SlP Ij q r IQ-7 HIGHLIGHTS of AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH Iff t41 644Ade Soil and Quality Pine Seed- Igs . . Progress Made in Control of European )rn Borer . . . Shoot for Heavier, Quality Calves iys Market Study . . . Managed Calf Crop In- cases Beef Profits . . . Sulfur--Necessary for int Life . . . Wiley Sorgo-A New Variety for ,lity SirUP Prodlucti n Cmic C ntrol -f -S rr ..- -, 4% AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION SYSTEM of the ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE 5 E R V I N G A L L o A hl~ RU-L~~ A LA NA M A f-il SOIL "dta QUALITY PINE SEEDLINGS JACK T. MAY and A. R. GILMORFE Department of Forestry A LANI)OWxNEi C (AN B1LAMiE One Of thiree thiiigs if fexxer thain 70% of' the pine Seedliigs hie p~lanited sui xix - low' soil fertility in nun sci v poor planting meth odsl, (or poo a care ot Seedl inigs in Shipjpiing and haiidling. Soil fci tilit 'v is just ats iimportaut as the Other twvo factirs. The irsei x bed is the Seedling's first home. It's ill the nserx that the Seedling is expected to get l ipci 11(111 ishilmen t from soil foi sii xx1 later onl exposed, cut-over foi- est lands or eirode(] fields. Loxx fertility of inirsci v soil can reduce possible sin: x ix al (if the Seedliing. Pinic Seedlimigs, in a xvay, aie like cot- tonl plants. Large cotton plants doi not necessarilx produce a bumper yield. Likexwise, large piiie Seedlinigs d1( not alwayxs hiax the highest suirxvixval rate. It's the iinternal makeuip of the seedling. gathered from nutrients of the soil, that is most important. Appearance of seedlings helps de- tcirmine xwhich arc suitable for plaiiting. Suitable southeirn pine Seedlings must base stem lengths of 6 to 12 in. Stemns of seedlings aie w xoodyv, or nil deratelv stiff, and at least i's in. in diaimetcr. Shown here is good quality, year-old lob- loly planting stock. Note the good root systems and size of stems. The fibrous roots are about 10 in. long. The stem l engths vary from 8 to 12 in. lie plants hasc w xelI lx e\loped fibrous sI ot wxsten that aie atl least (3 inl. longi. Sail and Seedlings What aie soil conditions that pr oduce (,ood quality pilanting stock, and how it 1e thex attained" Rlesults of API Ag- ricultur al Experimnut Station tests showx that a fax orable soil condlition must be maiintainedl in the imursei v becd. This is ncessary so that Seedlings callI be y- moxved from soil xx ithout loss of or in- liiy to Small roots. Aln application of :30 tons of sawvdust per acire foillowxed bv at green manuire cr op cxcix third vear resulted in a good soi con0]dition. InI turn, high qual ity se edlings were produced. A faxvo1able tilth also xxas maintained xxhen 15 tons of saxxdust per acre xvere applied annually prior to seedhed prep- ar ation. This pr actice was folloxwed xxhen seedlings wvere pi odiiced oil the samne airea xyeai after xyeai. Fertility Maintained At the Aubuin Nurseix .y applicatimis 01t iiiti iige n. phIosphIorus. and ~lpotassilir n helped mlaintainl highlry feirtile Seedlbeds. W'hen Seedlings were giroxwn on seedl- beds ex cery year, heax v applications of the feirtilizeirs wxere applied xwith the 15 tons of saxwdust before planiting. Good qIualityx loblollxy pin cSeedlin gs weire pi odticed onl seedbeds that ireceixved :3001) . of P. (), and I6 61) . of K. O per a1ciRe. One hundred lb). oif N x.