.j HISTORY C
OF THE
CHILTON AREA
HORTICULTURE
SUBSTATION
OF THE
ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL
EXPERIMENT STATION
OF
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
1948-1982
D C
ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
GALE A. BUCHANAN, DIRECTOR AUBURN UNIVERSITY, ALABAMA

HISTORY OF THE
CHILTON AREA HORTICULTURE SUBSTATION
of the
ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
1948-1982
C. C. Carlton, Superintendent
ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
The Chilton Area Horticulture Substation was authorized by an act of
the Alabama Legislature in 1947. Land for the Substation was selected by a
committee named by the Director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment
Station System. Dean and Director M. J. Funchess appointed P. 0. Davis,
R. E. Cammack, and L. M. Ware to review the possible location sites.
M. R. Glasscock, County Agent, and 
C. C. Carlton, Assistant County
Agent, obtained options on three possible sites in Chilton County. Autauga
and Elmore counties did not submit proposed sites.
The site in Collins Chapel Community east of Thorsby was selected
because it was more typical of the central Alabama land than the site in
the Pools Cross Roads Community or the site near Verbena.
Eighty acres of land was purchased 
from R. T. and Mattie Davis and 65
acres from Luby and Loys Gore by the Chilton County Commission in the
summer of 1948. The Chilton County Commission consisted of Dr. Lonnie
Parrish, Probate Judge, and Commissioners Hoyt Freeman, Monroe Parrish,
R. L. Ousley, and Howard Roper. The price paid the owners for the land was
$150 per acre, and the deeds were made to the Alabama Polytechnic
Institute.
An additional 16 acres of land were purchased from the adjoining Henry
Cox estate in 1960 for $5,000. This purchase, made with funds from the
Substation itself, brought the total land area to 161 acres.
C. C. Carlton was hired as Superintendent as of October 1, 1948.
Hollis E. Todd was hired as Assistant Superintendent June 4, 1958, and
resigned September 5, 1959. Kenneth C. Short was hired to replace Todd
January 12, 1960.
A one-time sum of $35,000 was appropriated for buildings and equip-
ment, with an annual appropriation of $12,500 for operation and maintenance.
A sales funds has given financial stability for the Substation through the
years; State appropriations have been inadequate in most years.
Several special appropriations have been made during late years, and
increasing sales funds have provided fairly adequately for operation and
maintenance. The most recent financial assist was $40,000 of state bond
money for a new office and auditorium, which was completed in 1976. Auburn
University added approximately $10,000 to this fund for building and
furnishings. Senator Walter Givhan was instrumental in getting the funds
to build this building.
Early years were devoted to updating existing buildings 
and building
an office and packing shed, two labor houses, and a superintendent's 
resi-
dence. A metal machinery shed was erected for storage and 
equipment. Most
of the building was done in the fall and winter, with the spring 
and summer
being used to do vegetable research and set orchards. Roads were built,
most land was reterraced, and waterways were formed and seeded to fescue
and clover. Much of the land on the Substation had to be 
leveled and
reterraced more than once to make it suitable for conducting 
research.
There has been a consistent problem of getting water out of 
terraces and
onto a sodded waterway without undue erosion, either 
of the plowed soil at
the edge of the waterway or the waterway itself.
The building program continued through the years with 
the addition of a
new sweet potato storage house, an assistant superintendent's 
residence, a
pole type machinery shed, a chemical storage 
house, and the new office-
audi tori um.
RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCTED
Blackberries
When the Substation was established there were 
about 600 acres of
trailing type blackberries in Chilton County. There was 
a problem of how to
control insects, mainly strawberry weevil, and 
leafspot diseases on this
crop. Plantings were made and tests 
set up with Dr. Bill Eden and
Dr. Urban Diener cooperating. These tests were 
concluded in 1954 and
Leaflet No. 46, Control of Leaf Spot and Strawberry Weevil 
on Trailing
Blackberries, was published in 1955 giving the results and suggested 
spray
schedule. In those days DDT and toxaphene were 
available for use, as was
chl ordane.
The blackberry industry was phased out during the 
1960's due to poor
market prices, high labor cost, and competition 
of peaches for labor.
Peaches
A major effort at the Chilton Area Horticulture 
Substation has been to
solve problems associated with growing peaches 
in central Alabama.
