Show Kill ill Sagebrush Get Forage Ad Advises vises Exert Expert An extra 1000 pounds of for g ge vt fit lc roi s sif if d game animals can be produced ed on much of our range land landin landin in Utah by controlling the sage sage- brush sagebrush claims Karl Parker Utah State University extension range management specialist RANCHERS are asking how they can tell when is the best time to spray sagebrush to con con- control it on their range notes County Extension Agent Nyle Matthews Ire He explains that researchers with the Utah Agricultural Ex Station at have found that the sagebrush must be growing well before the spray will be effective They determined that this requires temperatures of at least 70 degrees during the day and 40 degrees at J night and minimum soil moisture of percent in clay loam soil percent in silt loam of 55 percent In sandy loam TO CHECK the temperatures simply use a thermometer Ac Ac- Ac Accurately determining soil mois- mois moisture moisture ture is a bit more difficult Clay loma soil with per per- percent cent moisture will feel moist to the hand but it wont won't form in- in into into to a ball when rolled in the hands Dr C Wayne Cook who Vb dir the research gives the following as a more accurate way of determining your soil moisture percentage Obtain two or three pound 1 coffee cans with lids fill these about half full of soil obtained from 2 t to 12 inch depth weigh the can and soil and record weight as accurately as possible reo re move lid and place in baking oven at degrees for 12 to 24 hours weigh soil and c can n again and record weight sub tract the first weight from the second weight This difference represents moisture in the soil Now remove soil from can and obtain weight of can with out soil soU subtract weight of can from weight of can and soil together when weighed the sec cond time This represents weight of dry soil divide weight of moisture in the soil by the weight of the dry soil This represents percent of wa ter in soil |