is included In a special report entitled "Labor Utilization in Picking Pears" published by the OSU Agri cultural Experiment Station. Copies of the report may be obtained by contacting the OSU department of agricul tural economics. OSU Agricultural Experiment station. Agriculture is now a $600,000,000 yearly business in Oregon with 4T per cent coming from livestock and S3 per cent from crops. Price cites these examples of ag research dividends: Research on winter pears has produced storage and ripening procedures that open ed new markets. Winter pears are now a $13 million industry in the state. Current research at OSU is expected to add six to 12 weeks more to the storage life. Omar wheat variety intro duced by OSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture boosted wheat yields in Sher man county by nearly 10 bushels to the acre, adding about $1,800,000 a year to the county wheat crop. A brand new variety, Gaines, promises to boost yields perhaps as much as 20 bushels to the acre in the area around Pen dleton. Fertilizer was not consid ered of value on wheat - Ore gon's No. 1 crop - until re- CORDON OFF MINE Mbane, Swaziland-flJPD-Six-hundred battle-ready British troops cordoned off the Have loch Mine north of here to day in an effort to break the 26-day-old strike at the world's largest asbestos mine Market To Expand For Oregon Beef Corvallis - Expanding Cali fornia markets for Oregon grown beef were predicted by a west coast livestock special ist at the annual Oregon' State university beef cattle day. Some signs indicate that cattle feeding in California has reached its peak and may taper off in years ahead, re ported Reuben Albaugh, Uni versity of California. At the same time, demand for finished beef in California will Increase rapidly with the state's population growth and high-level per capita income, Albaugh told some ISO Ore gon cattlemen attending the meeting. California now Imports nearly 2 million head of stock er and feeder cattle that are finished in California feedlots. The state also imports about one-half Its needed supply of livestock feeds for finishing beef animals in lots. This com bination of Importing both un finished animals and feed im poses limitations even though feedlots are highly efficient, operating on large volume, low-unit profits, the specialist exlained. Cattle Imported More than 450,000 head of finished cattle were imported into California in 1962 for immediate slaughter with about three - fourths of this number coming from Arizona Oregon supplied only 18,000 head but has the potential tor greatly increased sales of fin ished beef, believe many Ore gon livestock market authori ties. - - ': In 1961, Oregon produced about 500,000 calves and 166, 000 cull cows - most of which were shipped out of state for finishing in states that have developed grain feeding in dustries, according to a re cent study by Oregon State university. Beef cattle feeding in Ore gon now generates about $53 million annually in local eco nomic activity. The OSU study estimates it would be $250 million if the state's po tential feed grain resources were "marketed" through fin ished beef. Beef market opportunities in California were pointed up by Albaugh with a report that California's present popula tion of more tnan 18 million persons is expected to top 21 million by 1970. And Califor nian's are heavy beef eaters about 130 pounds per capita a year compared to 87 pounds for the U. S. average. This is, in part, a reflection of high income per capita. cent research. Use of nitrogen has increased wheat yields by 13 to 23 per cent. Sagebrush land that was once nearly worthies is be ing reclaimed and seeded to grass for cattle. Research on chemical control of sagebrush, best grass varieties, and de velopment of a special seeder make it possible. Oregon's $20,000,000 grass and legume seed industry was developed from research at OSU, Price points out. This, in turn, brought $4,000,000 seed cleaning and processing industry in Oregon. S p r i n kler irrigation has brought thousands of acres under water, increased crop yields and quality, and gen erated a big sprinkler irri gation manufacturing indus try for Oregon. Oregon growers of vegeta ble crops and small fruits re ceive $43,000,000 annually: the processed value is $110,- 000,000. Conservative estimates of annual savings from the di seases that have yielded to research discoveries include: fowl pox vaccination for chickens and turkeys, $250 000 savings annually: pullo- rum control for poultry, $400,- 000; selenium treatment for white muscle disease and scours in lambs and calves. $630,000: mastitis control in dairy cattle, $800,000: brucel losis control in dairy and beef cattle, $1,000,000. Weed control in strawber. ries has been cut from $100 per acre 10 years ago to $20 per acre now. Controls have been devel oped for damaging deadbud disease in cherries, which in 1954 threatened the cherry industry in Marion and Polk counties. An OSU entomologist has develped artificial soil beds for alkali bees that are such highly effective pollinators of alfalfa seed that yields have been increased 200 to 500 per cent. Shilts in crops have come with research, Price contin ued. Grain and hay are giv ing way to more intensive and higher-paying crops such as peas, green beans, berries and seeds. Both farmers and consum ers benefit from the research, he emphasized. "One farmer today in one hour can produce what four farmers did in the same time shortly after World War I. That same farmer increased his productivity three times as fast as the worker in in dustry between 1947 and 1958. "The average American consumer uses only 19 per cent of his earnings now to buy food, compared to 56 per cent in Russia and 40 to 50 per- cent in most other nations," Price continued. "Just 10 years ago too, food costs in America accounted for more than 23 per cent of the average family income." It's So gasij To Use RMUOA ROCK Sour Cream Law Gets Amendment Salem - Production of sour cream by direct addition of lactic acid will be permitted in Oregon under a state de partment of agriculture ad ministrative, order amending the standard of identity of sour cream. The regulation, which be comes effective June 25, also permits use of a starter cul ture distillate and approved edible stabilizer and establish es a standard of identity for cultured sour cream that does not contain added citric acid or starter culture distillate. Under the order the use of salt, lactose, citric acid or starter culture distillate is op tional, but when these are used they must be named on the label. Previously the standard of identity had permitted produc tion of sour cream by only natural bacterial action with a lactic acid producing cul ture. Sour cream produced by this method will now bear the label of "Cultured Sour Cream." State Wool Price Outlook Strong, Economist Says Corvallis - Economic forces influencing 1963 Oregon wool prices suggest a fairly strong market undertone, with the main uncertainties being the recent increases in U. S. wool stocks and the attitude of fab ric makers toward buying wool at the higher prevail ing prices. This is the way Stephen C. Marks, Oregon state univer sity extension agricultural economist, sees the outlook for wool. He makes his obser vations in the new Oregon Farm and Market Outlook circular now available from county extension offices. Oregon wool prices in Feb ruary averaged 21 per cent, or 9 cents a pound higher, than a year ago after prices advanced on all wool grades in late 1962 and in January, Marks noted. Overseas wool auctions con tinued to display firm undertone in early March, giving support to U. S. pro duced apparel wools. Pros pects are that domestic and world wool prices will remain at recent levels until this spring when the U. S. short wool crop is available in sea sonally larger volume, he adds. Smaller Supplies Stan Wool supplies in the year ahead may be, smaller both nationally and 'worldwide be cause of smaller carryover stocks in 1962 and smaller production in the 1962-63 market year, the economist points out. , In February, the U. S. counted - about 70 million pounds of clean wool on hand, an increase of 8 per cent over last year. The in crease, reported by the Wool Associates, probably reflects recent large imports, Marks said. United States mill use of wool in 1963 Is expected to remain relatively stable at around the 279-million pound mark of 1962, the highest since 1956, he commented. He noted that an unusual wool market feature this year has been substantial wintertime contracting by woolen mills in Texas and Wyoming, the leading wool producing states, as well as in Colorado and Idaho. This suggested less buyer in terest in the spring as mills satisfy their needs through contracting. Because of this. advances in wool prices after mid-year as in 1961 and 1962 may not be repeated 'this year, he adds. Domestic Use Drops At the same time, domestic mill use dropped below year earlier levels in late 1962 as did orders at weaving mills which have increased inven tories. This does not indicate an extended downward price trend, Marks emphasized, be cause these relationships could be reversed in rela tively short time. - However, he cautions, the less encouraging ratio of in ventories to unfilled orders may reflect a broader shift by fabric makers to synthetics. Trade reports show wool in dustry concern that customers may step-up the use of lower priced man-made fabrics in clothing because of higher wool prices. An alternative available to