A sod culture test was set in 1949 because 
it was believed that some
sod could be grown on the orchard floor that would be compatible 
with trees
and prevent plowing, clean culture, and soil erosion. 
Crops tried as sod
were sericea lespedeza, alfalfa, bur clover, 
and abruzzi rye. The abruzzi
rye treatment was best because it was disked down 
in the spring and did not
compete with the trees for moisture 
at the time the fruit was on the trees.
Most peach growers used a side plow under the trees 
to control in-row
weeds and grass, but this built a terrace under 
each row and left the
ground uneven. The middles were disked, leaving 
the soil bare and thereby
subject to erosion. When herbicides that would 
kill grasses and weeds and
not harm trees became available, the Substation was 
the first to use them
in orchards. Paraquat used as a directed contact 
spray on the weeds and
grasses under the trees worked well, along with 
the use of Sinbar as a
preemergence treatment for germinating seeds under 
trees over 3 years of
age.
It was found that leaving the native grasses and weeds in the middles
and mowing was satisfactory in controlling erosion. Today many herbicides
can be used under fruit trees to suppress weeds and grasses.
The first peach variety test was set up in 1949, with Dr. Ben Hagler
as cooperator (substations did not have project leaders at that time).
Sixty-five varieties were included in that test. 
When this test was
completed, Leaflet No. 48, Peach Varieties for Alabama, 
was published in
1958 giving the characteristics of each variety. One of 
the findings that
came from actually weighing the trees and roots as they were 
pulled from
soil was that a peach tree usually produces more pounds 
of fruit each year
than the top and roots weigh.
Variety testing has continued as new releases became available 
and
many numbered selections from peach breeders have been grown and charac-
teristics recorded in Circular No. 209, Performance of Peach 
Varieties and
Selections in Central Alabama, of November 1973. In 
general, the lines
from Fort Valley, Georgia, have performed best in our area.
The latest variety test was pulled in 1977 due to high 
incidence of
phony disease, in order to prevent the spread to a 
rootstock test in the
same area. New trees were set in 1978.
Some tests were conducted in the early years for the control 
of peach
tree borers. Ethylene dichloride, emulsion, PDB, and DDT were 
used, but
current control involves trunk sprays in 
the fall with Thiodane or Lorsban.
In 1948 and 1949, parathion was a 
new insecticide on the market that
was effective against plum curculio (peach 
worms) and it is still effec-
tive. Other material, such as malathion, BHC, chlordane, 
Dieldrin, and
Thiodane, have given good control of plum curculio; 
therefore, we have not
conducted much research with peach insecticides.
Peach fungicide tests were started in 1952 with 
Dr. Urban Diener as
project leader. One of the early tests showed that a 
combination of Captan
and Cyprex was effective in the control of brown rot, 
rhizopus rot, scab,
and bacterial spot. Prior to that time there 
had been no effective control
of bacterial spot on peaches. This combination, 
however, caused shotholing
of leaves on plums. Many compounds have been tested 
at this Substation
through the years and results reported in Agricultural 
Experiment Station
publications, the latest being Circular No. 
217, Control of Peach Diseases
in Alabama, in 1975 with Dr. Archie Latham as project 
leader. It is
believed that the best control for bacterial 
spot of peach and plum is for
the plant breeders to develop resistant cultivars. Many are available, but
do not cover the entire growing season.
The search should continue for control methods for 
fruit diseases.
Due to the high number of man-hours required to hand 
thin peaches in
the spring, a test was started in 1959, with Dr. Harry 
Amling as project
leader, to seek some answers to chemical thinning. The 
first test was to
screen compounds such as CIPC, NAA, and 3CP to determine 
to what extent
their use would induce abscission of some of the small 
fruits. The com-
pound 3CP was found to be most effective in causing increased 
drop.
The next test was set up to determine the proper stage 
in the fruit
development for application of 3CP and the concentration of 
3CP that would
cause the desired thinning. On a few varieties, such as Elberta, Ranger,
and Redhaven, thinning was best when the ovule length in the seed was 8 to
10 mm, with 125 and 150 p.p.m, of 3CP. This did not hold true for some
other varieties, such as Dixired and Redcap. Results were also affected by
temperatures at the time of application, with more drop at temperatures
above 70*F and less when below 70?F. The complication of 
this type of
thinning was too great for most peach growers to accept as a standard
practice.