\,is l) plied before planting. Duiring theI giroxwingi sea sion, an add(i tional 2(00 to 301)1) l. of N xweire applied. Rates of N app1)1ca tioin xvaied accorin g to climatic ciinditions, rate of break-doxxn of oi- ganic matter, and groxxth rate of plants. WXhen the third year legurnc-saxvdust rotatiion xwas used at the Auburn Nur- sei , , nitirogen, phosphoirus, and potas- sliweeapplied as needed in small amints. Feirtilizer xvas applied ae- coirding to needs based onl soil tests. Soil samples xwere collected at the be- ginning of each planting seasion. The samples xwecie examinedl iii the Station's foresti-V soil testing laboratory. WVhen nutrient contents xwere dectermined, recommendations for fertilizer xwere made. Seedling Survival Seedlings piroduced inl Seedbeds of' high) Icitility silNv xix eponlYwl in Spite of a dxerse cond it ioins. La Ili l lx pie Seedlings xweie planted onl anl em oded Cecil Saindxy clay soil inl Lee Cou ntx and il a deep Niorfiolk sanii in) Autamga Coutilliy. Rainfaill iii L Couintv xas 28.44 in)., or 46.2% bell, iiirmal, in 19.54. In1 1955 rainfall iii Lee xx as 49.75 in). or 5.8% beloxw nor- mal. Surivxal percentages for1 planta- tions at the txxo arecas ar e (rixven in the table. Planting Though inheirited character istics ]telp) deteirmine surxvixval and gi oxxth iif seed]- lings, tree planteirs must remember that cx en the best of stock canl be injicjn e or killed 1)x abuse. Poor- handling a ii p~lantin g in xaiiablv iresul t inl failuire. When the lancloxx'ncr receives his x oung trees, hie should immnediatelx cx- amine them. Seedlings xwith greeii tops xxwithout slight y elloxwiiig) and xx et ioots may he assumed to be iii giiod condition., If thle trees aire to be kept for oiilx a day or txxo befor e planting, the bundles can he loo~sen ed Sli ghitly, spnink led xxit 1 xx ater, and left in a xwet place, T-o 1 kept longer, the tirees are remoxved fi on the bndles and heceled into the groin d at a xvell-di ained, shady plaice. The giround must be kept moist. WVhen cairied to the field for planit- ing, the Seedlings aire kept inii bucket of xxet muitck, miud, or moss. lII planit- ing, tircc roots must not be doiubiled or b~ent. The Seedlinug is placed about quarter of an in. deeper than it x%-ias in) the muirey x.Came must lie taken to pack the soil ffilu n airounud the ioiits. Manly plantings fail because thex ali delayed until late xvin"ter or cairlx spinig. Seedlings must be plIanted ats eCarl,\ ats pos~sile aftei the xwinter rains begin. This alloxws time for them to dex elo, cnoiqgh to xwithstand cli. y xxathcr thia often folloxws (hiring spiring and sumn mer. FIRST YE AH SURVxIVAL. OF LouscoiAY SEED- LINd.5 PLANTED ON DmIFFEREuNT SITES Planting site Planting date Suirsvixal Cecil sandx' Fa~ll, 195:3 77 clax , Lee Co. Fall, 1 954 9.3 (Piedmnont) Fall, 19.55 90 Norfolk sand, Fall, 195-4 94 Aiitatiga Co. Fall. 1955 81 (Upper Coastal) PROGRESS MADE ef cfrw W. G. [DEN, Entomologist Sol, 1115' IMI AND) 1AtX I SiXxA 1, ever nearer gireen fields in Alabama! Such has b~een the mnarch of the European corn bilorer that cnteredi thi s countryV near Boston, Mass., in 1917. The bor er, wxhich hitch-hiked onl )roomn con friom centira] andl southern Europe, was fiirst discoveredl in Alabamra in 1950. Foulr years later the insect lbecamne anl economic pest wxhen it (lam- agedl pimento pepper pods onl Sand Mounutain. Last year the borer was k nowni to be in 1f5 northern Al abamnia counties: Lauderdale, Lawxrence, Limte- Stolle, Ma:disoni, \ai-sliall, Morigin, Winstoin, Bllounjt, Cherokee, ( Ilbert (C'illinaii lDcKalb, Etowxah, Frainklin. id Jackson. TIhe iniseet has also ben I uun ill Geoirgia aind Missis'sippi. Tb e bor1e r hias been k no wn to fecd onl miore than 29(0 kinds of plants, in eluding coitton. To (late, the most inm- portant damage in Alabamna has been to corn, grain siorghumi, and pimento peppelrs. Corn is the preferred host plait. 