Full text of Agricultural News Letter : Vol. 7, No. 5

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V IC U

F E D E R A L
Vol. 7, No. 5

NEWS LETTER

R E S E R V E

B A N K

OF

D ALLAS, T E X A S

D A L L A S
M ay 15, 1952

Meeting the Labor Shortage
Obtaining sufficient labor or finding suit­
able mechanical equipment to substitute for
hand labor is one of the major production
problems facing southwestern farmers this
year. Cotton farmers are particularly con­
cerned, because the production of cotton still
requires considerable hand labor for chop­
ping, hoeing, and harvesting operations.
Four ways of reducing the labor costs of
chopping and hoeing cotton are suggested by
Fred Elliott, Extension cotton work specialist
of Texas A. & M. College:
♦ Cross-plowing with five 15-inch sweeps on
a 2-row tractor is one of the easiest methods
of thinning cotton stands. Some additional
hoeing usually is required, but cross-plowing
reduces substantially the amount of hand
labor required to thin and clean the cotton
field.
♦ Mechanical choppers are available that do
a satisfactory job of thinning on certain soils
and topography. It is advisable to check with
local implement men to determine the value
of these machines in any particular com­
munity.
♦ A rotary hoe attachment on the cultivator
can be used to kill seedling weeds and grasses
in the row.
♦ Chemical sprays are now available for
controlling weeds and grasses. Most effective
results are obtained when one application of
the weed killer is made at the time of plant­
ing and another, when the cotton plants are

well established. The use of these sprays for
weed control is a specialized operation, and
it is desirable to obtain the advice of some­
one who has had experience in their use be­
fore attempting to apply them. The cost of
controlling weeds by chemical sprays has
been somewhat less than that by hand hoeing
in most of the tests conducted in the South­
west.
Cotton Harvesting
Mechanical harvesting of cotton, either with
pickers or strippers, is another method of re­
ducing the amount of hand labor required.
Studies in the High Plains of Texas, where
more than 50 percent of the crop is harvested
mechanically, show that the use of mechani­
cal strippers can reduce harvest labor re­
quirements from 17 to IV2 man-hours per acre
on dry land and from 33 to 2 man-hours per
acre on irrigated land.
Harvesting costs with strippers averaged
$9.10 per bale on dry-land cotton that had
not been hand-snapped previously, according
to a study of operations on the High Plains
covering the years 1947-50. On irrigated land
with higher yields per acre, the cost dropped
to $4.50 per bale. The comparable cost of
harvesting the cotton by hand was $40 per
bale.
Limited studies of mechanical picker op­
erations in other parts of the Southwest indi­
cate that this machine, which plucks the lint
from the boll rather than stripping the stalk

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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

of all bolls and leaves, brings about a similar
saving in labor.
Cotton farmers who hope to take advantage
of these savings in harvesting costs should
make certain that there is a gin in their com ­
munity that is equipped to handle mechani­
cally harvested cotton. Special cleaning equip­
ment is necessary to do a satisfactory job of
ginning cotton harvested mechanically.

It is estimated that cotton farmers on the
High Plains should have at least 50 acres of
cotton to warrant an investment in a stripper.
One machine usually can handle from 200 to
275 acres each season and still complete the
harvest operation by Christmas.

Mechanical cotton pickers, which cost a
great deal more than strippers, are not likely
to be profitable unless they are used on from
100 to 200 acres of cotton each season.

Harvesting Corn Mechanically
Many farmers in the Southwest still handsnap their corn. This job frequently can be
done during slack periods, thus making use
of family labor. However, mechanical corn
pickers are now on the market which do an
excellent job. They reduce materially the
amount of hand labor required and enable
harvest to be completed promptly.
The machines are available in both the 1and 2-row sizes and can be mounted on most
tractors. Some firms also make a machine that
is pulled behind the tractor and operated from
the power take-off.
Hay Harvesting Methods
Tractor-operated mowers, rakes, and balers
have taken most of the drudgery out of hay
harvesting. These machines permit the job to
be done quickly, efficiently, and with a mini­
mum loss of leaves, thus maintaining a higher
quality hay. Farmers whose operations are
not large enough to warrant the purchase of
this equipment frequently can obtain the serv­
ice of custom operators.

Most of these labor-saving methods involve
the use of additional equipment, thus increas­
ing the investment in farm machinery and the
cash cost of operating the farm. For this rea­
son, farmers should consider carefully the
relative merits of purchasing a machine and
of hiring the work done by custom operators.

Producing Quality Hay
The protein c o n t e n t
and palatability of h ay
are determined largely
by the method used in
its harvest. R. E. B urle­
son, Extension d a ir y
husbandman of Texas A. & M. College, says
that high-quality hay should be leafy, green in
color, have soft pliable stems, and a sw eet
odor.
In order to produce hay with these charac­
teristics, grasses and legumes should be c a t
before they reach maturity. Sudan and J oh n ­
son grass should be cut just as the seed heads
emerge, and most legumes should be cut w hen
the fields are about one-tenth in bloom.

Mr. Burleson suggests that dairymen store
a year’s supply of hay during the harvest sea ­
son, since prices are usually lower at that tim e
of the year. Dairymen should have from on e
to two tons of high-quality hay stored for each
cow in the herd.

Heavy Seeding Gives Better Stand
Planting cottonseed at a relatively high rate
per acre improves the chance of getting a
satisfactory stand in areas where crusting of
the soil frequently retards emergence of the
cotton seedlings.

