Full text of Agricultural News Letter : Vol. 7, No. 4

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F E D E R A L

NEWS LETTER

R E S E R V E

Vol. 7, No. 4

B A N K ___ O F

D ALLAS, T E X A S

What

About

During the past several months, many sto­
ries have been written about Krilium, a new
resin soil conditioner. Its most enthusiastic
supporters feel that this new substance may
cause a minor revolution in agriculture when
it becomes available in commercial quantities
— perhaps in 1953.
Krilium is a water-soluble, synthetic chem­
ical of the plastic family. The basic raw ma­
terial for its manufacture is produced from
natural gas. It is not a fertilizer and does not
add any plant nutrients to the soil. However,
the application of relatively small amounts of
Krilium causes a marked change in the physi­
cal structure of most soils.
The resin in Krilium causes the tiny soil
particles to form lumps or aggregates, rang­
ing in size from a pinhead to a pea. The
granular structure which results facilitates
aeration, prevents crusting, increases the wa­
ter-absorbing capacity (as much as 40 per­
cent), and permits plants to make better use
of the nutrients in the soil.
Since the action of Krilium takes place al­
most immediately— within 24 hours after ap­
plication— it can be used also on newly grad­
ed surfaces where erosion is a problem. Ap­
plying Krilium makes the soil more absorb­
ent and less susceptible to erosion during the
period when a vegetative cover of grasses is
being grown.
Krilium can be sprinkled on the soil and
mixed into the top 2 or 3 inches by hoeing,
cultivating, disking, or other methods of mix­
ing the soil, or it can be sprayed on as a
liquid.

D A L L A S
April 15, 1952

Krilium?
The condition brought about in soil struc­
ture by the application of Krilium is virtually
the same as that which exists when a soil is
supplied with the proper amount of organic
matter. For instance, in virgin fields, where no
cultivation has taken place, the soil structure
is loose, open, and granular— similar to that
of a soil treated with Krilium. However, to re­
store a soil to this condition after it has been
in cultivation several years may require 3, 5,
or more years of grass and legume crops.
Thus, one of the great advantages of Krilium
is that this change can be brought about over­
night.
The need for this change in soil structure
is especially acute in heavy clay soils. Light,
sandy soils seldom develop a tight, compact
structure and, thus, benefit less from any treat­
ment that tends to improve their drainage or
aeration.
The potential value of Krilium to agricul­
ture may be very great, inasmuch as develop­
ing a granular, loose soil structure is a major
problem facing farmers in all except the
sandy areas of the Nation. Such a change usu­
ally increases crop yields substantially and
facilitates further improvements to the soil
through better tillage methods, more effective
use of fertilizers, and increased water-holding
capacity.
Preliminary tests with Krilium on Houston
clay— the predominant soil in the Texas
Blacklands— suggests that much larger quan­
tities of the material must be applied to
achieve results comparable with those ob­
tained on other clay soils. Additional tests

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A G R IC U L T U R A L N E W S L E T T E R

are being conducted to determine its value
to the Blackland soils.

eral years, in order to assure a com plete
cleanup of the disease in the herd.

At the present time, all production is being
used by experiment stations throughout the
country in tests to determine the most effec­
tive means of using Krilium. None of the
material is being offered to the general public.
It is anticipated that some will be on the mar­
ket early in 1953. The price has not been an­
nounced, but indications are that it will be
less than $2 per pound. It probably will be
distributed primarily for home gardeners,
greenhouses, and others who can make inten­
sive use of such a soil conditioner.

The National Fertilizer Association r e ­
minds farmers that the slow movement of fe r ­
tilizers from manufacturing, mixing, and sto r­
age plants to farms is retarding the industry’s
production. Taking delivery now on th e
amount of fertilizer that is expected to h e
used this season will help rem ove this b o ttle­
neck and facilitate the production of an a d e­
quate supply of commercial fertilizers.

