TL *
A. 
41
HIGHLIGHTS
of
AGRI CUILTUIRAL
RESEARCH
'70C eld 444(e - , eL _1 L -"I ,tr_
,..Plastic Hosae A Labor Saver in Sprinkler
r rgatian ... Perennial Summer Grasses for Up-
~nd Pastures ... Tanks Replace Milk Cans...
)wI Pox-A Constant Threat ... Microbe vs.
crobe ... Betters Hags thrcuah Performance
AGRICULTURAL EXPERLIE1NI STATION SYSIEMv
of the ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
lig.- -drN
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Strawberry plants in March (left) were free of weeds 3
months after CIPC and Sesone were applied. Note weeds in
plots below where no chemicals were applied.
'0
X4f . . ' -
WEED
STRAWBERRIES aiaklt
R. L. LIV N 3STON, Asst. Horticulturist
C. C. CARLTON, Supt. Chilton Area
Horticulture Sub~station
T. B. HAGLF=R, Associate
Horticulturist
11 ;I 11.11 C1il OST oft w~eding stravX-
LeIrri es and1( scarcitv ofI Ilbor ifl:I be
(I)m heaaclhes' oIf the past.
N -\e\, chemical co~ntroll methods pro-
ise1 tol I o the jobl effectiv ely at corn-
parati% elx ' Xv costs with no dlanger tol
plants,i all (lilw tol resu lts (It studies
ait tile Chiltonl Area I horticulture Sub-
stationl (Jiantonl.
Tc-sts were conducted .lt the substa-
tion in N56iS to learn effectiveness oft
c rta iI ci miti Is o)11 wXeed conltroll il
strav, herr' v patches. Kinmore lallt s
were set IS inches apal t in :312 -flut
i lOXs OII M arch 26. Fertilizer wvas ap-
plied 2 weeks b)efo Lre trallSplalltilif.
M ien the plants wvere e-stablished, all
plot,; werIie cliltiX dted tol I ernlI ext'ist-
1114 we eds. Plots we rc thenl irri~rated at
Ltrate III I inchl of water pecr acre. Th is
ulate geninaiiItili oIt Nvee(I seed. an~d
li cal aplihcaltionls.
Treatments
ino cheillcil al plit'd ) 2) ([PC used~
tw tXU(iffcicilt rattes, (:) ses( 'lit,
t ' li I)I iide- I .. iiandl 4) a mix-
tille ofI (AIP(: a1111 'tsIolic. (See tal.).
P1 inr kI cat h chlleil a.pplicaitionl
demcet&~
plots \ve I c li
Chemicals XX ci
tXX CCI ro~ws wit
insure c11m
1
)let(
a' eas. A~pplicatiI
2:3. August 10, a
tobllr I17 inl 19.5
Chemicals ajl
couints wXere ma
tioni of Xweeds
are aiX enl inl the
olbtainedi bX v t
CIPC and Ses
piounds oft actiX I
Ertcr lOF CHElL
WXEEDS AND G
Acti\ e
ijiaterial
Used
p)er acre
Nonle tclieck-)
2 lb). CIPC
2 lb). Scone
Crag I leri-
cide-I1
2 UII. acli
CIPC and1
Ii
Ii
S prayvs were
Spras s xx rc
ItiX atecl and irrigated.
e applied Il and lhe-
a1L faint" pe nozzle to
vcov erage of t reated
i LI per c (I . I( ' '11( iici esolw Isc
alllc wer nit a11 s effectiX e als the colin-
h ilation ofI the two in 0 tie 5Si illg arnd
stiniier* applications. I lowe% er. satis-
fIwtoIX conltrol w~as ob~tainled firoim each
Iclinical XX'll:j ipplieti iiiii 104 thle winI-
tcrl
Recommendations
Based 1)11 resuilts ob~tadti. these theat-
inents and precautions are recommnnendl-
edl:
l Deceimher 14. WVeed I1) Applyv 
a mixture oft (APC and
ide o)0 June 9 and( 0 c- Sesone at 
rates oft 2 poundlts oft actiX e
6 ad 111N li c 13 ~li material oft each chemrcarl per acre dis-
6 an oilMurl 1 th 
s solved in .5t0 
galillis oft XXater.
)plied, the date Xweed ( 2) Before chemicals are applied.
de, anld per cent reduc- cuiltivate thoroughly. A pply chemicals
comlpared tol the check al1tel irric-ratilln I r rainl. We eds are coin-
table. Best iesults werei trollhed best when germninatlinZ. These
sin~g a comin~iatioin I I chemicals aire not effective in kidliig,
One at tile rate oft 2 huige Xweeds.
ematerial of each chem)- (3) DIo not appl ' clleinicals dtiriirgY
periods oft HowIer, fruit, arid riiner de-
IcAiS1. ON BEDUT-(I:N OFI X copment. Gardeirers 
should hnot ulse
BAS -5 IN SFBill'13E1IIIES Sesolne iii areas XX-her e it wXill come ill
conitact XXitll roots oft grapes o~r Iother
\\ e reductioln sensitiXve plants.
