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ARM AND Q anch □ ULLETIN Vol. 22, No. 5 May 1967 O LD TRAD E LEA R N S N E W TRICKS The first food processor probably was a caveman who learned to sun-dry his fish and meat, according to the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Ever since that time, the caveman’s descendants have been improving the old methods and dis covering new ones. The know-how gained through the years is a very valuable asset today in the preservation of our food. under heat and pressure as they move up and down through towers. Dehydrocanning is an other successful innovation in food preserva tion. This process involves the removal of half of the moisture content of the food before it is canned. The frozen-food industry came into being around the end of World War II. This thriving industry now processes more than 12 billion Napoleon Bonaparte is credited with intro pounds of food annually. The most recent gains ducing the first canned food. In the early in frozen-food preservation have been in vege 1800’s, he offered a reward for a new method tables, poultry, concentrates, and prepared whereby food could be preserved for his foods. A survey made in 1963 showed that 59 armies. At that time, the first canning of food percent of the families in the United States purchased frozen vegetables; 57 percent, was begun. orange concentrate; 66 percent, poultry pies; As recently as a decade ago, U.S. canners 36 percent, poultry parts; 27 percent, dinners; processed only 550 different foods. Today, ap and 19 percent, fish sticks. proximately 2,200 canneries throughout the Dehydrofreezing is another new food process country produce about 1,200 different canned foods, with an annual volume of more than 21 that is gaining headway. A low-temperature, billion pounds. The 1963 pack of canned foods quick-freezing process, this method uses nitro totaled about 760 million cases, or more than gen with temperatures ranging downward to —320° Fahrenheit. The ERS says that if the 26 billion containers. price of nitrogen drops below the present levels HTST (high temperature, short time) pres of 3 to 4 cents per pound, dehydrofreezing can ervation has been gaining favor with the Na be adapted to a wider range of foods than those tion’s food processors for a decade. Another which are now quick-frozen by this method. popular innovation in canning is the aseptic Included in the list of foods which are currently method, in which the food and cans are steril processed by dehydrofreezing are melons, avo ized separately. According to the ERS, this cados, mushrooms, and seafoods. process maintains high-quality food at a low cost. Hydrostatic preservation of food — Irradiation is a new method that is rising on a process used in Europe for some time — was the food-preserving horizon. During the past 2 introduced recently in the United States. In this years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration method, filled cans or bottles are controlled has approved irradiation for cured bacon, F E D E R A L R E S E R V E DALLAS, B A N K TEXAS OF D A L L A S potatoes, and wheat. Another innovation that is “waiting in the wings” is the superpower tube for microwave cooking. 2. The petition must contain the signed agreement of at least two petitioners obligating themselves to pay costs (not to exceed $150) incidental to the formation of the district, costs of publication notices, and election costs. Other segments of food marketing also are advancing, points out the ERS. Food handling has come in for its share of new ideas — from 3. The petition must be filed in the Com the piping of syrups to the shooting of pulver missioners Court for the purpose of a hearing. ized foods through pneumatic tubes. 4. A called election should be submitted as Finally, food packaging has experienced a single proposition to the qualified voters liv many rapid advances that go hand in hand with ing in the proposed district. In fixing the bound food processing, such as tab-pull and pull-strip aries of a district, the Commissioners Court openers and plastic lids for cans. In addition, shall exclude all incorporated cities, towns, or there are new container materials, including villages in the event that any one or more of paper, fiberboard, laminated plastic and foil, them should fail to cast a majority vote in favor and plastic film. These materials necessitate the of the district. A tax not to exceed 3 cents on each $100 valuation would be levied on dis use of newly designed machines. tricts which approved the proposition. Cut Fire Insurance Rates 5. Following electoral approval, a court Rural citizens may qualify order must be issued. for reduced fire insurance Mr. Brown says that in certain instances, it rates by the creation of a fire appears that potential reduced insurance pre p re v e n tio n d istric t, says miums may offset a tax