The mechanical tree shaker was developed about 
the time that problems
were identified with chemical thinning, and efforts were turned to the use
of this method of reducing numbers of fruit on trees. 
The operator deter-
mines when enough fruit has dropped from the tree while he sits 
on the
tractor at each tree. This seems to be the best method 
known, along with
hand thinning after the tree shaker has been used.
A new chemical thinner came out in 1977 that has looked promising in
some tests. It is safe in that one application 
can be made early and if
not enough drop is induced a second and even a 
third application can be
made. The material, CGA-15281, has not been 
cleared by EPA at this time.
Peach Replant
Another problem that has been studied 
at the Chilton Area Horticulture
Substation is on replanting of orchards on old peach sites 
and on newly
cleared woodlands. The problem seems to be depleted 
subsoil fertility,
root diseases, nematodes, and low pH.
Tests with new-ground plantings showed the soil 
was low in phosphate
and calcium and that peach trees are 
susceptible to some of the same root
diseases as timber. Trees that were set the first 
year after clearing
*timber did not survive as well as those set 2 or 3 years 
after clearing.
Other tests are underway to determine peach 
tree life and survival on
different rootstock. Of nine peach rootstocks under 
test, the best at the
present seems to be Lovell.
Mechanical Pruning
A Fossum tree trimmer was purchased in 
1971 and mounted on a tractor
front end loader. The trimmer consisted of a boom 
with eight 14-inch cir-
cular saws mounted underneath and offset to the right side of the tractor.
This machine has been used to hedge fruit 
trees to desired heights and
shape, thereby reducing man-hours required to prune. 
Labor reduction by
hedging has been more than 50 percent in most cases.
An experiment was set up in peaches to determine 
the effort of
mechanical pruning and hand pruning on yield of 
fruit. Trees that were
mechanically pruned produced as much fruit as 
the hand pruned trees. A
test has been concluded with mechanical and hand 
pruning of apples, with
Dr. W. A. Dozier as project leader, and results 
reported in Bulletin No.
519, Pruning and Training of Red Delicious Apples, 
in 1980.
Mechanical pruning without hand pruning is not as desirable in apple
production as in peaches because of canopy type information of the branches
in the area where they are cut each year. Apple tree branches have to be
thinned as well as shortened to allow sunlight to penetrate and aid in
developing red color.
Apples
At the time the Chilton Area Horticulture Substation was established
in 1948, Director Funchess said the Substation should not spend much time
and effort on apple production because the apple industry would not be of
great importance in this area. In the late 1950's, however, there was some
serious efforts by an extension agent, namely Hoyt Webb, and some farmers
to establish apple plantings and marketing operation.
In 1958, a variety test of about 50 kinds of apples was put in at this
Substation. Getting these trees to set fruit proved difficult due to
excessive growth and fire blight. Many of these varieties were highly
susceptible to fire blight and we were never able to control the disease in
this planting.
These trees were pulled and another test started with different
rootstocks. This test was not very successful, but it did give an indica-
tion that MM 106 rootstock was the best.
In 1964, an orchard of Vance Red Delicious and Golden Delicious was
established for research with fertilizers and mechanical pruning. Also set
at this time were Starkrimson Red Delicious and Stark Spur Golden, as 
well
as some Lodi. The Lodi trees were so susceptible to fire blight that they
were removed in the third year and replaced with Molly's Delicious, which
proved just as susceptible to the 
disease as Lodi. We struggled along with
those varieties, and in most years were able to control fire blight on 
all
but Molly's Delicious.
In 1980, fire blight on Molly's was controlled by using 120 p.p.m. of
Agrimycin instead of the 60 p.p.m. as recommended and by making 
applica-
tions twice weekly during bloom.
The Vance Red Delicious did not put on enough red color to compete in
the market with the apples from other areas, therefore, this variety was
difficult to sell. There was also a problem of shelf life with this
variety.