IIIIW~lgilll.IlL~i~atl~f I4 ) Oil nc~v pIlanitiings, appl~v chemi-
19. 0 t 176 19.5 13 
cals 2) XXeeks after plants are 
set. foll1ow-
95k 95( 1.5 tcl IX secon 11(1.11( third 
aplplicaltions iir
Pct. Pct. Pet. sumlmer and ir late tall.
45 
( 5 1 Three appluicatiolns 
oft chemicals
24 45 'C ie applied 1111 established plamtings
each X-ear. The first appllicationi is ma~d"
ill late winter after lherries are teitilizted
6 1 9 Mid1( cultiXvated but befoire iflulcing. 
A
sjlniapplicationl is appIliedI tIollIXX llu
51 58 9.3) harXvest after plants haXve beell tllillleh
tp1 lied Aprul 23. 
fertilized, aind cuiltiv ated. 
A. third ap~-
.qpplit- A1 (IFllst 10. jtlicatiton 
is iiildc tIollIXXilig till fertili-
Pe#aazt
t 
6 
ade a
LABOR SAVER
ea all'ie&0
"ERMAN DOU'i/ER
J. 0. H-ELMS
Department of
Agricultural Engineering
T )( N((Ii I 513011. 
iiiimo1pik
That isteusual rtcsnospik
her in io_,atin. And it is a reasonadble
tion pipe is a time-consuming andl 11n-
pleasaint joh.
But tins highl labor reqiruement can
Ibe reduInced . (xsii g plastic hose5 ii coin-
Ililatioll w~ith alurninin pipe cut labor
11)1 lt one-ir)d( in tests llx the API \g -
I ic1 tu iial Experiment Stationi.
Plastic Hose Tested
A sprinkler irif-igltioll sx'steni 1511113
plastic hose \v\is set uip iii cottoni and
c((( ields3( in the test at Auburin. Sprn-
klers 55 ore 111 nted oil ti ipi((Is Figuire
Fig. 1. Tripod-mounted sprinkler at posi-
tion 2 at lateral. Quick coupler connects
plastic hose to aluminum lateral.
1and ul mnectedl to laterals xx ith ')0-tt.
'ectiois (if 1-in, black poix ,eth\ lene
hcese. FignTtre 2. Sprinkler spacinZ, wxas
60 X 809 ft.
The "branched-lateral" arrang~ement
enables the opeiratolr to make twxo sprin-
kler mov es ( fromn position 1 to 2 and
fr om 2 to "3, FiuTure 2) xxithout mnin jo
a1ix alnminurn pipe. For the third moxve
ti frim :3 to 4). the plastic hose is (uis-
connectedl fi orn the lateral and the
ahIn iniii pipe is bladed on a trailer
iind moved a distance of three lateral
spacings (24(0 ft.). S priiiklIers are
nil01 SO) ft. and reconnected to the
lateral wvith the plastic hose.
Qu ick cou plers are used betwxeen
plastic hose and lateral. FiglYire 1. To
facilitate pipe ifll) ingj xx ith tractor and
trailer, allexys are cut at each lateral lo-
cation (,exerv 240 ft.)
Since the plastic bose is dlraigged
Nhen sprinklers are mov ed, lateral lines
arc iun at right angfles tio rows wxhell
ii lgatillgr ro05 crops).
Labor Required
Labo requliremeints for the three
innsing, o~peraitions are shown below\,
Mmo c
P~osition I tol.
P'osition 2 tol
Position 3 to 4
p(r irrignatilon
0.6
1.8
Thecse figllics shos tha~t the .ix eracrec
!,,or iequliremeint xx ith thel hraiiihedl
lateral arraingemnent xx'as I loan-hill r por
icper iirigitioll. 'T'is compares xwith
I.5 nlan-blilils requjliredl wxith a c'onxen-
tional sx'stemn in 19.55.
In iadd((itioin to redll cing_ total labor.
branched laterals (I 1) r('(lnedl peaks
in labor demands (fromn 1.5 tol 0.6
man-Illurs fo~r twxoI)thirds of the mlix es5
and (2) made tbce woIrk easier ( aill
alumnilnim pilpe xas .i5 iixed wxith trac-
toit and trailer).
Fig. 2. Diagram shows how 80-foot plas-
tic hose and portable, tripod-mounted
sprinkler ore used to cut labor cost. From
a single setting of the lateral pipe, the
operator moves sprinkler twice-from po-
s ition 1 to 
2 to 3. 
The lateral 
is then
moved 240 feet to next setting for posi-
tions 4,' 5, and 6. Thus lateral has to be
moved only a third as often as with the
conventional system.
Coist of plastic Ill se . adapters. and
ti 1 i15od was apprnxilnatelsv ')20 per
spriiikler. There was a sax ili in v alvo
tees. bowex or. since o(n\' oine xvailve tee
was requl ired for ecxi 'rv three s prinkleor
settingrs. Counting_ labor at $I per hour,
the labor saxved can pax, f or the liet
ex.tra cost of br1anched laterlals iii about
12 irrigaitioins.
