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Show o InKa n Orgs A iiiu yaiiiiiiio rs vs. Gmmcrcial Agriculturists A feud of contradictory opinions opin-ions has long been smoldering between organic gardeners and commercial agriculturists. All don't see eye to eye, but the conflict is emerging into an era of greater understanding, believes be-lieves Reed S. Roberts, Extension Exten-sion entomologist, Utah State University, He noted that persons concerned con-cerned with commercial agriculture agri-culture have been conducting ex periments in which one plot of ground is treated with conventional conven-tional pesticides and commercial commer-cial fertilizer, and then its production pro-duction is compared with another identical plot of ground that is not so treated. Under these experimental ex-perimental conditions, the results re-sults clearly show that more food is produced at a lower cost and with toss insect and disease damage by using pesticides and commercial fertilizers than by not using them. The organic gardeners, however, how-ever, feel that this is not an entirely en-tirely fair comparison. They cite the results of their own gardens. By using methods they consider to be more "natural," they have demonstrated that they can produce an abundant crop of quality vegetables. . But much of this is a matter of degree and cost. At least some of the organic gardeners do use pesticides. They use what are supposed to be the more "safe" compounds such as py-rethrum py-rethrum and rotenone to protect pro-tect their crops from insect pests. The main objection that commercial com-mercial agriculturists have with these pesticides is that they usually usu-ally cost much more, are harder to obtain and to apply than the other pesticides such as phosphorous phos-phorous compounds that may be more toxic. The increased cost and difficulty of using them for pest control discourages their use in commercial agriculture because it would necessarily increase in-crease the cost of the food produced. pro-duced. The agriculturists point out that large scale, properly timed insect control programs are essentialto produce the quantity quan-tity and quality cl food needed by society today. Suchprograms must be both effective and realistic real-istic in terms of labor required and costs of materials used. As an example, orchardists find it almost impossible to produce apples ap-ples free from worms unless they . I. 3 a L w -M Aumt fp 'I DR. DE VERE McALLETER, Extension Agronomist, Utah State University, (left) identifies novel corn varieties for Linda Bussio, Utah's Junior Miss, and Dave Bradford at the grain corn test plots sponsored this past season by Germain's, Inc. at the Bradford ranch near Spanish Fork. Photo, courtesy Germain's, Inc. spray on a large scale and spray frequently. The same situation exists with use of fertilizer. The organic gardeners do fertilize their ground. They use compost, manure, ma-nure, and other organic matter rather than commercial fertilizers. fertili-zers. Most of them will readily admit that these methods may not work economically in large fields of one food crop. But the controversy between the organic advocates and the commercial agriculturists is not over. As they arue, scientists are continuing working to develop better, more safe and economical methods of producing food through more efficient control of plant diseases and pest insects. One big step forward in this direction is expected to come 1 lii from the introduction of a survey sur-vey program conducted in Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado funded by the Four Corners Regional Commission. In it, a hormone, the female sex pheromone will be used to attract, trap and count the codling moth that is respons ible for most of the worms found in untreated or improperly treat ed fruit trees in the area. The survey aims to make it possible to eventually control the codling moth with fewer, more effectively timed applications of pesticides. This will reduce the cost of control and the undesirable ef fects on the environment. Rc verts stressed that knowledge know-ledge is important in dealing with the problems represented in the controversy. Opportunity is available to acquire more know. ledge during spring quarter when Utah State University will be of fering courses both in organic gardening and commercial agriculture agri-culture for everyone who is in terested. Production on Irrigated Pastures Increase Dee By Dr. C. R. Acord Extension Livestock Specialist Utah State Uni;..