1)amage to corn was reported as extensixve last year. SITeMABYxn OF Lii F I STOBY oi EUROPEAN CONn" B1 oHEBI IN 1 956 AT SA~ND MOUi~NTAIN Gierat,i I. A piearanc I lost crop Borer wintered as larv a c orn, sorghum ppaI May I c orn, sorgu li adult Mayv 8 eorn isgeneration (111g Maiy 20 corn larva Maxy 27 co01-1 pupa June 28 corn adult Juily 6 corn Second generation egJuly it) corn larv.a July 15 corn puipa Aug. 7 (nfl adult Aug. 14 sorghum, Third generation larva pimniltol Aug. 16 sorghuim, Aug. 20 sorghum, priento The European corn borer has four stages of life: egg, lal x a (wxorm or borer), pupa (resting stage), and adult (moth) . The bor1er passe the wxinter as a fuill-growxn, brownii sh or p inish lairva in a corn stalk or occasionally iin other plant debris. Life stages of the p)est at the Sand Mountain Substation near Crossville are summaized in the table. The 1)0rer completedl 3 geiieira- tions in 1956. The first two wex re mnostly in corn, the thurd xvas onl grain sorghum ,iuid p11111 til peppers5. This lodged corn shows effect of heavy infestation of European corn borer. Control Studies Rescarch studlies are uinder xx ax by the API Agricultural Expeimunt Sta- tilon onl contirol methods. Included iii the invxestigations are thrce tests in carly stages, on vx hich conclusixve dlata are not axvailable. These includle studies (If resistance among vairieties of corn, graiin sorghum, and pimento peppers; planitin~g dates that may reduce da~mage to coin; and the planting of trap corn crops near pimentos to pre,,ecut damnage. Research has revealed that the ciorn biorer population euall be ireduced by destroying ox erxvintering borers. The Experiment Station recommends ploxv- ing unidier diebris at least 6 in. deep) in the fall or early spring before moths emerge. Using a shi edder-type stalk cutter or disking the land before ploxw- ing kills many borers and helps assure at clean plxx ing job. Plowxing by mid- April last Year reducedl the number oif ox ciwiinteing blorers. Natuiral parasites are ani other aid iii iel uc ing corn 1borer poa Iationis.N Mor1e thin 11,0tt0 specimens of four sp)ecies of coin 1)0rer p)arasites were released at the Sand Moullntain Substation in 1956. Follow-'up studoies rev ealedl that these parasites killed 'is high ats 25% (If thei fl St-gen eia tilon 1borers in fieldcs \\,hlere they wvere released. Several insecticides have shown prmise in expeiimleits o0l bor er ,onl ti A. lloxxex ci, until further reseaich k~ comlpleted, DDT is the oui]\ iilsceti (ide recommlulenuded. It is polintedl Illt that iinscticidles are x aluale~ in i educ ii ig 1borer popui a t ioIls. b~ut th cx mulst be supplemented by other measures fi best co~ntroll. Recommended Treatments Based iI r esrults of research in Ala- harna and tlie Cornn Belt, the followxinig treatments are rcomen~edl~: ( 1) Onl corn, DI)T is ap~pliedl at the rote (If 11,2 lb. per acre as a spiriy or ill graiiuilar form, and 2 lb. per aci c as a dlust. For grain siiighuim, Iz11)l. more DDT per acre is used. (2) Onl pimniit) pe'ppers, 2 lb) of DDT per acrc is used either in (lust or sp~ray