Lasts How Long?
Lasting quialities oIf plastic- hose uisedI
wxith sprinkicir irrigllatilln has e no t been
dletermoined. After I x eai s use it the
Station's A(Triculltliral Eu gineerill g F'armi
Unit, no x isible decte riorationi orl daiii
1130 tol the hose coiiid be deotected.
Kinks shold he axvoided~ and exposu re
to Slinligh11t kept toI 1 iin
Other foahlires of br1ainched laterals
muclinle the folloss ing,:
1 b)Te r('(llc(l luill(r lot xvilve
lees taxor u15lse (If permanoent unlder-
2 Tr'ac'tion Ill(lblelis iii ((illviii
xip NitlI tiactll iand trailer Ion irrigTt_
0(1 land1( .rI' iedllie'( siince( soil it the
laiterail starts (Irs ing, xxdile ii'riglat ion is
boiiir, (11o1e at the laist spinkler scttiiig,
Ibefor ii0noxiii'' lateru.I
(.3 Smaller pipe sizes can be uised
for the lateral Ibecause it is posible to
coimpcnsate folr excessixve pressurie xa-
rh tiol bsIN selectin(r p)lastic ]lose5 with
proper dianmeter.
4) Becauseof firIictioni losses iii the
plastic hlose' adi~ltiolnal pi e~ssiire is ic
ijuired I *5 psi. in Al\iliii stud.ls (
- ~ Left: Summer grasses being stu-
-.- ~-'' , ~4 died at Auburn. Below: Pensacola
.' cs~. .. Balsiagrass (left) and Coastal Ber-
' ~ .. muda in test plots near Brewton.
3 . 3. 3- -'~ ~ .3
- ,* -. - -~ 4
~ ~ex
VR. L- NGFORD
Associate Agronomist
;Peaatead daeeo paizej4 Pi
UPLAND PASTURES
A llp y01 G.ETTINCG the mnost (out (of
vour grasshind . .. highest forage yields
... maxilnin beef gais....(x aot
wxhen needed nliost . .. molst eci~liim-
icail productionu?
These quelstionls are hard to ansxx er
biecause too little is knoxxn about growxth
liahibits and xveighrlt-prodxicing abilities ot
grasses. This lack of knoxvledtre makes
it dlifficuilt to [plan it profitable pasture
Grosses Being Studied
TO determinle x ield. seasml jio mxth,
,I(((l other iogroliornic featuIres of gras-
ses. API Agi riciiltural Experiment Sta-
tionI stu dhies base beeni ill progre ss for
x ,eriil x cals at eigTht locationls it) the
Stat.i C ommon11iiIl and (oi (.1)sta Bermud(1a-
grass, .\ugel tine and1( Pensacola Bahia-
gr:s.DallisgI rass. Pawlgolagrass. Kii gY
Rianch blues'teni., hiftlegrass and1(
Rliodelcsgrass xx etc tested iln smnall plots.
liii IIIOC i)-lll sillg_ ((lies re Ileilu
cx .iiit((l ill (\perihieltal plastures.
B ascid onI to Ital xich , persistence. amnd
I()"!lci (desirabile ciha:racteristics, Coastal
1-rimiiia and11 PenSaClal B-ahiia hisve
been snplcri r to other grasses tested foi-
upIlanid pastures. They xxere moist proi-
duiv e in cx cmx' test.
a)ti salid lo1am souil at the WViregrrass
Subistatioii. Coastal Bermudica pastures
prod((ucedl more1 folrage aud _reater steer
gainls at cacti lexvel (It Itrogeti1 thanl Bat-
ir (i- iomo Beirmulda di ilr 195:3
56. 11n a clippinig test, Coaistal and Pen-
saciila Bahia xxerc eglialix productix e
fromr 160) or :32(0 lb. oIf rlitroigen per
acre annually. Bahia prouidicedt more
forage than C oastal xwith 110 nitrogen or
ait the SO) lb. per atcre rate.
Performance Varies
Performnice olf the indivia a(14 ras-
ses x ai ied betxween locations because (If
climatic and soil conlditionIs. At the
Brewstonl Experiment Field (10 a soil
iuos ill fet tilitx hut above av erage in
moisture coniditioin, Pensacola Bahia wxas
the mo(st prduxctixve oIf six grasses stil-
dlied (urifl" 1955-56. Table 1. Coastal
Bermudla exceeded Ait others under
it ith icr condi(it ions niear Pra.ttxville and
Ti ske gee.
Coastal andI M idland Bernmuda xxere
the oil]x- grasses i1 a I -xearo (1( test at
tile Alexandria Field thiat satistactorils
sirx ixcd the late March. 1955. sexvcre
T\siLL 1. STwo-it. Si Ax Eli 5,E 'XIE LI OF"-
FOBAc.E, 195-5-56
Pouinds per acre.