-sity Logan, Utah Forages in various forms con tinue to be a major source of food for domestic ruminants. Grazing experiments over the past 50 years have supplied a wealth of information on practical practi-cal grazing methods. New measuring meas-uring techniques and other factors fac-tors have resulted in changes in recommendations, but worldwide, world-wide, there appears to be no universal agreement on the best method of animal-pasture man agement. The billion acres of pasture and grazing land in the United States makes it possible to build and develop a large pasture program. pro-gram. In the 17 Western states there are 2.7 million acres used for just irrigated pastures. Some of these pastures will not produce much, but pastures can be as productive as other farm or ranch crops when pro duced on similar soil types and properly managed. Pastures may produce at lower costs than other crops because: (a) Animals harvest the crop. storage space is re ft) No quired. (c) Irrigated pastures are generally perennial, thus seed bed preparation is not required annually. (d) Cultivation is limited and the animals help spread the ma nure. (e) Forage harvested as pas tures can be high in protein and digestibility. (ft Land does not wear out with well-managed pastures. Thus pastures do lend themselves to eood soil maintenance jid un der good irrigation a small acre age tends to lend itself to larger numbers of livestock per acre and requires intensive management to get maximum production. THE AMERICAN FORK CrTIZEN,THURSDAY,MARCH30,1972 Big Game Harvest FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANTING IRRIGATED PASTURE Throughout the Western states, soil, moisture, and climatic conditions con-ditions vary widely, so before planting an irrigated pasture some factors may be considered: (a) Moisture. Is there ade quate moisture properly distri buted throughout the season? Is the quality of the moisture good? (b) Presence of alkali. Is the alkali a minor or major problem ? (c) Water table. Is the table close to the ground? (d) Soil texture. Is your sou light, medium, or heavy? What is its water-holding capacity? (e) Season when livestock is to be grazed. Is it once-over a year, or early spring or late fall grazing only, or winter or summer grazing? (f) Method of grazing and management practices to be followed. fol-lowed. Continuous or rotational grazing? (g) Method of Irrigation. Gra vity, sprinkle, subirrigate ? Evidence within our own work, when the above factors are considered, con-sidered, suggests one can net from $85.00 to $164.00 per acre and include in expenses six per cent interest on $1,000 land val ues ana laoor oi - per acre. Preliminary reports on the 1971 Utah big game hunts were released re-leased recently by the Division of Wildlife Resources. The early reports showed approximately ap-proximately 89,000 deer were taken in Utah on regular licenses licen-ses last year compared to over 98,000 in 197C. Regular license hunter success was near 47 in 1971 and 557c the year before. Bad weather stalled the 1971 Utah deer hunt the second day of the season. Elk harvest figures show 1,756 animals were taken by over 9,000 hunters last season. Nearly 17 success went to open bull permit holders and 39 to the restricted area hunters who drew for their either sex elk permits. Moose hunting looked reasonably reason-ably good last year. Of the 65 moose tags issued, 32 were used. Buffalo hunters removed ten animals from rangelands last year. Fifteen permits were authorized au-thorized by the Board of Big Game Control. Antelope permits numbered 230 in Utah last season, which is a record number for the 26-year old hunt. Hunters took 179 prong-horn prong-horn in 1971. Most sheep hunters were outsmarted out-smarted by the bighorns last year when nine of the tea permit holders hol-ders flunked the course. The tenth hunter took an animal younger than the seven year minimum mi-nimum age, which was classed as an illegal kill. bit numbers by opening up their protective cover of brush and exposing them to predators. Land management agency personnel considered this extremely im portant since rabbits greatly hin der range improvement as they destroy the new grass seedlings. The sagebrush chaining pro cess has been demonstrated effectively ef-fectively in various areas of Utah. Ranchers dasinng to use the chain owned by USU Exten sion may contact their county extension agent to make arrange ments. A heavier, chain, weighing up to 120 lbs. per link, dragged between be-tween two crawler tractors is being used to control the juniper juni-per (sometimes called cedar) and pinon pine that has overtaken large part of Utah's range- land. The process involves chaining in one direction, scat tering seeds of desirable grasses and shrubs and then chaining in the opposite direction to cover the seed and finish uprooting the excess stands of decadent juniper juni-per trees. Tha operation costs from 10 to 15 dollars per acre. Production of desirable plants has been demonstrated to be increased in-creased ten-fold by this operation. opera-tion. This represents real value in terms of improved grazing lands for livestock and wild life. Also, there are important soil conservation and watershed