The work was completed on mechanical pruning and results published in
Bulletin 519. Mechanical pruning alone was not satisfactory for apple pro-
duction due to the canopy of shoot growth that formed during the following
growing season. This canopy of shoots prevented sunlight penetration into
the lower and center of the trees and, therefore, resulted in poor red
color. Mechanical hedging and hand thinning of the shoots did enhance color
development and reduce the cost of pruning operation. This orchard was
removed when the work was complete.
A study with applications of calcium chloride and boron to the soil
and to the fruit and foliage for the control of corking was conducted on
Starkrimson apples. This work is completed and is ready for publication.
Apple varieties that have been added to Substation planting have been
Smoothe Golden, Topred, Wells Spur, Red King Oregon Spur, Prime Gold, Red
Spur Delicious, Granny Smith, Chehalis, Redrose, Criterion, Winter Banana,
Sharp Red, and Early Red One.
Work that has been done on close spacing of Red Delicious apple trees
is also reported in Bulletin 519, showing that yield was better from trees
spaced 10 feet apart in rows than 71 or 5 feet.
Other apple research done at this Substation has included the use of
growth regulators such as Alar, Ethephon, and Promalin:Alar for increased
blooming and fruiting, Ethephon for more red color and ripening, and
Promalin to induce longer apples instead of flat ones.
Apple marketing has been a problem at the Substation, in that we have
been unable to market fruit with the larger users and the quantity is too
great for the local trade.
Some apples are sold in market baskets, while others are packaged at
the Substation shed in regular apple boxes with trays or bags.
Weather records and the relation to fruit production have been recorded
for about 25 years.
Sweet Potatoes
From its beginning, the Chilton Area Horticulture Substation has
worked with the problems of producing, storing, and mechanizing sweet pota-
toes, and with furnishing certified sweet potatoes for growers in Alabama.
Many varieties have been grown, first Porto Rico then Gold Rush, Georgia
Red, Centennial, and now Jewel, which is the best of all except for slip
production. Since 1969 the Substation has cooperated with Tuskegee
Institute in breeding true seed of sweet potatoes, by growing a seed gar-
den, making controlled crosses, and making evaluation of breeding lines
from Tuskegee and many other states' breeding programs.
Sweet potato production in central Alabama has gone from the "tater
patch" in the 1940's to several hundred acres of commercial sweet potatoes
in the 1970's with grading, packaging, and marketing operations. With the
aid of soil insecticides, weed control chemicals, nematicides, better
varieties, and good mechanization, the yield of sweet potatoes has moved from
150 bushels to 500 and 600 bushels per acre in the past 25 years.
Sweet Corn
During the early years that the Chilton Area Horticulture Substation
was in operation, much effort was placed on variety testing and corn ear-
worm control in sweet corn.
One of the best producing and best market accepted varieties was
Aristogold Bantom Everygreen Hybrid. The size of ears and stalks was good
and quality of the corn was excellent.
The market demanded an almost worm-free ear of sweet corn. Dr. Bill
Eden worked with the Substation in research with DDT to control this pest.
6
Some of the first work was directed toward rates of DDT, but it was soon
decided that the rate per acre or per 100 gallons was not as 
important as
the time of application. The timing of application found to control 
the
corn earworm was to start with the first appearance of ear shoots 
and spray
the ear region of the plants with a directed spray at every-other-day
intervals, and then as the first silks appeared change to daily applica-
tions until silks were brown and then change back to alternate-day
spraying.
This was too much spraying for the growers in this area 
to compete in
the market, so little corn was sprayed and the research 
was discontinued.
Watermelons
Watermelon research has been limited to variety testing and seed
multiplication at the Substation, with Dr. Joe Norton 
as project leader.
The 1977 test was excellent, with Garrisonan and Auburn 
No. 1 being
outstanding, along with a few breeding lines.
In more recent years, a breeding line known as Auburn 
No. 3 has proven
to be a valuable line because of its productivity, quality, 
and disease
resistance. This line is to be introduced soon.
The Substation grew a few acres of Auburn No. 3 each 
year and selected
the best melons for seed production. Further seed increase 
is planned.
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe variety testing and seed increase of varieties 
and breeding
lines have been major efforts in some years. Some 
work was conducted in
cantaloupe production and market studies were carried out with Dr. Norton,
the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, 
and
Winn-Dixie stores in the Montgomery Area.