((ven drx
Grass Brewx- 
Pratt- Tuske-
toll 5 ille CCCe
1) llisgrass
Coastal Benlida
Argentine Bahia
Pensacola Bahia
Is. 11. Bluestein
Biiff(+lcrass
111 odes grass
3.128
6, .336
5.9:3 6
7,0.32
2.511
2.6.38
4.580) 4A23
U.949 6, 06:36
5,.748 4,802
.6.54 .3.341
2.061t
1.J02 6 .565
4,521
f Welt'. P nscla)i Bdklila ll %41 IS I-('i -
(juled abouit 50( and( that (If Ari oco-
title Bihi a anl estim ated 9(" WI x the
freeze. Pen sacol(a Bah ia has been mo re
xxititer liaril andr more p
1 
oductix e tliain
.Xrgenitine Baliia in all tests.
Dallisgrass x jelded less than Coastal
Bermuda or either Bahia 5 41 ietv in 7 oif
S experiments. The one exception wxas
oii noiiirrigated red soil plots at the
Tennessee V al11ex Substation. There.
.eld was slightly aboxve that 
of Bahia.
lbut considerablx lowxer than Coastal.
(Coastal Bermudica produced considera-
biv more forage than Dallis or Bahia
vi ih natural rainfall at -kubiirn and the
Tennessee Valley Substation cI Iri n
I ?,56, Table 2. WVith irrigation. Bahia'
.irass almost equalled production of
(Coastal.
Buifflegrass and Rhodesigrass wx'er e
uciable to thrixve under frequent inox-
iigt and their stands were inj~uredl by
cold even in southern Alabama. Kinl;
Ranch bluestem suirvixved the wxinter in
central and southern Alabaina. Howx-
t 5cr. frequent close Mfowingr thinned
the stand in all cases.
Based onl experiments to dlate, three
conlclusions concerning productixvity of
Bahia and Coastal Bermunda can be
stated: (1I the txvo grasses are about
equal uinder condlitions of high rates oIf
fcrtilizatjors anid adleilate soiil moisture,
xx with lowx fertility and inadequate
moistiure. (2) Coastal is superior onl
droiithx soiils xx un xvell fertilized, and
3) Bahia is bletter onl myoist soiils of
Other dlifferences bietxween Bahiia an~d
Coastal haxe lbeen oblservedl. Groxxin"
cis ers and xvetches has been somnexxhat
more successful xx ithi Coastal than xwithi
Bzdbia. Experimnmtal ploits and( pastures
(It Bahiagyrass haxve fexx emx weeds than
those iif Bei mudagrass. Bahiia beornis
gr iii little earlier in the sprn ing
antd tfrequen tly irem ains greem liter in
the fall]. I loxx'eser, Baliia stands liaxe
sll(,xxn m(ore xwinter ilijit x ii central
andi~ nurthemrn Alabalma.
T\sin - 2. BF'.I'ONSE OFi (I,I S ((1 11(1(
G. 51TON IN loot.E ExiElo SENFS 195. J6
Grass
Pounds dry tforage
Per1 -acre'
Not irrigatedl Irri,_ated
1) llisurass 7.240) 10 (037
Coastal Ber-nocil 12.707 14,30i5
Baia 7,965 13,208
Xx Aerage y1i1(d (It onei test at Dairy Re-
searci UnIit Il(ubrn)l ail twso tests at
Te nnessee Vallh% Substatloli A.ll grasses
reccixved 200 lb. of iiitrotgcn per auc.
TANKS uledee MILK CANS
W. W. MARSH-ALL, Assistant in Agricultural Economics
J. H1. YF2AGrER, Associate Agricultural Economist
T H ,i TAN\KS AniE coming! Farm bulk
tanks, that is.
About 250 of these refrigerated.
staiiiless steel tanks are onl Alabama
(lairv farms tiodav. And more and more
dairy farmers are asking about them.
xxe \anit to know "how muchi do they
cost'-.' "what chainges must I make in
the milk roomn?, and "'will it pay? "
To answver these and other cluestions.
the A\PI Agyricuihiral Experiment Sta-
tin stuidiedl 1.5 dairy operations in 3
Alabaima areas. The initial cost of a
1)ulk milk tank andl installation varied
from .S1,525 for at 150-gallon tank to
$7, 41 11 for at 1.500) gallon tank. (See
talble.) Cost per hiundredwxeight of milk
capacity variedl from $118 foi the small-
est to $57 for the largrest tanks.
( ettingr the ight size tank for at dairx'
operation is impor tant. Some farmers
mnay haxve to expand their herds, or
pr oduiction per cow, or both to justitv
mto gyet the most net returns from hulk
tank's. Thie 15 (lairvmren who had anl
ax% erage, size herd~ of 78 coxx s (herds
xam ied hiomn 17 to 214 coxxs) p~lanned
to exp)and~ to ai avix ci age size hierd of
91 (c0ws5 after installation of bul1k tanks.
T his is at 17 per cent increase. Three
dilir ' ,mcii did i o)t plani to incease and
txvo ach alls- planonedl to redui ce the size
of their herds. It is douibtfuil that all
expanlsioni couldl be attributed (directly
to the bulk milk tank. Before hiuiviiir a
tank, it wxould be \%ise for at dairi an
to do some planning, about the future
of his dairy operatin i.