levy; however, the real Reagan Brown, Extension savings from rural fire prevention will be real Sociologist at Texas A&M ized in terms of property and lives spared when University. Mr. Brown em a county gains the ability to fight fires quickly phasizes th a t such a dis and efficiently. More detailed information on trict must be approved by the State Board of Insurance. After a fire prevention district is rural fire prevention districts may be obtained established, it becomes a political subdivision of from Judge J. C. Davis at the Attorney Gen the state. The district then has full authority to eral’s office in Austin, Texas. lease, own, maintain, operate, and provide fire Wells Not Contaminated engines, fire stations, and other equipment for W ith Pesticides the prevention and extinguishment of fires within the district. Farm wells used for human drinking water Moreover, a fire prevention district may have not been found to be contaminated with enter into contracts with other districts, includ pesticides, reports Leo G. K. Iverson, a scientist ing incorporated cities or towns, for reciprocal with the Agricultural Research Service of the operations or for facilities and services that U.S. Department of Agriculture. Analyses of would be mutually beneficial to the districts. hundreds of water samples reveal that neither The specialist lists the following steps for deep nor shallow wells are being contaminated creation of a fire prevention district within a with pesticides. On the other hand, ponds and catch basins that collect runoff water from county. treated fields show minute but measurable 1. A petition must be presented to theamounts of pesticide residues at certain times county judge. It must be signed by not less of the year and under certain conditions. For than 100 qualified voters who own taxable real example, in a study area at Greenville, Missis estate property within the proposed district or sippi, measurable residues were found only im by a majority of voters when there are fewer mediately after heavy rains in the spring and than 100 voters within the proposed district. fall. The USDA’s program to monitor pesticide levels in crops, soil, and water was started in 1964 and is now being carried out at 55 test sites throughout the United States. The results given by Mr. Iverson are part of a long-range program to monitor the pesticide content in America’s farm water supply. steamed bonemeal (by weight) is recom mended for self-feeding of calves. Bonemeal without salt is recommended in saline areas, such as sections of the Gulf Coast. When salt is fed in mixtures to control protein intake, bonemeal should be fed alone, according to Mr. Thompson. Cows M ay Need More Phosphorus Additional information on phosphorus and other mineral requirements of livestock may be obtained from offices of local county agricul tural agents. Beef cattle producers should give careful consideration to supplying phosphorus for their herds, states U. D. Thompson, Extension Ani mal Husbandman at Texas A&M University. Dry pasture forage is highly deficient in phos phorus. This condition is now widespread in Texas. Practical methods for supplying the mineral to range cattle include adding soluble phosphorus to drinking water and placing phos phorous supplements in mineral feeders. When the water supply for cattle can be con trolled, the addition of phosphorus to the water may be the most satisfactory method. Monosodium phosphate can be added to water troughs by hand or by automatic dispensers which add the desired amount of mineral solu tion to a given amount of water. Special Peach Report The 1967 peach crop in the nine major peachproducing states is ex pected to be only about one-half the size of the 1966 production, which ap p ro ach ed the 5-year (1961-65) average output, according to a special release of the Statistical Reporting Serv ice. F ree z in g te m p e ra tu re s in m id-M arch damaged much of the crop in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The special SRS report shows that for the If the mineral is added by hand, recommen major peach-growing states of the Eleventh dations generally call for one-fourth of an Federal Reserve District, prospects are gener ounce of monosodium phosphate to each 8 ally favorable in Louisiana for the fourth good gallons of water, or one-fourth ounce per head peach crop in 5 years. Oklahoma peaches came daily. A stock solution of 2 hi pounds of phos through both the winter and the bloom period phate per gallon of water (or 100 pounds to with little or no damage. In Texas, peach pros 40 gallons of water) is recommended when an pects are good in the two principal growing automatic dispenser is used. This machine areas. automatically proportions the mineral to the water. Supersensitive W ind Gauge Sheltered mineral feeders provide protec A highly sensitive wind gauge, or anemom tion from wind and rain and