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AGRICULTURAL

NEWS LETTER

THE
Volume V

FEDERAL

RESERVE

BANK

OF

Dallas, Texas, March 15,1950

DALLAS
Number 3

Higher Corn Yields
Higher corn yields will be especially impor­
tant to southwestern farmers in 1950, since
income from cotton, peanuts, and rice—major
cash crops in the area—will be reduced be­
cause of the imposition of acreage controls. As
a result, many farmers are increasing corn
acreage, and higher corn yields will mean more
income whether the crop is sold as a cash crop
or fed to livestock.
As illustrated below, the first step in ob­
taining higher corn yields is the use of adapted
hybrid seed. While farmers in southern sec­
tions of the Southwest have already planted
corn, farmers who have not yet planted might
find it profitable to check the list of hybrids
on the next page and select one adapted to
their areas.
The cost of hybrid seed—about $1 per acre
—may seem high, but the experience of farm­
ers shows that this investment usually returns
from $7 to $8 per acre in increased corn yields.
(Hybrid seed should be purchased each year,
as it tends to "run out” after the first year.)

Hybrid corn has proved itself in the South­
west. Planting adapted varieties is not risky.
They will mature satisfactorily, and they make
suitable livestock feed. Planting untested or
unadapted hybrids is risky, and if seed of
adapted and tested strains are not available,
open-pollinated varieties are recommended.
Use of hybrid seed is a most important fac­
tor in obtaining higher corn yields, but such
factors as number of plants per acre, rate of
fertilization, time of planting, and method of
cultivation also affect materially the yield per
acre. For example, corn yields are increased
when the crop follows a fertilized legume.
(See illustration below.) This is especially true
on lighter, depleted soils. Legumes increase soil
fertility by adding valuable plant food—espe­
cially nitrogen—and improve the moisture­
holding capacity of the soil by adding organic
matter, breaking up hard pans, and increasing
the rate of moisture absorption. Thus, a crop
which follows a legume usually suffers less
from lack of moisture.

AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER

2

APPROXIMATE SPACING AND NUMBER OF CORN PLANTS PER ACRE
Level of soil fertility

Light, relatively poor soil
Soil of medium fertility
Fertile bottom land

Amount of fertilizer applied per acre

None
32 pounds of nitrogen1
64 pounds of nitrogen2
100 pounds of nitrogen3
None
32 pounds of nitrogen1
64 pounds of nitrogen2
100 pounds of nitrogen3
None
32 pounds of nitrogen1
64 pounds of nitrogen2
100 pounds of nitrogen3

1 100 pounds of ammonium nitrate.
2 150 pounds of ammonium nitrate and 300 pounds of 5-10-5.
* 200 pounds of ammonium nitrate and 700 pounds of 5-10-5.

Approximate number of plants per acre

Corn probably will not be profitable.
4.500 (3 feet apart in 3-foot rows)
7.000 (2 feet apart in 3-foot row's)
10.000 (16 inches apart in 3-foot rows)
4.500 (3 feet apart in 3-foot rows)
6.000 (27 inches apart in 3-foot rows)
9.000 (18 inches apart in 3-foot rows)
12.000 (14 inches apart in 3-foot rows)
7.000 (2 feet apart in 3-foot rows)
9.000 (18 inches apart in 3-foot rows)
11.000 (15 inches apart in 3-foot row's)
13.000 (1 foot apart in 3-foot rows)

It is, of course, too late to do much about
legumes for this year’s corn crop, but plans
can be made now to sow a legume this year on
land that will be planted in corn in 1951. In
some cases, it might be profitable to divert to
legumes some of the acreage intended for corn
this year, in preparation for the 1951 corn crop.

Early planted corn usually produces the
highest yields. In 1949 in a Hill County,
Texas, corn contest all but one of the yields
of 7 5 or more bushels per acre were from crops
planted by March 20. The optimum planting
time, of course, varies with the location and
season, but in all areas the earlier corn has a
better opportunity to mature before the onset
Maximum yields are obtained when corn is of the hot, dry winds of early summer.
planted to as thick a stand as the fertility of
the soil, amount of fertilizer applied, and prob­ Corn yields are also frequently reduced by
able moisture supply will support. Obviously, late cultivation. By the time corn is "hip
no "hard and fast” rule can be given, but there high,” the space between the rows contains
have been sufficient experimental work and hundreds of tiny feeder roots, and cultiva­
actual experience on farms in this area to pro­ tion at this time destroys these roots which
vide some general guides which are helpful in are so essential for maximum growth. If weeds
determining approximate stands that will pro­ make cultivation necessary after the corn is
duce maximum yields. These are shown in the 2 or 3 feet high, the cultivator shovels should
be set shallow and well away from the row.
table above.
ADAPTED CORN HYBRIDS — from Recommendations of Respective States
(Listed in order of yielding ability)