Some physical la ' out and space pro-
blems were encountered in installim-Y
bulk tanks. Space va .cated b\ renmx
ingr aerators. can-racks, and can-cooler',
was, iii most of the 1.5 milk rooms, ade-
quate for installatio n ot the tank. On
farms it was necessary to widen the
doorway or to knock out at portion of
at xxall to install the tank. One dfairy-
man had to raise the ceilingy in his milk
room to provide space to) openi the lid
of at 1.000 gallon builk tank.
Some electrical rewiring wvas neces-
sary at each dair,, . The amount varied
from at simple outlet installed outside
the milk room to i complete rexxiring_
of the milk room. Rewiringy expemises
were at smnaIlI part of total i nit ial biulk
tanik costs.
Labor Difference
Does the (lairymnan save labor or re-
duice the time required in milking(7 With
at b)ulk tank operation? Reci rds were
kept aot each clairy before and after in-
stallation of tak.Elev en of the 1.5
farmers showxed at lowxer time per cow
per milkimig after tank installation. Ont
sexveral farms the ,ixerage xx as little dlif-
ici cut. Three farimeirs put iii pipe lines
at the same time they' installed tanks.
One changred from at Stanchion barn to
alli 8-cowx' exevated1 stall parloir. In o their
catses per sonne or milking, procedurie
'4',
'as S hia(iecl. Theriefoie, l'heomc' aoo'
"after" labor time irecordls were not
cimparable.
Some dair\,nmen call sax e time with
bulk tanks. Tanks invohsve less effort
andA energs v. There is no liftingr of full
cans. handling, or watshing empty cans.
Miod xvatching_ canls for spillagre during
straiiiing oft milk.
Annual Costs
It co~sts monmies to go o nilk. somenerime
i is uch 
its at dair 
'vinai paid 
for iiis
firmi sexveral secars agyo. What about
tininual costs oif tanok oxwnership and op-
Sraition)
B~ulk tank costs axveraged 6 cents pe~r
luiiclrxxeighlt more than can-cooler
costs for the 15 clairs men table) . This
is b~ased onl the total annual production
for each herd. These costs included dle-
1
ireciaiom interest on inve%,tment. re-
)Imirs, property taxes, and electricity'.
Depreciation, taixes. aud interest \%ecre
iii miim;lt cost items that inue ased most
xx ith installaition of a builk tank.
Premiums, Hauling Rates
Bo. I\TAK SmI. Ixmiixi. Cosr. AND) PERi 11Ir'iME0oxMNEmC
(MPAiiBxiED roo (7 I-CoOLEms Co~ FORi P15 D1) xiio F.%iOims T'
\\,.x era 
cc,( annual
1 ~ 1,105
:2 1 1 16
I I , Vi0
1 1,60)
71720
2 10,0265
Builk \lilk Tasnk
CajpaCitN' Initl
ga4l. cost'
150) S1,525
13S5 1.7783
250 1,852
400) 2,(39.5
.500 2A 12'
7 00 3,460
1.0001 Is 2
1,500 7A 41
In, hides cost of tuok iond comiprcssor iristalled, cost
ii,, dd. ho's ,oxil , ii cpt,, frIom s.l ofi caIndis andI' coole r,
-(o t iiot repro'sontaitixc for this sizc tank.
IT COST i1- MIL PBODUCED ,iier eexctinu
\i xi) for 1bu lk milk. Six clairs men realized
Cion-coo Ii'r reduced h auliii rates to thle exten t of
Ainnial cost aimal cost 15 cents and four, 5 cents per hundred-
per ~vt pcr o %,-ciht. Three sold to at cooiperative ad,i~
SO.I9 3( 2it the timne 
of the studs', no c haii ge had
.22 .10 been madle in I au ding rates. Txx, 
a r'
114 .00 men hailed tlieii iiilk to the plaiit
10 .04 xxhen they operated wxith can 
coiolers.
.120 J)4 Besides' 
ads antag-es to the farmer,
.08 .04 themre are a number of sax igs iii bulk
.11 ---. 6 haiidling at the milk plant.
.113 .07 Generaill,\x fa .rmers wxeie pleased
of hi lding chan ,_c xx here 
i f ter in stalla t in of tanks. 
Oine d airs'-
m ani co mmeinited "I.' like it lietter thail
I mneant to."
~/ ~i
/
W/ k-i ii 01 1- for foxxl pox this sol-
iner amid fall'.
Commonlxy called sorehead. fowl' pox
is at constant threat to comniercial pouil-
tr-vmen during xxam m xxeather. A.ffected
hinds miax hax e difictimltx atn and
breathing. Sex ere ouitbreaks5 coise un-
tliriftiiicss, xlixx-hxx'ii inl gm'oxxth. an
1
sometimes death. Birds affected at 6 to
9 xx'eeks of aoe mnax be retarndedl as
mlich ats 12 to 3, lb). per bird. Poultrx -
men mfax has e to xWait 2 to 4 xx ceks to
Hi, ket affected broileirs Iecaiise of slowx
grti ot r aippearane of hinds.