The Chilton variety was named because it showed 
real promise for
crating, yield, and high quality in this area. This 
variety has been grown
several years at this Susbtation for market with the 
best melons cut for
seed multiplication. The Chilton cantaloupe is of high 
quality, flavor, and
size when grown under good conditions, which in most 
years means
irrigation.
Many farmers still grow the Hale Jumbo 
in the area and haul them in
bulk to market.
Bush Snap Beans
During many years, research with bush snap beans has been conducted.
The early trials were variety tests for multi-pick harvesting for fresh
market. The two varieties that came to light in the~ early fifties were Top
Crop and Contender. These varieties are still being used by many growers
for home use.
Recent work at the Substation with bush snap beans has been directed
toward spacing and variety test for once-over harvest. 
It has been found
that seed should be planted about 2 inches apart for 
best results. There
7
are a number of good varieties available, but Provider is one of the best.
Several breeding lines have looked even better in the tests.
Muscadine Grapes
A muscadine grape variety test has been maintained at the Substation
since the first year of operation. Such varieties as Hunt, Thomas, Yuga,
Scuppernong, Dulcet, Burgow, Topsail, and Tarheel were first grown. These
varieties were not self pollinators, except for Tarheel which was used
instead of a male vine at the beginning.
As perfect flowered varieties were available from breeders in other
states, several were added to the plantings. We worked closely with a Dr.
Lommis of the USDA Horticulture Field Station, near Meridian, Mississippi.
Dr. Lommis made many crosses and came up with many perfect flowered lines.
In these lines we found good producers that were good for jellies, jams,
and wine. These lines were named Southland, Bountiful, and Chief.
Plums
Research with plum varieties began with the planting of several trees
of Ozark Premier and Methley. These trees were planted away from peach
trees because phony disease symptoms were not easily detectable in wild or
domesticated plum cultivars. In fact, wild plums were pulled or dug up
along fence rows and roadsides on Substation property and neighboring farms
to lessen the chance of phony disease being spread to peaches. The only
control for phony disease in peach trees is to destroy the tree when the
first symptoms appear. The disease is spread by leaf hoppers from infected
to clean trees. One of the great problems is that a peach tree may have
the phony causing bacteria, Rickettsia, in the zylum tissue a year and half
before the shortening of internodes, flatting of leaves, and reduced size
fruit become visible.
A plum variety test was set, with Dr. Norton as project leader, which
included some 30 varieties and breeding lines in 1965. These trees were
isolated from peaches as far as possible. From this and work at Auburn
emerged such varieties as Crimson, Purple, Homeside, Bruce B14, and AU
Producer.
The problem of boron deficiency appeared on the first planting of
Ozark Premier plums on the Substation as a sunken dimple about - inch in
diameter on the maturing fruits. The flesh under the skin was brown and it
detracted from the appearance of the fruits to make them unsaleable.
Dr. Norton set up a rates of boron to the soil test at the Substation
and at Marvin Durbin's farm. It seemed there was less boron deficiency on
the fruits after several annual applications of 3/4 pound fertilizer grade
boron was applied. Other varieties of domesticated plums do not seem to
show the boron deficiency on the fruits.
A second variety test of plums and another study with boron deficiency
on Ozark Premier was set in 1971. During the 1977 growing season, Dr.
Latham checked these trees for phony-causing bacteria by a new method deve-
loped by a Dr. French in Florida. This method is to pull, with a vacuum
pump, a solution through a section of root or stem and observe the number
8
of rickettsia-like bacteria under a high-powered microscope. The bacteria
have been found in every tree in the test, so this means phony 
is present
and thus trees are to be removed.
A new plum variety test was planted in the early spring of 1977, but
it is not known whether the trees carry the phony-causing bacteria. This
test included 17 varieties replicated 5 times.
A planting of about 500 seedling plums was 
made in 1974 with
Dr. Norton as project leader. Some of these seedlings 
fruited in 1977.
The trees were rogued for vicious thorns, black 
knot disease, poor fruit
size and quality, tree vigor, and tree shape. 
Several selections were
tagged and saved for possible use as new varieties and in breeding 
programs
in 1978.
Irrigation
A portable system consisting of a pump with a VF4 Wisconsin 
engine, a
few hundred feet of 4-inch aluminum main with sprinklers, 
and a set of
3-inch perforated pipe for irrigating square areas was 
purchased in 1953.