the U. S. textile industry to paying higher prices for for eign apparel wools is to im port more wool textile prod ucts from Japan, Italy and England. Imports last year reached record levels, he said. However, Marks points out that this alternative is un certain because the U. S. wool textile industry is striving for quantity restrictions on fabric Imports similar to those negotiated for cotton last year. A .7 Plan To Curb Mobile Slaughter Unit .Operators In ...eat Transportation Topic of Public Hearing Where do legislative pow ers end and administrative powers begin? That seemed to be the main question during public hear ing yesterday noon in the Jackson county courthouse. Thirty people, almost all of them farmers and operators of mobile slaughter units and packing plants, heard the pro posal to forbid mobile slaugh ter unit operators to transport the slaughtered carcass. Testimony of various public operators showed they thought this a main part of their serv ice and would virtually elim inate them. State Rep. John Dellenback (R-Medford) and State Sen. Lyndel Newbry (R-Talent) said removal of the transpor tation clause in the present law would seem to eliminate the mobile plant operators and would conflict with legisla ture intent. The senate agri cultural committee tabled Senate Bill 103 which would forbid storage of non-inspected meat with inspected meat. Newbry said his committee felt this would virtually elim inate mobile slaughter which testimony revealed performs a valuable service to the farmer. "This regulation has beenlin effect three years. It is most unwise to decide precipitously to repeal It. Since this would conflict with legislative intent it is a policy decision which should be brought to the 1965 legislature," Dellenback em phasized. . Newbry said he had heard testimony that uninspected or "bootleg1 meat could make people ill, but had never heard of anybody becoming sick from such meat. "This is the meat which Is butchered on the mountain side, drug through the can yons and hung on a tree to cure, but I don't know of any case in Oregon where some body has become ill from eat ing such meat. Newbry said he had heard virtually the same testimony from the same people on the senate bill. Dellenback said the state bile operators, said the cros- department of agriculture ent Uw regulating mobile must have been aware of this ... ,-.. m, . ., ronfiinin. r.i.i slauShter uniu came into be- the state legislature adjourn-1 in" 1959- He interpreted ed but it did not bring it to the attention of the commit tee considering Senate Bill 103. Pat Emmons, Albany at torney representing the mo- All Egg Licenses Must Be Renewed Salem - This is the time of the year when Oregon egg producers and dealers renew their producer-dealer egg per mits with the Oregon depart ment of agriculture. Deadline for the renewals is July 1. Those now holding permits will be sent renewal applications by the depart ment and any not receiving them should contact the de partment, These-permits are required of all producers selling direct ly to eating establishments, bakeries and food manufac turers and all dealers selling to retailers. Those retailers, who grade . their own eggs, are also required to secure the permits, whicii cost $2, Exempt . Exempt from securing the permits are those producers who sell directly to the indi vidual consumer and do not grade their eggs. July Is also the deadline for completion of egg case fee reports for the fiscal year July, 1962, through June, 1963. These are required of all producers selling more than 200 cases of eggs a year, even if they are not required, to have a permit. The first 200 cases are exempt from the fee. The rate for all above that is 2 Mi cents per case. Forms for this report are pro vided by the Oregon depart ment of agriculture, Salem 10, Oregon. I it as giving the mobile oper ators license to transport. Now the state department of agriculture wants to amend the regulations speci"cally for bidding mobile operators to transport their slaughtered meat. Spent Money ' Various mobile operators testified that they had spent considerable money in mak ing their trucks sanitary and to convert them to comply with all state regulations. Re moval of the transportation right will force them out of business, they said. John Bohnert, Central Point, representing the Jack son County Stockmen's as sociation legislative commit tee, said his association is opposed to any restriction on farm butchering. The farmer has too many restrictions on him now, he said. He and other farmers who testified said they prefer to have the meat butchered on their farms and hauled di rectly into the cooler. This is more sanitary, particularly during hot weather, then leaving it on the ranch for the farmer to take