form. The best pioitection is ob- taiiied byv kcpiiig at coating onl the p)laints (hiring the borers' egg-lain g aid hatching periods. WVhein the fiurst eggs are seen, the plaints are spraY ed or (]listed at 5 (lax interxvals for 3 weeks or longer. (:3) As a spray, the I)DT is applied in not less than 20 gal. of water per acre. Station studies revealed no danger of DDT contamination in canned pimento peppers regard(less of amount of DDT onl pods at harv est. s4 4 t tuE M. J. DANNER, Associate Agricultural Economist A LABAMA CATTLEMEN can increase returns from beef cattle production at present market prices! This can be accomplished by improv- ing quality of cattle and carrying calves to heavier weights, according to an API Agricultural Experiment Station survey. During the 1953-55 period, this Station studied grade-price relationships at se- lected Alabama livestock auctions. About 14,000 head of cattle were graded according to federal standards and price information was obtained. Since the period studied was one of Per cent 10, 0 - 26% 25% S 13% Choice Good Commercial Utility Culls* Includes cutter and canner Fig. 1. Percentage of slaughter cattle sold by grade at selected Alabama livestock auction markets, 1953-55. remarkably stable cattle prices, de- pendable seasonal comparisons were possible. Quality of Cattle Marketed More than half of the cattle and calves graded were Commercial' and Utility grades, Figure 1. About a third was in the Cull, Cutter, and Canner grades, none of which is usually sold as block beef. If slaughter cows are excluded, this proportion would be re- duced to about a fifth since more than three-fourths of the cows were Cutter and Canner grades. About a sixth of the cattle sold at the auctions studied ' Effective June 1, 1956, the Commercial grade was divided into two new grades, Standard and Commercial. graded Good or better. A larger pro- portion of the cattle graded higher in the spring, whereas a larger percentage of the steers graded higher in the fall. The largest class of cattle sold was slaughter calves weighing from 250 to 450 lb. They accounted for 29% of receipts. Steers and heifers made up 42% of total receipts. Veal calves were sold in large numbers only in northern Alabama. Weight Affects Prices More cattle were marketed in the fall than during other seasons. This was due primarily to the large number of lightweight calves that came to mar- ket at that time. During most of the 2-year period studied, lightweight calves accounted for about a sixth of the total cattle receipts. During Sep- tember and October, however, they made up almost 40% of total receipts, Figure 2. The effect on price from this seasonal pattern was striking. Other cattle did not show nearly as strong a pattern as did lightweight calves. 40- 38% FALL 24% 2 13% 7 % .......... aVe Cal vi al Slaughter es Calves Steers Heifers Cows Fig. 2. Percentage of slaughter cattle sold by class at selected Alabama livestock auction markets, fall and spring seasons, 1953-55. Price differentials for slaughter calves and steers are shown in Figure 3. Prices of Choice calves and steers were, re- spectively, about 55% and 62% higher than Utility animals. Price differences between the various grades were from $2 to $3 per 100 lb. An exception was the difference between Choice arKt Good calves and steers in the fall whi this range was much less. Relativ. scarcity of Choice animals in the fall was associated with this difference. CALVES CHOICE OO .. . .... ... ....... 