thereby lessen eter, has been developed for research studies to waste of the material. The weathervane-type be conducted by the U.S. Department of Agri feeder is satisfactory if it is kept level and culture. Scientists in the USDA’s Agricultural treated with a rust preventive. Placement of the Research Service are becoming more and more feeding trough from 12 to 18 inches above the interested in air motion within the “micro ground will allow the calves to have free access climate” — that portion of the atmosphere to the mineral. The feeding box should be di which is located directly above the surface of a vided, with salt in one compartment and addi field. Light winds at the earth’s surface cool tional minerals in the other. growing plants, carry carbon dioxide to leaves When the pasture is highly deficient in phos for use in photosynthesis, and influence effi phorus, a mixture of one part salt and two parts ciency in the use of water for crops. Standard wind gauges do not record low enough wind speeds to be useful in microclimate studies. The new wind gauge was perfected at the Water Conservation Laboratory of the ARS in Phoenix, Arizona. The device resembles ordi nary anemometers in most ways, but the cups that catch the wind are cone-shaped rather than hemispherical and are constructed of al most weightless plastic. Both features contrib ute to the sensitivity of the mechanism. After testing several anemometers of differ ent designs in a wind tunnel, the scientists selected one with cup arms made from poly styrene and with cups molded from thin plastic film. The anemometer is compact, portable, easy to dismantle and clean, and accurate within a wide range of wind speeds. Its sensi tivity to wind speeds of less than a tenth of a mile per hour is of prime importance. Several cup assemblies can be mounted on top of each other to measure variations in the movement of different layers of air. since blackfly nymphs also secrete honeydew, thereby causing leaves to be covered with a similar type of sooty mold. The blackfly has been eradicated in the United States, but it exists in the Montemoreles citrus area of Mex ico, which is near the citrus groves of south Texas. The United States and Mexico maintain joint surveillance in an attempt to contain the black fly in Mexico. If the insect should get into Texas, however, infrared photography could help in prompt detection so that control mea sures could be put into effect immediately. Stop Pests Before They Start! Home gardeners, farmers, campers, and hikers are urged to keep a sharp look out for any unusual insect damage to crops, orna mentals, or trees. Such damage should be reported immediately to county ag ricultural agents or to state Aerial Infrared Photography or Federal entomologists, according to the Spots Citrus Insect Infestation Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. De An infestation of the brown soft scale insect partment of Agriculture. The damage could in a citrus orchard has been spotted accurately mean that a new foreign pest has sneaked past for the first time by the use of aerial infrared quarantine barriers or that a native insect is photography, reports the U.S. Department of building up to dangerous levels. Early detec Agriculture. The orchard is located near La tion often makes it possible to eradicate the pest Feria in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of before it can cause widespread damage and re Texas. The infestation was discovered by scien quire extensive control efforts. tists with the USDA’s Agricultural Research A nationwide program to “stop pests before Service by examination of a color infrared pho they start” is being supported both by the Fed tograph taken from a height of 1,000 feet. eral Government and by state governments. In The brown soft scale is a small sucking insect order to demonstrate support of this program, that attacks citrus groves in Texas and Florida. all citizens are urged to help find and stamp out Soft scales secrete large amounts of honeydew, dangerous insect enemies before they cause a substance that causes foliage to become extensive damage. heavily coated with a sooty mold. Infested trees deteriorate rapidly. Brad-Lou Della, a Brown Swiss cow owned USDA scientists believe that infrared aerial by Fulcher and Terrell of Stephenville, Texas, photography can provide a valuable means of has a lifetime production record to date of rapidly detecting infested trees in order that 114,560 pounds of milk and 4,254 pounds of control measures, such as spraying, can be butterfat in 2,43 1 days, says Texas A&M Uni initiated promptly to reduce spread of the in versity. This quantity is sufficient to supply three festation. The photography should also assist glasses of milk per day for the entire population in the detection of citrus blackfly infestations of a town of 1,500 persons for over 6 weeks.
@FedFRASER