Fowl I 
1
ox is caused l)' i x \iius that
,ittacks epithelial cells iif skinl and[
mi nith. R 3aisedci reddciish biown sores
devxelop. Those onl head. feet. or other
h)are areass arecealledi dry pox. Sores in
the mouth ar' xxet p x. Lig4i t bree-ds
stein to be affected more thanii heax\
brieeds.
Transmission
T'hie iliesamse is often tianmiitted lb\
a iimnmIimi iigit-bitimig' (111111( Inosqil-
to, CIIbIx quiiimo'fosiamtio., Tbis wxas
found in tests hx the AP[ Agm riilti mal
F'xperi iiicit Staitioii. The iii )siiiito
breeds ii coties i(ldiles , (itc'les.
sloxx mnoiix in sti ions, .111( ther places
It prceie s chi cke n bloml to th at of oth -
er domestic Liuimials. Mlost abundant in
spriw~ ng falilt,. the mosquito is often
moinerolis during, suimmer iomtli . Some
mam libe found ill chicken houses ex en
ill micflimter, lIn addlitioni toi ti iisinit-
tiiig, piix. lirge oiimbi' attackimlii ~is
can reti'i grox'ti or cause a cli p iii
ggprodluctioni.
*This 1 0-week-old rooster has
a serious case of fowl po x.
Note large sores on comb
-. nd chicken's droopy condi-
tion. Fowl pox cuts egg pro-
duction and delays market-
ing of broilers.
Ili research ait Aunburn, it has beeci
fouimd that xvaccination gIix Cs qu ick pro-
tection against fxvi- pox. Gri xxth of
chickens wxas not sloxwecd liv use of .i
commercial xvaccine. Hloxxever. xvaccina-
tien wxithi a wild strain isolated fromn a
ni. tinral outbreak retarded growth. Ili
anl experiment comopai ing a commyer-
cial and wxildi vaccine, Leghorn puillets
xx'Cre x accinatecl at :32 days of age.
There wxax no appard ut effect the irst
7 dax s. hiut the Georgia xxwildl) strain
retarded g ,roiwx't i significantlx' bx 14
days. \Iaximumn effect wxas apparent in
.3 to 4 xx ecks. The Lederle v accine had
no effect onl groxx th. In other studies
xxvhen chickens xxere xvaccinated fromn 2
to 7 we eks of agmost birds resistedl
six crc, exposure hx' 4 lax , s after x acci-
na Ltionl and iii xxithiil S dax's.
Length of Immunity
Siince fiox-I pox is a threat to brilers
nild lax 'ing, stock, it is impor tant to
kino xx' ox long. chickens xvaccinated ait
ain earlx age xx ill be p~rotctdtc. In 16
field trial~s near Au burn. chickens xxere
x acciiiated Lit I clax or 2 xx eeks of agle.
R~esu lts are shox'm in the table. Chicks
x accinated at 1 clax old resisted expox-
urce to the disease at 28 dax's. From I 0
to 70% of those (on xx ire wxere protect-
ed ait 41 clax s and aill xwecie susceptible
h.56 to )J dax s. BirdUs onl litter xx ei 
c
Resistant at 28 to 41 da "'s. 
wxith protec-
tion1 ranging fromt 20 to 100t ';- at 56 or
Y) cia xs. Chickens x acinated at2
wveeks of agre wxere pirotected throuo'h
41 days. Oin litter. 70 to 90% resisted
ex1posure at 80 clxvs: Lill onl wxire 
were
suisceptibile at SO daxys.
W'ithout mosquitoes, chickens 
x acci-
ii,,tecl at 1 cday of age and reared 
oil
wxire were not re-exposed to v ir 
us.
Tlierefore. they 'vwere hot full ' protect-
ed liexoiic 2S (lax . Some flocks on lit-
ter xwerc re-exposed and were fuillx' pro-
tected througthou t the usual b roiler-
gi oxx ingr period. Fewxer than 0.5% 
of
(hicks x accinated ait I day ol died
fw in x accination. There xxvere no deaths
freint pox amnong, those xvaccinated at 
2
Weeks. Therefore, it is safe to 
x acci-
nate chicks ait anl early ao.,e. LeniTth of
protection x aies wxith tx Pe of managre-
iretit and other enx'iroiiinciital fac'tors.
Recommndations
B~ase(! onl Experiment Station re-
seairch resiuIts, the folloxx ingz prex entix e
measuires help comnbat fowl pox:
( I ) If pox is anticipated b~ecauise iif
Oine of x \ear and expected mosquitoes.
x accinate chicks bx 2 xx cks iof woe.
(2) If anl Outbreak occurs. (lestrox'
01' sprav imosqulito) breeding sites andi
biding places in houises andc surround-
il(, buiildin is xx itl DDT) or other suit-
able insecticide.
.:3) If anl ouitlhreak is nioted eairlx.
v accinate aill chlickens iiieiiatelx.
4) V'accinate lax iug stock it least
once. 4 weeks oi ioic befoi re inati rits'.
Txwoi vacciriatiouis am e b~ette r, it 2~ to I
anld ait 10 to 16 xx'ceks old.