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

In tests at the Texas Agricultural Experi­
ment Substation at Lubbock during the 1951
season, 52 percent of the seedlings emerged
within 20 days after planting when the rate
of seeding was 39 pounds per acre. Only 37
percent of the seedlings had emerged 20 days
after planting where the rate of seeding was
13 pounds per acre.
The seedlings in these tests were forced to
break through a crust 1-inch thick. These tests
bear out the opinion of many cotton growers
that a heavy rate of seeding makes it easier
for the seedlings to “push” through the crust.
The cotton plants in the plot which was
seeded at the heavier rate also were more
vigorous.

Deferred Grazing Pays Off
Deferred grazing— the practice of not graz­
ing the pasture for several weeks or months—
is the cheapest and most effective method of
rebuilding range land, according to A. H.
Walker, Extension range specialist of Texas
A. 8b M. College.
In west Texas, Mr. Walker recommends de­
ferring part of the pasture area for a com­
plete growing season, in order that the more
productive grasses may become better estab­
lished.
In east Texas, a rest of 2 months during the
spring and again in the fall is considered to be
most effective. Plant growth in that area is
much more vigorous, and a longer period of
deferment is not necessary.
On the range land of the Southwest, Mr.
Walker points out that native grasses have
proved to be the most successful. In the more
humid areas, annual grasses and legumes can
be substituted for the unproductive perennial
grasses now growing on many old fields. A soil
test should be made in order to determine fer­

3

COTTON INSECTS TH R EATEN
AGAIN
Reports from the Lower Rio Grande
Valley state that pink bollworm and
boll weevil in fe s ta t io n s already are
heavy in many fields.
This fact emphasizes the importance
of maintaining a constant watch for cot­
ton insects every year. No two seasons
are alike with respect to the cotton insect
problem. However, one thing is certain:
there is need for insect control every
year. Farmers are urged to contact their
county agricultural agents, ginners, or
insecticide dealers for copies of cotton
insect control recommendations for their
communities.
It has been proved again and again
that the application of insecticides is a
profitable operation on cotton grown on
land suited to the production of that
crop.

tilizer requirements, and grazing should be de­
layed until the plants have become well estab­
lished.

Suggestions for Temporary
Pastures
Emphasizing the low cost of feed produced
on pastures, R. E. Burleson, Extension dairy
husbandman of Texas A. 8b M. College, points
out that dairymen should plan now to plant
at least one acre of Sudan grass or other tem­
porary pasture for each cow in their herd.
Mr. Burleson says that the use of tempo­
rary pastures, if crossfenced and rotated, can
provide a large part of the summer feed for
dairy cows. Moreover, these pasture feeds are
high in protein and other nutrients if grazed
while young and tender.

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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

Seeding rates and fertilizer recommenda­
tions for local areas can be obtained from
county agricultural agents.

Publications
New M exico Agricultural Experiment Station,
State College:

Screwivorms Cause Heavy Damage

Amount of Grain for Fattening Yearling
Steers, Bulletin 367, by J. H. Knox.

The mild winter permitted screwworms to
survive in areas as far north as central Texas,
according to A. C. Gunter, entomologist with
the Texas A. & M. Extension Service.

Tests With Cultural Practices for Control
of Verticillium W ilt on Cotton, Press
Bulletin 1062, by P. J. Leyendecker an d
others.

Recent rains over much of the State have
produced favorable weather conditions for
these pests, and stockmen are warned to be
on the alert for their appearance. Infected ani­
mals should be treated at once. Animals
should be examined carefully before shipment
and again when they are unloaded, and all
scratches or w o u n d s sh o u ld b e treated
promptly.

The Value of M ilo for Laying Hens, Press
Bulletin 1063, by L. N. Berry.

Many stockmen are familiar with Smear62, which has been used for years in battling
the screwworm. Mr. Gunter points out that a
new material called EQ-335 is now available
and is superior to Smear-62. One application
per week usually is sufficient.

Treating Sorghum Seed Pays
Treating grain sorghum seed to
control kernel smut pays off in bet­
ter stands and higher yields, ac­
cording to Dr. D. C. Norton, Ex­
tension plant pathologist of Texas
A. & M. College.
Kernel smut is caused by a fungus that is
carried on the seed in the form of tiny black
spores. Unless the seed is treated to kill these
spores, the fungi may kill many of the seed­
ling plants even before they emerge from the
ground.
Several commercial preparations are avail­
able for treating sorghum seed. Among the
more common are copper carbonate, arasan,
spergon, and new improved ceresan.

Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station,
Stillwater:
Grass Silage in Oklahoma, Circular N o .
C-135.
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, C o l­
lege Station:
Farm Leases on Irrigated Farms on th e
High Plains of Texas, Progress R ep ort
1434, by William G. Adkins and C ecil
A. Parker.
Denton Cotton Variety Tests, 1947-51, b y
J. H. Gardenhire and D. I. Dudley.
Effect of Legumes, Nitrogen and Row S y s ­
tems on the Yield of Corn on Miller C la y
Soil, 1950-51, Progress Report 1440, b y
H. E. Rea and others.
Marketing Eggs at the Producer L evel in
Nine Southern States, Southern C oopperative Series Bulletin 17.
Trends in the Production and Disposition
of M ilk and the Importance of Dairying
in Southern States, 1924-50, Southern
Cooperative Series Bulletin 19, by W a r­
ren E. Collins and others.
Importance of R esista n ce to B a cteria l
Blight oi Cotton, Progress Report 1419,
by L. S. Bird.

Agricultural News Letter

The
is prepared in
the Research Department under the direction
of C arl H. M oore , Agricultural Econom ist.