HIGHLIGHTS
of
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
m-
#s 21I~rl ~
lies-
~gl na~ 2
lot &4 44Ae-A More Tasty, Nutritious Sericea 
Now Possible . . Soil
Testing Land Selection and Preparation 
for Mechanized Cotton Pro-
duction . Egg Profits or Losses 
... Irrigation Superior Hogs Sought 
in
Breeding Program . . Out of the Post.
VOL. 1, No. 3 - WINTER, 1954
S E R V I N G A L L 
o f A 
LAB AM A
AGRICUL
STATION
of the
TURAL EXPERIMENT
SYSTEM
ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC 
INSTITUTE
,~ ~
* ~e
SUPERIOR HOGS
Sought in Breeding Program
C. D S
1
QUIERS, Associate Animal Breeder
(M I tix t(M N l I, tii li hih pe
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Spriing, 1953'
(gilt littirx 6 :311 .5
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c itill-a t si3 ti Ilisi it xitilm ilt i~c t i i
1953. ii Aii ti i ,i t i iti Idrl~ hii.
A More Tasty, Nutritious
SERICEA Is Now Possible
P D DONNELY soit Pln Breeder,
C7 H-AWKINS, Asoit Dar H4u4andmar,
l Ii i l I lIi 11( it x, l I Iit' l I. l it 's ht ii
Ii l it (t its mw It )t Ii wl I4 liis sivi l
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5(212( xcitiiliti l.
alit\ ai f l mil ofiIlil
- . - W" -f-
4 A7
FIGURE 2. Two leafy inbred sericeo lines showing thickness of stems. The line at
left is a coarse-stemmed type like common sericea, w~hile line at right is fine stemmed,
a characteristic that is being bred into a new variety for Alabama.
I lii'xi'( xlix I'( til 
( l' li xxl v tlt(itu 
is
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Improvement By Breeding
liiuib xi Ill i iid hibt' t i l ' st diesi
spretir xhat i ca iix iit'. a iilil
stemsx. 11i still aliuitliir stuidy, 4'a~e all~id
FIG 1. Fine stemmed, leaty sericeo lines
growing at the API Experiment Station's
Plant Breeding Unit near Tallassee.
"W l ii x . II fills (if i'il TIc iii \\c iiiii-i
c(1li te toiU dii ii l't liil .\ iit(Iiii (In
tiiwiut'x of xti'ins ( Fig. 2) Ilia\ ilso
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So
jij& ''I ~"~'5l
T ES T ING-
Makes It Possible for Alabama
Farmers To Get the Most from
Their Fertilizer Dollars
C. M. WILSON, Associate Soil Chemist
o )OU K.-' ill tll' x t iiZ t iii x ( l illtic
ii ('I , xiP I ll li ,S ']111 it of1 11111 t i. riti x
The a' ~ v.1si ii i to thes I . l o ti ol x I )ix(i
1ol As soonas sokil am lesariv at thec
TeSo)il Te -stig Laortoy the iar un
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1
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1
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itlliir bi 
1 1
)aiix ill t silii ' fro past
t(xtitle -pint foo i cai at e x eo ix for x1)
2o Sale aelclsis p lveiedcl andpased~
cmilthr a o-mbiics( s ie thmov
tstos h ohac mtcria\ o vo
\11 Il l 1e jii e o to tXX .I I cst' li
ale to 1)1 groiwnii axvaIilbl cil('iil ) is
is a ('Ilar.c( oif SI pc' xilil)1ic to helip
Recommendations
\iC]tlei a iii I xis lxcmilphIit('OI tl
fal-Ic s1( lipii udiio xxitli a r epor t xlix-
3After samples have been ground and
screened, they ore accurately weighed
for orolvsix.
4 A dilute acid solution Is added to the
4 samples to dissolve 
t he availaCble
phosphorus and potash.
(Ci(tI til, til ~ t ,I itttI ti ll IX ittiiiiiis it
\ at ll tiii hilok ilit4 i l slii t liX i
7Tha mun of so a vailablrepotashi pres~l-
enIftw inksl(Xl the soilis easued ith af
flame p leVor. m
5 Samples art. tiltered to separatc the The amount ot .cvotiabic phosphorus
5 soil from the solution that contains 6 present 
in the soil is measured with
the available phosphorus and potash. a colorimeter.
ihl l " i al \\i, 5tlt. to AL( aiii X I Il-
l1)inoitfil iiehiit 3.3I sam, II i'r ti
1
ta it
itit ii ed tio i. f ttS i ,jllt I iltorlor\t
thim needTed areileterminedith a )1
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CN/ I// (Is \ a iil)r anid for fall cropIs (IS
cadl! as' lu/i,. 10 beC C'I tii that tiii,
X1illli(i (S\ (l \ 3 to 4 N (-i s. SilpiliCX.,
i11tid ilt i ( th for til it ii i tt it
9 A r (eot % m of the esllts nd ferile
recommendations are mailed to the
farmer and county agent.