Later, in 1955, Dean and Director E. V. Smith 
was offered some 4- and
5-inch pipe by Reynolds Aluminum Company. Using 
their pipe and purchased
couplers made possible expansion of the irrigation system.
A runoff pond was constructed soon after the 
Substation was started to
store available water for irrigation of crops in the 
immediate area. This
pond supplied water for spring crops but not for 
summer and fall crops;
therefore, a pond was constructed east of the headquarters 
area where there
were two springs and branches to supply water continuously. 
Water was
pumped from one pond to the other with a war surplus 
pump and a portable
pipeline, and a second pump distributed the water 
to the crops.
In 1969, a 25-hp electric pump was installed and a 
6-inch PVC
underground line was laid from the new pond 
to the research area. Four-
inch steel risers were installed where portable pipe could be attached to
distribute the water to the crop area. A spray 
filler station was put at
the end of the line with cut-off value and relay switch to start and stop
the pump. This has been a great service due to the 
many times that
sprayers are filled and washed while doing plot 
work as well as regular
crop and weed spraying. This system delivers 
450 gallons of water per
minute at about 80 p.s.i.
Early work was done to measure increased yield and quality of vege-
table crops from irrigation with varying amounts 
of fertilizer and organic
matter.
Irrigation has been used every year it has been available 
to insure
crops and research can receive adequate 
water during periods of low
rainfall.
Tomatoes
Since tomatoes are such an important crop commercially and for home
gardeners in the central Alabama area, much time 
has been devoted to
researching this crop.
9
Early variety test work started with Marglobe, 
Rutgers, and breeding
lines from other stations. Rutgers was used for many years as the standard
for comparing new varieties and breeding lines. When inspecting plots at
harvest time, a good looking variety would many times turn out to be
Rutgers.
For many years the Substation cooperated with Dr. Walter Greenleaf as
project leader in the Southeastern Tomato Evaluation Project (STEP) trials.
These trials have tested breeding lines from the Southeastern States
against named varieties as to yield, shape, size, 
color, acidity, internal
color, firmness, resistance to rots, and resistance 
to cracking of fruits.
From the STEP trials, such varieties as Homestead 24, Flordel,
Atkinson, Walter, and Auburn 76 have been released to the public. 
These
cultivars have resistance to nematodes, mosaic, cracking, 
and sun scald.
There is a need for tomato lines that will set fruit 
when the temperature
is in the high eighties and nineties in the central Alabama area.
During the early years of the Substation, tests 
were concerned with
fertilizers, irrigation, staking versus nonstaking, 
and cost of production.
Tomatoes use fertilizer and water efficiently and 
in large quantities.
They respond in higher yields and better quality fruits 
to irrigation and
staking.
In 1967, the food processors in Alabama became interested in more
tomatoes for their plants to can from machine harvested 
operations. Auburn
University purchased a once-over tomato harvester from 
Food Machinery
Cooperation and set up tomato plantings 
at the Chilton Area Horticulture
Substation, as well as at Fairhope, Headland, Auburn, 
and Cullman, for work
with once-over harvest. Tests were conducted with varieties, 
bed shaping,
and cost of production.
The mechanization of tomato harvesting was successful 
on level or near
level land, but not on hillsides. Studies 
show that 20 tons of ripe toma-
toes at harvest were required to reach the break-even 
point in cost of
operation. Tomato varieties were not available 
that would produce 20 tons
in Alabama, and they are not at this writing.
Although the tomato harvesting mechanization 
project has been discon-
tinued, much information was obtained that can be 
used when plant breeders
find varieties suitable for once-over harvest.
Cooperators on this project were Jack Turner, Department of
Horticulture, Charlie Stokes, Department of Agricultural 
Engineering, and
members of the Department of Agricultural Economics 
and Rural Sociology.
In 1976, 1977, and 1978, tomato variety tests were conducted 
in
cooperation with Jack Turner, using the best known methods 
of production,
staking, fertilizing, and irrigating. These tomatoes 
were hand harvested
and graded for fresh marketing. Several varieties, 
including Auburn 76,
Traveler, and Terrific, produced near 20 tons of 
marketable fruits. Test
continued yearly through 1983.
10
Cull tomatoes are a problem in the production of market tomatoes.