Den VTION OF IMMUNIT xiruoxi E.UIES VAxCCINATrIOx. 
I-11 ND x inE \I x xim'xiiEx
Number Au. m Pu'rc ntairc protected 
i t (different .ces 'F-v e
flo cks a u( inatd Age 
PI ICi'tOin~ A .1u' Pro tection~~i~ 
i 4iiwi
I ilix 2' 10() 0 
1 floor
I dlx ti 2\-N11 0)x 
ire
214 iix 11I 70-100tt 51 
\\ xx in'
1- 14 da1,ux - 4 1 __ -I()() 
- SO - 7)0-100) tl'or
~1
FOWL POX -
S. A. FDGAR, Poultry Pam/bologist
D. S. BOND, Graduate Assistant~
E. A. CURL, Assistant
Plant Pathologist
BIOLICA.\L "'\VWAIFARE could benefit
Alabama farmers.
Pitting microbe against microbe may
become a common practice to control
certain important soil-borne plant par-
asitic fungi. Studies at the API Agricul-
tmral Experiment Station already are
well along toward this goal.
Rloot-inifectillg fungi cause a iumber
of destructive diseases of crop plants
in Alabama. Each of these parasites
can kill plants. Iowevever, they frequent-
Iy join forces with other organisms,
which alone seldom attack healthv
plants. Together they fornl a complex
and efficient team of killers.
Effective control measures for root-
infecting fungi are limited, because
many activities of these parasites in the
soil are not understood. Some new
chemicals are showing promise for con-
trol of soil-borne diseases in small ac-
reage crops of high cash value. How-
c\er, it is not practical at this time to
use chemicals over large areas of such
crops as forage legumes. The practice
of crop rotation, widely used for di-
sease control, is not always effective,
because many soil-borne fungus para-
sites attack a number of different
plants \, Alo. 
-1 1 ,f thelm ci a lix 
il
Graduate student uses microbe colony
counter to determine number and kinds of
microorganisms taken from soil around
roots of plants. From group, he will choose
microbes for cultures and study.
41 "X'
ML et-. 0. e
P~i e. - .e" ,1
the soil for mlore than a vear ecen if
no plants are present.
New Approach
Every particle of crop soil is teem-
ing with tiny organisms. The largest
numbers are in root zones of plants.
lost of them are fungi, bacteria, and
actinomvcetes. These organisms live to-
gether in "communities." The numbers
and kinds of organisms in a commun-
it,. depend upon such factors as soil
type, temperature, moisture, 
fertility,
and kind of crop plant. Some of these
organisms are helpful, whereas others
are harmful to plants. However, all
are constantly competing with each
other for available nutrients and space.
Some organisms have been "domesti-
cated" to serve mankind, such as cer-
tain soil bacteria that fix nitrogen and
improve soil fertility. Other soil orga-
':isms produce antibiotics that are used
ia human medicine and in control of
cortain plant diseases. Many organisms
ill the soil produce toxins that make
conditions unfavorable for growth of
their neighbors. A few actually live on
neighboring organisms. The principle
,f plant disease control by biological
"warfare" is based on these reactions
mlol g 5 soil inicrIor(Tanisms.
Program at Auburn
Ill 1),54, the Experiment Station bc-
_ill a nesw program of plant disease re-
earclh. The program has two main ob-
jectives: (1) to secure much needed
Iasic information about activities of
1s(il microorganisms in their relation-
,hip to crop plants and root-infectingo
tlngus parasites, and (2) to apply this
ilformation toward developing practi-
cal control measures for plant root di-
seases. This research program is sup-
ported bsy federal funds and is part of
a regional project, "Soil Microbiology
These plates contain pure cultures of rival
microbes. The parasite at right feeds on
plant roots. In turn, the fungus at left at-
tacks this root-infecting species. The mi-
crobe war may help farmers reduce losses
caused by diseases.
of Plant Diseases." Two other southern
states, Tennessee and South Carolina,
are cooperating on the project.
Outlook Premising
During the past 2 years, a large num-
ber of soil samples were taken from Ala-
bama fields and processed for presence
of rival microorganisms. Hundreds of
fungi, bacteria, and actinomvcetes were
taken from the soil and tested in the
laboratory against common root-infect-
ing fungi. Txo promising organisms
have been found. One of these is a
bacterium it produces a toxin that
slows growth of several parasitic fungi.
The other is a fungus, which appears
to attack these same plant disease
fungi. This "enermy" fuIgus not only
stops growth of fungus parasites but
destroys parts of them. Both organisms
seem to be present in large numbers in
crop soils of Alabama.
rhese "enernv" organisms are being
studied in the greenhouse for their
ability to prevent disease-produciing
parasitic fungi from attacking plants
growing in soil. Following this test,
the organisms will be studied to learn
conditions 
under which 
they multiply
rapidly in soil and control plant disease.
It is not likely that rival microorgan-
isms alone will completely contiol soil-
borne diseases. Howeer, this practice
could be used along with crop rotations
and other good cultural systems in re-
ducing crop losses caused byv diseases.