Fertilizer companies are investigating the
possibilities of using Krilium in their prod­
ucts to prevent caking and deterioration of
the manufactured fertilizer. Eventually, the
price may be low enough to permit its use in
commercial quantities by farmers.
Its widespread use will not eliminate or
reduce in any way the value of legumes,
grasses, and commercial and organic fertil­
izers. These plants and materials still will be
necessary to a well-rounded, profitable farm
program.

Be Alert for Brucellosis
Dairymen are urged to be alert for brucel­
losis (Bang’s disease) in their herds. The loss
of any premature calf in herds that have not
been tested for brucellosis should be investi­
gated carefully, says Dr. C. M. Patterson, Ex­
tension veterinarian of Texas A. & M. College.
Dr. Patterson reminds dairymen that the
older animals in the herd are still susceptible
to the disease, even though a calf-hood vac­
cination program is being carried out. It is
also possible that the dairy barn and other
premises may be contaminated so severely as
to overcome the resistance acquired through
vaccination.
Dr. Patterson recommends a program of
testing, sanitation, and vaccination for sev­

When Lightning Strikes
Lightning kills an estimated 400 persons,
injures an additional 800 to 1,000, and causes
damages estimated as high as $10,000,000 to
farm property each year in the United States,
according to W. S. Allen, Extension agricul­
tural engineer-buildings of Texas A. & M. C o l­
lege.
Many of these losses could be prevented.
Mr. Allen points out that lightning rods, w hen
properly installed and maintained, give p ra c­
tically complete protection to buildings
against damage from lightning. Proper instal­
lation and maintenance are essential, h o w ­
ever, and should be in accordance with th e
National Code for the Protection Against
Lightning.
One of the more important points of instal­
lation is the grounding and bonding together
of all metal bodies inside buildings to prevent
electricity from jumping from one body to a n ­
other. For instance, the metal tracks for fe e d
carriers, feed or hay elevators, and the heavy
hardware on barn doors should always b e
grounded and tied into the lightning rod p r o ­
tection system on the barn.
Mr. Allen points out that a metal roof, e le c ­
trically bonded, properly grounded, and p r o ­
vided with air terminals to protect chimneys
or other nonmetallic projections, usually gives

A G R IC U L T U R A L N E W S L E T T E R

satisfactory lightning protection. But the
metal roof gives little or no protection unless
it is grounded and bonded according to the
National Code.
If you have lightning rods on the farm
buildings, Mr. Allen suggests that you give
them a periodic check to be sure they will
perform their duty should the need arise. If
you plan to install rods, be sure they are in­
stalled according to the National Code.

Pastures Provide Cheapest Feed
One hundred pounds of total digestible
nutrients (a measure of the nutritive value of
feed) cost only about 50 cents when produced
on improved pasture, $1.70 when obtained
from silage, but $5 when purchased in a con­
centrate feed mixture, according to A. M.
Meekma, dairy husbandman for the Texas
Agricultural Extension Service.
These figures indicate the
reason for the high feed cost
experienced by dairymen who
rely on feed from a sack rath­
er than home-grown feeds.
Mr. Meekma points out that
Texas dairymen are not mak­
ing full use of pastures and silage. For ex­
ample, in 1950, members of Texas Dairy
Herd Improvement Associations had an aver­
age feed cost per cow of $151. This compares
with an average of $147 for the entire Nation.
Moreover, the average production per cow in
Texas was 2,391 pounds less than the average
for the United States.
Mr. Meekma suggests that dairymen who
want to increase their profits should reduce
their feed costs by making maximum use of
pastures and silage.

Silage Pays
Silage is an economical, high-quality feed
ideal for use when pasturage is not available.

3

It can be stored easily and will maintain its
feed value for many years.
Every dairyman in the Southwest can store
some silage, says R. E. Burleson, Extension
dairy husbandman of Texas A. & M. College.
He points out that several types of silos can
be used, but that a box- or trench-type silo is
the most popular and economical in most sec­
tions of the Southwest. The upright silo is also
practical if used to capacity each year.
Regardless of the type of silo used, Mr.
Burleson says that dairymen should plant an
ample acreage of adapted varieties of forage
crops to produce at least 3 tons of silage for
each dairy cow in the herd.
The best crop to grow for silage varies with
the type of soil and climatic conditions, but,
in general, Atlas sorgo, Hegari, Sumac, and
corn are very satisfactory silage crops.
Dairymen who do not have a silo should
contact their county agricultural agents or
other agricultural leaders in their communi­
ties and obtain recommendations for con­
structing one on their farms. Its use can mean
the difference between profit and loss in a
dairy operation.