Northern Louisiana

Louisiana 7102, Dixie 11, Dixie 17, N. C. 27, Louisiana 468, Louisiana 521, Funk’s G714, Funk’s G720,
Dixie 18.
Southeastern Oklahoma
Kansas 2234 (white), U. S. 13, Funk G-711, Keystone 222, Keystone 38, Tennessee 10 (white), Missouri
313, Ward 135 (white), Embro 36, Razorback U. S. 13, Crost Rite Mo. 148, Funk G-94, Pioneer 332,
Illinois 200, Texas 12, P. A. G. 170, Keystone 39, Texas 18, Kansas 1583, Texas 20, Keystone 40,
Shannon 1300, Kansas 1585, Ward 120A.
Texas
Blackland Prairies and portions of the State south and west of this area: Texas 28, Texas 26, Texas 24,
Texas 20.
Timbered section of east Texas: Texas 28, Texas 20, Texas 26, Texas 24.
Gulf Coast Prairies except river bottoms: Texas 11W, Texas 9W. (These white hybrids have outyielded
the yellow hybrids in this area. They are also adapted to all areas of Texas.)
If the hybrids listed above are not available, Texas A. & M. College recommends some of the older hybrids,
such as Texas 18, Texas 12, and Texas 8.

AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER

Save the Little Pigs

"About 4 out of every 10 pigs never reach
weaning age,” says A. A. Heidebrecht, Okla­
homa A. & M. College swine specialist.
This very high loss is due principally to im­
proper care of the sow and litter at farrowing
time, according to Mr. Heidebrecht. Farmers
frequently let the sows shift for themselves at
this critical time and many little pigs get no
attention until they are old enough to come
to the feed trough. Under these circumstances
only the strong and the "lucky” survive.
Improper housing during the first few days
after farrowing may cause the sow to lie on
even the most vigorous and healthy pigs. Fail­
ure to carry out proper sanitation practices
may cause the young pigs to be contaminated
with parasites that will stunt their growth and
prevent efficient use of feed throughout the
feeding period.
Some of the more important "pig-saving”
practices are:
• Provide a farrowing pen for each sow. This
pen should be at least 6x8 feet and should
have a guard rail around the inside about 10
inches above the floor.
• Two weeks before farrowing, the pen should
be thoroughly cleaned, washed, and disin­
fected with lye water (1 pound of lye to 15
gallons of water).
• Four or five days before farrowing, wash
the sow with soap and water and place her in
the farrowing pen.
• Use only a small amount of clean, short
straw on the floor of the pen at farrowing
time.
• If weather is cool, an electric pig brooder
should be provided in one corner of the pen.
• During farrowing an attendant should take
the new-born pigs, clip the "wolf” teeth with
a suitable instrument, and place the pigs un­
der the brooder to prevent chilling.
• If the pigs are to be kept on cement for
several days, place a shovelful of clean soil in
the pen daily. This will insure an adequate
supply of iron and prevent anemia.

3

WARNING!

The mild winter has been favorable for
cotton insects. In fact, conditions have been
nearly ideal and closely parallel weather con­
ditions that preceded the 1946 season when
6,000,000 acres in Texas produced only 1,669,000 bales of cotton— an average per
acre yield of only 134 pounds of lint. Grow­
ing conditions were good, but insects got the
crop! In 1949 the average per acre yield of
cotton in Texas was 264 pounds of lint and
returned farmers an estimated average of
$85 per acre. Failure to control insects in
1950 could reduce this income to less than
$50 per acre. Can your community afford
such a reduction in income? See February
15 issue of the Agricultural News Letter on
cotton insect control.