Effective and lasting control of root-
ilfecting fungi \will require much re-
search.
00( iOFTEN ONE irE x.rs suich expres-
sions as ''a hug, is a hog"' and 'time is
niithirrg to at hogr.'
One lmighlt just as well saxy, "money
means nothiig to at hogr.' A ho, wxili
be Perfectly Content to lie lardx , lazx%-
id at firorrieial liability, if xx e let himn.
Thre lii c an i l wI iegr be allowx'ed
to manage iour pork prog.ram. We hax~e
lost a substantial portion of iinir pork
market b~ecaiuse x e hiaxve alloxx ed ex-
cessixclx ,Lift po rkers to rteproduce them-
seilves x ear after x'ear. \lanx' of us
liaxe kept for bri eding(, stock r_'its that
shldt hiaver been slaughdtered and briars
that shriuld hiaxe been barroxws simply
Iicanl~ Wcxe did not 1borther to fi ( nd iut
hiowx %xveil thexv had performned.
Tooi oifteri we have purc hased at boar
simply because lie was cheap, thiniking(,
that, after aill, "a brig is at ho,." Sirree
aI hog is it hug(, hie carnriot tell is his
litter size. hrow %veil his darn milked,
lir(xx' farst lie grexx' or lixxv thick the
lix er iif fat is oun his black. But if xx e
exp~ect tio stax' in the hug lirbusiness in)
Alabarma fur long, wve iriist krnowx, iic
ci rdirig, tii results of research studies ait
thre API Agricultuiral Experiment Stat-
tiriri.
Thie Lanrdrace boar above gfained
necarly 21' poruinds per daYx wxhile oil
tcest at the Min.rr Stati or. lie xx ciglred
2108 poiurnds art 1.54 (Lixs of agre and hadl
aini ax erage iii less than 2i, inch of back-
fat at that xxeimglit. ( f "22' purebred
Liridrace .rrrt I Larupslire boiars tested
tlr i ru the \% ritfr' iif 19i.56-57, 11 xx'eiulih-
t'( 20) pmii llts )I- mrne ait 1.54 (lax's iof
age. The ax'erage hack-fat thickness if
these I1I pigs range d from less than:r
inch toi 1 1
4 
inches. All xxere from lit-
ters xxeiglring 300 ponrds or moure ait
xearirg.
Ini the suimmer nif 1Nj56, '57 Landrace
biiars xx cre placed oi fee din gr test.
Txxentx' eighlt xxith good grains finished
thre test. T'he 10 top-gaining boars ax er-
agred 1.17 inches iif hack-fat at 2(00
porunds, xx bile the ax erage of the 28
xxas 1.10 inches.
The tests indicate that it is quiite
poissible to combine leanness and inns-
cling- wxith ailitx to grrixx, andc (rod lit-
ter perfiir'niarree. Our corn-belt compet-
ito~rs xxill miake use of this falet. Sri can
-labamal producers if xxe xxill do soic-e
thing about performance testing.
FREE Bulletin or Report of Progre
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
of the ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITU
E. V. Smith, Director
Auburn, Alabama
Permit No. 1 132-51 57-8M
",
E. V. SMIHTH-----
COYT WILSON-----
CHAS. F. SININIONS
KENNETH B. Roy--
BERYL H. SELLERS
R. E. Sr x'usvN
------Director
Assoc. Director
--Asst. Director
---------E ditor
--Assoc. Editor
--Asst. Editor
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID
PAYMENT OP POSTAGE. $300
ss
TE
N
7Zea "dca 7c~ud4
PUBLICATIONS
Iisted here are timiely and new publica-
tions repiorting researchi by the Agricultural
Experiment Station.
Bulletin :304. Southern I'usiformi Rust is
Arepjort of research onl facto rs atlicc ir
te i ncidenice ot southecrn to s iirni rust iii
Alabama's Corastal Plain Regioni.
Bulletin :305. Boron Requirements of Crops
in Alabaa noxis boro ni n'ureit-rits of
diffiernt crops aind dcser ibis dr'ficivnicN,
,. iiiptoiiis.
C ircular 118. Azalea Fertilization reports
,)n azalea nutrition expi ri rents and die-
cribes nutrient deficiert.yVs lltns
Circular 119t. Consurner-\tarket Study of
( Iiileo jam and Jelly i epi rts niarki t aec rp-
t ice ot bl1ackbe rry prodlucts rmade bN anl
i oprox ed, Station-dex eloped process.
Progress Report 66. Design for A Low-
Cost Farm I louise descriies a niew% designr
dcx r lijed byv tile E xpc rii nt Station.
Free copies may he iobtained fromn roir
count, alent iir bx xxritinir, tie API Aigri-
cu ltural E xperimien t Stat i \iion Auun, Ala-
HIGHLIGHTS
of
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
Published Quarterly by
Agricultural Experiment Station
of tire Alabama Polytechinic Institute
Auburn, Alabama
BETTER HOGS troa
fto-vawaae &4t54
C. D. SQUIGRS, Associate Animal Breeder