values. The grasses and shrubs hold water and eliminate much of the soil erosion. Wify Plant Cover to liiiprovo ilangelands Obtaining top quality apples at less cost with lest pesticide spray is the potential value of a codling cod-ling moth trapping program. Ef fective trapping to determine when the moths are out flying and laying eggs has been made possible by the scientific breakthrough break-through in the discovery of synthesizing syn-thesizing the sex pheromone of the female codling moth. Baiting traps with the female sex pheromone provides the most effective way of capturing the males. Extensive use of the traps will enable orchardists to do a better job of controlling the cod ling moth, the number one insect pest of Utah apples, explained Reed S. Roberts, Utah State Uni versity Extension entomologist. However, he said, "Before we can benefit much from pheromone traps it will be necessary to do something about the thousands of abandoned and neglected apple tr.es in the state, especially those in the fruit growing areas. Many of these are backyard apple trtes and are a source of thou-s thou-s ands of codling mothsevery year. It will be necessary to either spray these trees as needed need-ed or else replace them with trees other than apple trees to improve the present control programs." pro-grams." Roberts urged every major fruit growing county in Utah to initiate an effective program of taking care of abandoned and neglected apple trees. Joel Barlow, USU Extension horticulturist at Provo, is heading head-ing the moth trapping, monitoring monitor-ing research project in Utah. igevTrT'i: "It starts on t dime, doesn't it?" He explained that the codling moth is Utah's major fruit pest. Controlling it costs Utah's apple and pear growers thousands of dollars each year. Barlow explained that the sur vey aims to make it possible to eventhaully control the codling moth with fewer, more effectively effective-ly timed applications of pesti cides. This will reduce the cost of control and the undesirable effects on the environment. Cooperating in carrying out the moth-trapping research pro ject in Utah are the fruit grow ers, the State Department of Agriculture, USU Extension and USU Plant Science and Zoology Departments, assisted by a 48- thousand dollar grand from the Four Corners Regional Commission. The plant cover on Utah's foothill foot-hill and mountain rangelands can be modified to provide much more suitable forage for wildlife and domestic livestock, more effective effect-ive soil stabilization, and abetter watershed than we now have. In fact, Karl Parker, Utah State University Extension range specialist, maintains that Utah rangeland areas offer one of the really great potentials for improvement im-provement in Utah. He said research on planting crested wheatgrass and pasturing pastur-ing it h?ve indicated great potential po-tential for improving production from range seeding. To get full value from the seeded range a protein supplement should be provided to supply needed nutrients nu-trients as the nutrition in the crested wheatgrass decreases in late summer and fall. Other experimental seedings of Russian wild rye grass have indicated in-dicated that this grass could be seeded to good advantage on about one-half million acres of Utah range land. Many useful shrubs being grown on lower game range ex perimental plots and at the Snow College Experimental Farm at Ephraim have the potential for greatly increasing the winter feed supply of animals. Seeding and management is needed to encour age the growth of more of the desirable species. Also, much of Utah's range plant cover can be modified to good advantage. By pulling a lightweight anchor chain (10 lbs. per foot) rapidly over the land to knock out de-cadant de-cadant sagebrush, the more desirable de-sirable grasses, forbes and shrubs get a chance to grow. A method has been developed of pulling the chain over the land between two tractor power units at speeds of 10 to 15 miles per hour. This shears off or uproots up-roots the sagebrush. At the time, it skips over many of the forbes and perennial grasses which are important for wild life and livestock. This method, costing about 25 cents an acre, modifies the plant cover without disturbing the soil, making it a real boon to sou and water con servation and livestock manage ment. It appears to give an added benefit of reducing the rab' ' Mtf. U nfHfi'OiiM ,4(31''- -T i - Scotts Pre-Spring SALE li si saves you money on lawn fertilizer Western lawns need super greening power, and they can get it from super turf builder. It is made by the exclusive Polyform process, that releases its nutrients over a prolonged period as the grass needs them. So there's no wasteful overfeeding, or surge growth to cause extra mowing. Just greener, healthier, sturdier grass. 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