5,
LAND SELECTION and
PREPARATION Are First
Steps in Cotton Mechanization
T. E. CORLEY, C. M. STOKES, F. A. KUMMER
Department of Agricultural Engineering
V ItX \(1 I ( MtV l\I. is tlICcisltllil oiii
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1
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Cri Iosil o Reidul-e isposal
fit 'ti Ill' C ii t l it ia t'iI litdo row Xl t'
Titt it ili ' tili ll I itttt I Clittli" X ' iti '
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Seedbed Preparation
Iif ii' l ii ph tit ly X tll ii it ild
li )t~ iiti ill It p I s of i (ii c t of It 
1
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iii it till I111 i \\ c cm(1'. X i s 1111(11 X III1(
itheX so1' i sliii I I A I siotti l C ittjpIl X.
ti II cI Xiii iluiitt iti I Illic I Xs ofi till sol
it'p i'' Iiii tpiti(X l lt at it lliotl XX 1(111
kitd l loIt I (. XXiii( il) .i timJI ll
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ilitt - c11( ill c 1115 HI iit itt i c (of'. I ()till*i\
fIIIwsi Ill c i c ifit ttI I X I' t I 1)11t III I ll~is.
istiit XII 111!i ii' iis itti tt ti Ip ll iti fill
apI)) hillt~i'tIIt i it XXl %xi ttii ii ll tilt
Xt iii ad dr t tli iit I t pil S i l ttI 11' iii liii
"I
XI
FIG. I I't~cr-doriycn rotary cutters leavec liii stotk% In shreds. FIG. 2. Smoothing a terrace with a land leveler before planting.
COMMERCIAL EGG PRODUCTION is a
highly competitive farm business, with
egg supplies and prices fluctuating
within seasons and from year to year.
All of this means that good manage-
ment and marketing practices are a
ust for profitable operation.
At best a laying hen will return about
a penny a day to labor, management,
and capital. A few mistakes or a little
carelessness will wipe out this small
profit margin.
Commercial egg production has an
advantage over other farm enterprises
for the reason that good management
practices are clearly defined. Egg pro-
ducers who know and follow these
practices are in a better position to
weather low-price periods due to over
production in some seasons, large ship-
ments from other states, and competi-
tion with other products for the con-
sumer's food dollar.
Alabama has not produced enough
eggs to satisfy consum er demands.
Practically every year since 1945 this
shortage of Alabama-produced eggs has
increased, reaching 15 million dozens
by 1958. While such deficits have rep-
resented opportunities for expansion by
Alabama producers, they have actually
isulted in shipping in eggs from other
ates.
To make the most of the Alabama
market, operators will have to produce
more eggs and at a lower cost per
dozen. There are two distinct groups
of factors that affect costs and profit
margins. One pertains to production,
while the other group relates to market-
ing and related methods. Production
factors include such variables as flock
10
5
0
-5
-10
15
-20
EGG PROFITS or LOSSES?
Profitable Operation Hinges on Good
Management and Marketing Practices
J. H. BLACKSTONE, Agricultural Economist
H. A. HENDERSON, Assistant Agricultural Economist
size, rate of lay, feed and labor effi-
ciency, and death losses. How each of
these affects success is revealed in a
study of 130 commercial egg producers
in Alabama during 1951-52.
Size of Flock
The study shows that the smallest
size flock for profitable commercial egg
production is about 509 layers. Of the
130 producers studied, 48 averaged
1,400 layers and made a profit of 90
per dozen eggs produced; 49 farms av-
eraging 500 layers made a profit of
71/20 per dozen; 33 farms averaging
only 300 layers produced eggs at a loss
of nearly 4 0 a dozen.
Rate of Lay
Based on this study, the minimum
goal should be 180 eggs per layer per
year. Of the 130 producers studied, 54
reported 200 or more egs per bird and
a profit of 140 per dozen eggs pro-
duced; 53 producers reporting 150 to
200 eggs per bird made a 4? profit on
each dozen; 23 producers who reported
less than 150 eggs per layer lost almost
110 per dozen.
Number of production factors
Egg profits depend on the number of production factors in which flock owners excel.
Feed Efficiency
It was found that market egg flocks
should produce a dozen eggs for 6 or
less pounds of total feed fed. About
half of the producers studied used more
than this amount. Feed costs made up
about 63o of the total costs of produc-
ing eggs. Market egg producers who
used 7 or more pounds of feed and
hatching egg producers who used 9 or
more pounds per dozen eggs produced
usually lost money.
Labor Efficiency
The study showed that no more than
6 minutes of total labor should be used
per dozen eggs produced. Adjustments
could be made in building arrangement,
location of equipment, and methods of
performing daily chores and handling
eggs that would increase labor efficiency
on many farms. On the 130 farms
studied, profits per dozen eggs pro-
duced decreased as the minutes of la-
bor required to produce a dozen eggs
increased.