4 GOOD COMMERCIAL ]8 5.8 UTILITY e CULL* Fall . Spring STEERS CHOICE 2. GOOD 5 ... COMMERCIAL 1572 UTILITY 0 . CULL* Fig. 3. Prices by grade of slaughter calves and steers sold at selected Alabama live- stock auction markets, fall and spring seasons, 1953-55. Seasonal Prices Spring prices greatly exceeded fall prices for all classes. This difference was about $3 per 100 lb. for calves and about $2.50 for steers. Previously, it was noted that receipts were about 50% greater in the fall primarily because of large numbers of cattle. Apparently heavy receipts of lightweight calves i the fall had the effect of lowering prices on all classes. The impact on slaughter calf prices was severe. Compared with steers, slaughter cattle of the same grade sold during the fall up to $1 per 100 lb. less. Slaughter steers of predominant beef breeding sold for about $1 per 100 lb. more than the same grade steers of mixed or dairy breeding. Steers sold for more than heifers of the same grade by about $1 per 100 lb. Per cent 0 - SPRING 29% 21% 23% 16% ......... . ~(:i. INCREASES BEEF PROFITS W. M. WARREN, Associate Animal 8,eeder flIII I 5511 A CA 5 1, Fl call iIIc as A ileef calf \vi ti goodliil beedling is at It Chioie iii xsi to5 tiin~ kt hliml. This make's it poissile ti) use fCeed andl ft- S I lob ed c(.Ix e', that aIrc fit aIt "iS ~illiT till'ill blIng giodti )1icCes for choiceC fill tilt c.Ittillnll is tol ('.1 I tilt ca(lf tol liCX icr \\.'ighlt anti finiisih him oil1 tile fil1 Ill. do' tiis. lit knlox s thalt if lit' fails ht' )Y 2 r or 3(, per ih). Tii produllce( a falt callf tliat \ilii sell for iiigh IprIices5 fior si( lagihteCr, th di 1(1 Ilulst p1 I ill adtequal'(11(te Imlilk. 'Thiis r- turIe priin1. Ani abundiance (If milk lltct'55(lI for the c'alf to lbe fat (lt L callinlg time,.h ' ~Qualit ,v iof feed is impolrtanlt ifth ca(ttiolea chooses to feed (lit the calf to ht'lit'r i C'iit anti finish. Th it d'lf has a hligih reqjuiremenlt for pi oteinl. If feed is coarse or fibrous, the animal nourishinlg feed four satisfactoY Xgl IIStil. Research Results liestilts oIf stlics (It tile Tenneitssee( stationsX~C ('.cllt'( tile eclloivI of 5t'Xtrl riti n l eor /C' illt olI( cil it slI that r.a fill] feted iif giiodt hay osila~ge' pis I ' Yearlinig ('.115 CSxiill growi ibut Illt folt- tell oil mo1(st slimrmer gTrasses. Yt'.Illlig stteer 5 (t the X'i retgirj ss Subhstaltion~ This finished slaugh- ter steer produces the P kind of meat that con- s umers demand. Pro- duction of such high- quality cattle can for Alabama cattle- men. To profitably grow slaughter cattle ,~past weaifg calves with gobefbreed- ing and an abundance of home-grown feed are essential. seasonsI1 of 19 53, 1954, 1955, (111( 1956. The stet'rs hadlt beenl (10 Coa~stal 13c(1 muda(.1gra ss, Botli IOgrass o5 r com 1il 3 Cl echli Vealr fi iIl llvg summern(' graz/in1g. Aftt'r ii 15 to 1:35 Class o11 fill] fee 'Cait'lt anti fligil Goodi. Dur~ing 1954, 1955, allt 1956 aIt tilt \Virt'grass Subhstation, 297 he~ad ill steers wert'e feti sex eral falttelliny Ira- ('I (ge rate' of gain was pr oducled 1)v a snap)ped conr~, 8 parts of cottonlseed meal (41% protein), 10 parts of black- Good quality calves such as these offer cattlemen a choice of markets, since they are in demand by packer and feeder. stia . 