care of. Bohnert added that beef has been butchered on his place for 20 years and hauled Off. "They (the mobile operators) are quite expert. There's not a speck of dirt that gets on the carcass he said. "Not too many .farmers are properly equipped to butcher their own beef and haul it into a meat packing pliint." Most farmers testified that they kept most of the meat for their own use or would sell it to close neighbors and friends. Shooting Bulttrflies "This is like shooting but terflies with a cannon," Mrs. Carl von dcr Hellen, Eagle Point, remarked. "If spoiled meat is being sold through re tail channels find out who the few are who are selling It. Why penalize the many for the few?" Nobody testified for the amendment yesterday after noon, although William South worth, assistant director of the state department of agricul ture said he expected testi mony in favor of the amend ment during this Wednesday's hearing in Salem. Mrs. von der Hellen retorted, "This is a local problem and should be handled on a local basis. Representatives of soma local meat packing houses at tended the meeting, but did not testify. Others who testi fied were John Johnson, Eagle Point, Clyde Brown, Gold Hill, a Eugene man, Richard McKee, Dundee, all mobile plant operators; Max . Wil liams, Grants Pass, and A. C. Allen Jr., Eagle Point, both farmers. Southworth said the record ed testimony would be studied and evaluated by James Short, Oregon Agriculture de partment director; . himself and an assistant attorney gen eral. In answer to the state leg islators' comments, . South worth said the department would have to repeal the reg ulation if It were found to be in conflict with other regula tions regardless of Judicial opinion. Feebfe Cries Guide Gold Mine Rescuers ' Johannesburg, South Africa -HJPD-Rescue workers, guided by feeble cries for help, dug today toward what may be the only survivor of a gold mine disaster near here. At least 13 bodies, Including those of two white men, have been recovered from the freak rockfall at the 4,000-foot level of the Grootvlcl Mine. At least seven other men were believed killed. One African had been heard crying for help, but rescuers said his cries were growing weaker by the hour. I I iimmer Boat Sale 1 iV r r-1 1 FINEST BOATS IN TOWN JOHNSTON STORES Medford Shopping Center SHIPS COLLIDE Yokohama, Japan.JWH-The 38-ton Japanese coastal vessel Koho Maru 18 sank early to day following a collision with the American freighter Ever green State. Simply cover the area you want accented with a layer of 4 mil polyethylene plastic, cut holes for plants and cover with milky-white BERMUDA ROCK. (See ... no dust, no sharp edges to cut your fingers! Safe for the most delicate plant ings, glistening BERMUDA ROCK actually looks whiter as time goes by!) RMtlDA MOCK DIVISION Bristol Slllcaa Company write for free literature. A 8 ECOII-0-CLEAII Professions! Dry Cleaning with REAL ECONOMYI Cleaning and Spotting Onlyl MINIMUM ORDER $1.90 LAUNDRY DRY CLIANIRS 111 North Ctntrsl CRYSTAL WHITE DUMAS NU-WAY 01 Is Mtia GRESSETT'S JSTm- DOMESTIC LOY. DRV CLIANIRS 30-32 Ncrth Ri'StM .8. mmm 5 I its n, TCI mm Building or remodeling? Remember ELECTRIC HEAT, utilizing pure, dean energy rather than messy burning fuels, is the only truly new and modern way of heating under the sun I And it's the-most adaptable. There are electric heating devices simple, inexpensive and worry free to fit homes of all sizes, shapes and decor and to fit every living area, V.very need, within the home. A few to choose from: RADIANT CEILING CABLE: Provides exceptionally even heat. Completely concealed in your ceiling. .Very inexpensive to install. ELECTRIC BASEBOARD: Installed around outside walls, take up no valuable wall space. Created to blend with any decor. Especially adaptable to new rooms and wings. ELECTRIC WALL PANELS: . Especially adaptable to small rooms. Installed in or on walls, with decorative grills or flat, heat radiating surfaces. HEAT PUMP: Heats and air-conditions, according to your needs! Thermostatically controlled heat pump means complete and. automatic climate control in your home! Very economical to operate. Initial cost compares favorably with traditional (and out-moded) central heating and cooling systems. AND THERE ARE MORE! Investigate , thoroughly before you decide. n. i nr. Aliiwli BEAVER ELECTRIC A PLUMBING SUPPLY 773-4549 BROOKS ELECTRIC 772-5209 COURT STREET ELECTRIC 535-4135 ELECTRONIC SERVICE 773-1971 ENLOE ELECTRIC 535-1269 FELDMAN A OLSON ELECTRIC 773-7751 HARRISON ELECTRIC .........664.2091 MODERN PLUMBING (Heat Pump) J...........1...773-5368 NORPAC SUPPLY .....;.............773-4645 ROGUE ELECTRIC COMPANY ..........772-4603 RUSH ELECTRIC COMPANY -772-4960 TROWBRIDGE ELECTRIC .; ,...v.......:...773.6241