Death Losses
The producers who held mortality
to 10 per cent or less made 14 cents
profit per dozen eggs produced, while
those who had 30 per cent or more
mortality lost 7 cents per dozen.
As producers excelled in the fore-
going production factors, their profits
per dozen eggs produced increased, see
chart. Thirteen 
of the 130 
producers
were below average in all five factors
and lost 15 cents per dozen. In con-
trast, 28 producers, who were above
average in four or more of the factors,
made a profit of 16 cents per dozen.
Although highly competitive, pro-
ducers who do a good job in all phases
of production and.marketing find it to
be profitable.
EDITOR's NOTE: For complete details of
this study, write API Agricultural Experi-
ment Station, Auburn, Ala., for Station
Bulletin 290, "Costs and Returns to Com-
mercial Egg Producers."
PROFIT, cents per dozen egoQs Qroduced, II
H I G H L IG H TS IRRIGATION? Depends on Reliable
of Water Source, Costs of System and
ArD- lllTIIDAI D IC:I AD W
Published Quarterly by
Agricultural Experiment Station
of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute
Auburn, Alabama
E. V. SMITH
CHAS. F. SIMMONS_
COYT WILSON .........
KENNETH B. Roy
J. OLAN COOPER
Director
--Assoc. Director
....Asst. Director
- - Editor
Assoc. Editor
Newa and 7imdel
PUBLICATIONS
Listed here are timely and new pub-
lications reporting research by the Agri-
cultural Experiment Station:
Bul. 291. Marketing Practices of Com-
mercial Egg Producers in Alabama is a
report of marketing and related produc-
tion practices in use, and the relation-
ship of these practices to financial
rewards of producers.
Bul. 292. Factors Affecting Handling
Costs of Cottonseed at Gins in Alabama
is a discussion of practices affecting the
costs of handling cottonseed at gins and
suggested improvements for increasing
efficiency and lowering costs.
Leaflet 28. Poultry Range Shelter is an
illustrated report telling the advantages
and how to construct movable range
shelters.
Leaflet 29. Suggestions for Planting
Slash and Loblolly Pine in Alabama's
Piedmont tells how, when, and where
to plant and the spacing for these two
species.
Free copies may be obtained from
your county agent or by writing the
API Agricultural Experiment Station,
Auburn, Alabama.
DID YOU, like many an Alabama
farmer, watch your crops and pastures
parch and dry up last summer? And,
did you ask yourself the question-
what about irrigation?
It is a serious and very important
question. Involved are a number of
points that must be considered, such as
dependable water source, right to use
water in streams, use of good farming
practices in connection with irrigation,
and cash outlay for an adequate sys-
tem and cost of operation.
Dependable Water Source
Year-round streams are one of the
most dependable sources of irrigation
water. However, many farms are not
situated on stream banks. Farm ponds
offer a means of storing surplus water
for use during dry periods. However,
there are many farms on which the use
of ponds is not practicable because of
the lack of suitable pond sites. In some
areas, too much water is lost by seep-
age. In others, the area that can be
drained into a pond is not large enough
to provide enough water for irrigation.
Wells offer a solution in the southern
and possibly some other portions of the
State. However, in the Piedmont .and
Upper Coastal Plain regions, the capac-
ity of the well is likely to be too low
to provide water for irrigation. Infor-
mation on the availability of ground-
water supplies in various parts of the
State may be obtained from the Ala-
bama Geological Survey at Tuscaloosa,
Alabama.
Right to Use Streams
Alabama does not have laws that de-
fine clearly the right of individuals to
use water from streams. In some in-
stances, two or three farmers may be
able to use all the water that flows
through a stream. In such case, those
people living farther down the stream
may attempt to prevent, by court ac-
tion, the removal of water for irrigation.
The right to use the available water
should be investigated before investing
in irrigation equipment.
Follow Good Practices
If a crop is to be irrigated, the
grower should plant an adapted variety,
use adequate fertilizer, and follow good
cultural practices. Weeds, insects, and
diseases may become more destructive
when water is applied as needed by
the crop. The grower who invests in
irrigation equipment cannot afford a
crop failure caused by poor manage-
ment.
Outlay and Operation Costs
The cost of applying water with port-
able overhead sprinkler systems is not
great. Most published figures fall be-
tween $1.50 and $2.50 per acre-inch
of water. Even though these figures
include interest on investment, they do
not indicate the high initial cost of
the system. The cost varies depending
upon distance that water is to be
moved, height to which it must be
lifted, and size of system. In most
cases, the cost will be at least $2,000
and may be considerably more. Some
banks are financing this type of invest-
ment, and the Federal Government has
passed legislation providing for long-
time loans for this purpose.
FREE Bulletin or Report of Progress
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
of the ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
E. V. Smith, Director
Auburn, Alabama
Permit No. 1132-11 /54-8M
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID
PAYMENT OF POSTAGE, $300
Operation, and Use of Good Methods
COYT WILSON, Assistant Director
1. . r ., Tr .~ .1 . r . 1 .