Castor Beans— A New Crop for
the Southwest
During the past 2 years the production of
castor beans has become increasingly impor­
tant in sections of the Southwest. The castor
bean is one of the oldest sources of commer­
cial oil— its use dating back to the time of the
ancient Egyptians— but it was not until new
industrial and strategic uses of the oil were
developed during the past decade that its
production became commercially important
in the United States.
Until recently, practically all castor beans
crushed in the United States were imported
from Brazil, Manchuria, Africa, and India.

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A G R IC U L T U R A L N E W S L E T T E R

The unsettled international situation now
makes these sources uncertain and insuffi­
cient to meet the growing industrial require­
ments.
The oil and chemicals obtained from cas­
tor beans are now used in ever-increasing
quantities in medicine, hydraulic fluids, lubri­
cants, paints, plastics, and many other prod­
ucts. The oil is highly stable and is affected
less by extremes of temperatures than most
other commercial oils.
Castor beans are poisonous to people and
to livestock, but no case has been established
definitely of livestock being poisoned by eat­
ing the leaves and stems of the plant.
In 1951 a program for the production of
castor beans became a part of the national
program for defense. The administration of
this plan to increase output of castor beans
was delegated to the Production and Market­
ing Administration. This organization, work­
ing with the Commodity Credit Corporation,
provides the seed and assures a market for
the beans at a guaranteed minimum price.
Farmers who cooperate with the program
sign an agreement to use only the seed ob­
tained from the PM A office and to sell their
entire production back to the PM A. This is
being done in an effort to keep the strain of
the beans pure.
Prior to this year, production of castor
beans in the Southwest was limited generally
to the west-central regions of Texas and Ok­
lahoma. This year the program is being ex­
panded to encourage production in a major
part of both states.
Castor beans require a growing season of
not less than 180 days and are well adapted
to areas of relatively low rainfall. However,
areas with less than 15 inches of rain during
the growing season usually do not produce
profitable yields. In areas where the humid­
ity is very high the plants frequently are at­
tacked by disease.

Most well-drained soils will produce castor
beans. They prefer a loamy soil of medium
texture, and best yields are obtained on soils
with good surface and internal drainage, with
no hard pans, and with the ability to warm
up early in the spring. They do well on either
lime or acid soils. Land that will not produce
cotton, grain, or a good crop of peanuts is
not likely to produce castor beans profitably.
Preparation of the soil is about the same
as for other row crops except that the soil
should be worked fairly deep. Planting can
be done with most corn, cotton, or peanut
planters if proper adjustments are made.
From 7 to 10 pounds of seed are required to
plant one acre. The plants should be spaced
about 20 to 30 inches apart in the rows.
Planting dates are about the same as for c o t ­
ton or peanuts.
Harvesting of castor beans has presented a
difficult problem, since the seeds mature ov er
a period of several weeks and shatter rather
easily if left too long after maturity. Several
mechanical harvesters have been built, and in
1951 most of the crop was harvested m echan­
ically.
Yields in the Southwest generally range
from 300 to 800 pounds of shelled beans p er
acre. The severe drought in 1951 reduced
sharply the yields in Texas. The minimum
support price for the 1952 season is 10 cents
per pound.
Farmers who are interested in growing this
crop should first consult their P M A office to
make certain that the program is in effect in
their counties. The county agricultural agents
can give additional information on produc­
tion practices. Copies of a bulletin entitled
“Castor Beans in Texas” are available from
the Texas Agricultural Extension Service,
College Station, Texas.

Agricultural N ews Letter

The
is prepared in
the Research Department under the direction
of Carl H . M oore, Agricultural Economist.