1 )canct fliiIl',, :t) parts of ilitind aclliot ha1 and( I palrt of salt. T'he (lliI\r (gaiu l this ra~tioii \\,as firioii 1 1) ' adding stililestrol (10 In tg. per bead (.ljl\') ) Iilsr 'lighItil i)llo\s tihis ]-atill ill ralte of gainl s\its it similar ration. Inl this, Cottonlsteed lflill \\as, I plalc't' 115 itillotint oIf pr1ote'in ( 1 4.4% of cottonlsee(d ii, the ration) Better Market Returns It sx as mole pi ofitahie at the W\ii e g~rass Sublstationi tio finish vearing st(cli ti, Choice andt GoodA groaes ill tile fleed lot thll to ioi kt thenm its Cl nfet tia I Ul~tilt lidsdlc oilga. TheC averagej~( in tcase ill 1101ket v alue, 1 954 to 195(6, fromo I eeiig ill the lot \%itas S2;3.44 pter stcelif tei pavinie tihe coist of feed. WXinterI gr azing 011 oats did not fat- tell calv es at tihe 'Tennessee Valiev Sub- staition. Light veight stocker calves Cl re grazed onl oats fr om NmerrCiber ui til the end of \iax. The caikes vel e finished out to Goo 1((.nd Choil ice shlligh- tci gi ades after 115 days onl fill] feed It-r\ lit. Tile cattle gainedl 295 i1). I headti(Il oat grazinlg and 258 11). j head( ill thy' lot. Thle cost (of all] h1 cd 11(1 gralzing totaledt $72.59 pCI dlllla~l. Thle cattle soldi f(11 all av5erage oIf $20t9.(09 per licoi. Net retu~rnI was $50. 76 per hea ( a1 f ter dieductin Ig feed costs i(]( pr ice paid 1 for tile cakxes. Tio prilfitaihix gi-ov slamiihter cattle pas1t weaninlg, it is essenltiali that tile herd he of goodt lC be ll bredling (11(1 tha~t i111 abund1 (anlce of IfarItoP 1 odlleed feeds is a\ ailaille. A blancIled~ ration is 11CC' essal v tol tensure efficien t use (If feed. Reports of tile UISiA Miarket Newvs Sers ice showv thlat more andi more pro- tducers are Carl " \mg .inifi 5 after wecan- ilng agre and1( growing them oLut to heav ier w\eighlt. Tis is anl excellenit \\ita', tol increCase profits proxvitied atie- (quate supplies of LII m-plodueed feed- ing stuffs are available. NZ saw.- S UL F UR ed, a oexe44el ELEMENT " PLANT LIFE Given little attention as a plant food L. E. ENSMINGER, So.l Chemise T oi 11 AND CittiS planlts mlost liaxe gix ('0 snlfiii as a plant itient decspite iitcrteasing emphasis nil piroper crop felt Iili/at ionl. InI A labamina, thecre is at ti eind towvard use of h1iihei analysis fei tilizei s that mna' t ontaini less sulfur. A shotrtage of this essential celent ('an Icild to dc c'reased1 cirop yields. Stilfuor is a pairt of planit pr otejins. Not enough of this ('it' ment still caluse plants to lie palle gricec or1 vtllow. Little attet'tt oil has been1 give('i silltit ill tile past becausei~t it \%'is appfli'ed toi ply cliotigh stIllfiti ill most cases.' Ft )I- inistanicte, stipertphosphiate is almrost half calcituim sulfate. And, supipetphosphiate is the main soirce of' phosphortus in miost i\('d firtilizeirs sold in Alabamra. InI the Nciity of induistrial areas, con - sidher ale sil ftn in ay lbe brought tdown inl rains. If stilfur sloittages occtur, reeommnen- dat it ns ftor appl icatitons of it tiis essen tialh elemn t to tile il , ba sed 0oil tests, will bave to be made. Studies Conducted Stulifitr fieltd st tidies have beet t tioii- tlutted 1)ix the API Agirictiltural Experi metf Statiion sincee 1939. The response o t ctto n and oItther croips to a ppl ied sulfate was leairned. Moriie recenitly, the sulfur statts (if Alabamna soils has bi(een stuiedl. R~eseatrch iresuilts sliows that sulfate is retainietd or adsorbed to it ceirtain extet 1) iimost soils. Suibsuirface lax ers uia~liS cont aiii moire sulfite and are ca pallt oft atlsoi liiig inure suilfaite than su~rfatce layers. Coarse-tt"