Spray Early to Control Late Blight

Farmers are urged to apply control meas­
ures for late blight on tomatoes and Irish po­
tatoes early in the season in order to reduce
the damage from this destructive disease,
which has cost the Nation’s farmers as much
as $50,000,000 in one season.
Late blight causes large watersoaked, green­
ish-brown or black spots on the leaves and
during cool, damp, foggy weather may resem­
ble "mildew” on the lower sides of the leaves.
Growers should be familiar with these symp­
toms so that they can recognize the disease
before it gains a foothold on their crops.
Louisiana State University recommends the
following control measures for late blight on
both tomatoes and Irish potatoes:
Sprays: Dithane D-14, Dithane Z-78, or a
Copper fungicide, such as Bordeaux mixture.
Begin spraying Irish potatoes when they are
4 to 6 inches tall and continue at weekly in­
tervals until the danger period of cool, moist
weather has passed. Spray tomato plants 2 or
3 weeks after setting plants in the field and at
weekly intervals, as with potatoes.
Dusts: Copper dusts or Dithane Z-78 ap­
plied in the same general method as the sprays
can also be used but are less effective than
spraying.
Adding DDT or Calcium Arsenate to the
materials already mentioned will control the
Colorado potato beetle on Irish potatoes.

4

AGRICULTURAL NEWS LETTER

Grasshoppers May Threaten Again

Grasshoppers may threaten southwestern
crops again this year if warm, dry weather pre­
vails during April and May—the usual hatch­
ing time of these pests.
Entomologists point out that recently com­
pleted surveys show heavy infestation of grass­
hopper eggs in the Brazos and Trinity valleys
of Texas and in the Panhandle area. They urge
farmers and ranchers to be prepared to launch
an all-out poisoning campaign against the
’hoppers.
Neighborhood and community-wide cam­
paigns are most effective. Farmers and ranchers
should be ready to spray or dust field margins,
fence rows, and roadsides when hatching is
complete—usually about 7 to 10 days after
the first ’hoppers appear. Do not wait until
they have moved to cultivated crops. Once
these insects have moved out of the areas where
they hatch, it is extremely difficult and expen­
sive to gain effective control.
Control measures this year will emphasize
the use of poison sprays or dusts rather than
poison bait. Sprays have proved to be more
effective than dusts. Insecticides recommended
are: (1) Chlordane— 1 quart 45-percent
emulsion or 2 pounds 50-percent wettable
powder per 50 to 100 gallons of water—to
spray one acre, and (2) Toxaphene—1 quart
55-percent emulsion or 2% pounds 40-per­
cent wettable powder per 50 to 100 gallons
of water—to spray one acre. If dusts are used,
apply 15 pounds per acre of either 10-percent
toxaphene or chlordane dust when grasshop­
pers are small. Increase the dosage to 18 or 20
pounds per acre, or use 10 pounds of 20-per­
cent toxaphene per acre, if grasshoppers are
large.

weeks old has given increases in yields of more
than 7 barrels per acre in experiments at the
Rice-Pasture Experiment Station at Beaumont,
Texas. The practice of topdressing rice with
nitrogen fertilizer has become quite common
throughout the rice belt, and all farmers are
urged to consider this practice as a method of
increasing their rice yields.
Results of recent tests at the Beaumont Sta­
tion conducted on Beaumont clay soil—a com­
mon soil used for growing rice—indicate that
highest yields are obtained if the fertilizer is
applied when the soil is dry, that is, neither
flooded with irrigation water nor in a very
moist condition from rains or earlier irriga­
tion. The tests also show that increasing the
amount of nitrogen fertilizer above 60 pounds
per acre gives only a slight increase in yield.
During the period 1946-48, average yields
were as follows: No fertilizer—12.09 barrels
per acre; nitrogen fertilizer, dry soil— 19.18
barrels per acre; nitrogen fertilizer, wet soil
—17.92 barrels per acre; and nitrogen fer­
tilizer, flooded soil— 13.76 barrels per acre.
MEETING

Annual Dairy Day will be held at Okla­
homa A. & M. College, Stillwater, Oklahoma,
on April 1. F.B. Morrison, professor of animal
husbandry and animal nutrition at Cornell
University and author of Feeds and Feeding,
will be the guest speaker.
PUBLICATIONS

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Col­
lege Station:
Grazing Studies on the Amarillo Conserva­
tion Experiment Station, 1943-49, Bul­
letin 717, by Charles J. Whitfield and
others.
Chemical Control of Johnson Grass at the
Blackland Station, Progress Report 1201,
by E. N. Stiver and others.
Cotton Defoliation at the Blackland Sta­
tion, Progress Report 1203, by E. N.
Fertilizers for Rice
Stiver and J. R. Johnston.
Topdressing rice fields with nitrogen fer­ Yield and Nitrogen Content of Legumes,
Progress Report 1204, by E. B. Reynolds.
tilizer when the rice plants are from 6 to 9