There is a big need for varieties and production methods that will 
reduce
number of culls, which often amounts to one-third or more of the crop.
Southernpeas
During the early years of the Substation, variety tests with southern-
peas were conducted. Among the better varieties found were the Giant
Blackeye and the Alalong, developed by Dr. C. L. Isbell, of the Department
of Horticulture. The Giant Blackeye had some off-type seeds in it and more
selections were made to purify the strain.
This station cooperated with the Foundation Seed Stocks Farm in pro-
ducing and maintaining a seed source of these two southernpea varieties
throughout the years.
Dr. Sam Jones was project leader for southernpeas research for several
years until his untimely death in 1969. His work was with varieties, che-
mical weed control, and spacings.
After Dr. Jones came Dr. Oyette Chambliss, who continued variety
testing and selecting for machine harvest types.
Cucumbers
The first tests conducted with cucumbers were a cost of production and
man-hour labor demands by dates. the price paid for processing cucumbers
was from 1? to 5? per pound, and this was not enough to pay cost.
During 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1971, variety tests, spacing tests, and
machine harvest test were conducted with Jack Turner and Dr. Oyette
Chambliss as project leaders. W&W Pickle Company, of Montgomery, furnished
a once-over harvester to pick the cukes. This FMC machine was efficient in
harvesting, but the problem was to get sufficient yield of No. 1 size cukes
ready at one time. This once-over harvest was not found to be a practical
way for a farmer to make much money producing processing cucumbers.
Another project was planned for multi-pick harvest with a machine that
was also provided by W&W Pickle Company. 
In this test, one row was planted
on 5-foot, flat shaped beds. When the cucumbers were ready for harvest the
machine was operated over the field twice weekly for 3 weeks. The yields
from these six harvests were about 150 bushels per acre of all sizes.
Then the once-over machine was used to complete the harvest and picked
about 150 additional bushels per acre, making a total of 300 bushels per
acre. Low yields of desirable size cukes and high yields of jumbo sizes
were obtained.
There was a high cost for hand labor for hoeing to control grass and
weeds because there were no effective herbicides for cucumber plantings.
The multi-pick and then a final destructive harvest method operation
resulted in a break-even type of operation at prevailing prices for
processing cucumbers.
11
Project Leaders
The following is a list of project leaders and other persons who have
contributed to the operation and research of the Chilton Area Horticulture
Substation through the years:
L. M. Ware- Fruits and Vegetables
Dr. Ben Hagler - Fruits
Hubert Harris - Food Processing
Aubrey 
Johnson 
- Vegetables
Dr. C. L. Isbell - Vegetables
Dr. Bill Eden - Fruit and Vegetable Insects
Dr. Urban Diener - Fruit and Vegetable Diseases
Dr. R. L. Self - Vegetable Diseases
R. L. Livingston- Fruits
Lacey Hyche - Vegetable Insects
Dr. Don Canerday - Vegetable Insects
Dr. Harry Amling - Fruits
Dr. Joseph D. Norton - Plums and Melons
Dr. Sam Jones - Vegetables
Dr. W. A. Dozier - Fruits
Jack Turner - Vegetables
Dr. Don Perkins - Head, Department of Horticulture
Dr. Archie Latham - Fruit Diseases
Dr. Walter Greenleaf - Vegetables
Dr. Costas Kouskolekas - Vegetable Insects
Charlie Stokes - Vegetable Machinery
Dr. Booker T. Whatley - Sweet Potato Breeding
Dr. Ken Rymal - Food Processing
Lavern Brown - Buildings
Jenny Knowles - Fruit Tree Life
Henry C. Williams - Fruit Fertilizer and Tree 
Life
Tom Eagar - Buildings
Workers
Long time workers who made contributions to 
the operation of the
Substation:
George Davis
Alford Davenport
Eugene 
Spigner
Arthur Carter
Monroe Ivey
Dorothy Messer
Leroy Johnson
Grady Adams
Douglas Scott
Lessie Davis
Gertrude Spi gner
Lela Carter
BellI Ivey
Frances Davenport
Peggy Scott
Reta Adams
12

Infiornlation contained herein is avaable to all pcr~s n, rega/'u; /
of'race, co/or, sexv, or national origin.