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Show THE RICH COUNTY NEWS. RANDOLPH. UTAH EFFECTIVE MEASURES FOR PREVENTING EROSION OF MUCH VALUABLE FARM LAND America rdf Which Causes a Loss of Land and a Lowering of Gullying (Prepared by the United States ment of Agriculture.) Depart- Soil erosion, or the washing away of earth by water, costs the farmers of the United States $1,000,000 every year. Soil losses from this cause occur in every state of the Union and in almost every county of every state. Nine years ago the National Conservation congress reported that 4,000,000 acres of farm land had been practically ruined by soil erosion. So serious is the condition that Dr. N. S. Shaler, formerly dean of the Lawrence Scientific school, was once moved to remark that If mankind cannot devise and enforce ways of dealing with the earth which will preserve this source of life, we must look forward to the time remote it may be, yet clearly discernible when our kind, having wasted its greatest inheritance, will fade from the earth because of the ruin it has accomplished. Ruins Fertile Land. Erosion injures or practically ruins fertile lands in a number of ways. The upper and most fertile parts of the soil are washed away until the land becomes barren and unproductive. Deep gullies are formed which result in an actual loss of land for cultivation, a lowering of the water table and a deficient supply of moisture. Drainage ditches are often filled up with sand, which frequently results in the flooding of the adjoining bottom land and the destruction of crops. Rich bottom lands are often covered with deposits of sand washed from the hill lands. Hence the direct losses of the upland farmer are the land occupied by gullies, smaller crop yields each year, and a continued decrease in the value of the land. Some of the losses of the bottom farmer are the land covered to a great depth jwith sand, crops damaged by overflow or deposits of sand, a continued decrease In the value of the land, and the money invested In the construction of drainage ditches that have been filled or partly filled with sand. Thus it is apparent that both the bottom and the upland farmer should be concerned in the Water Table the adoption of effective measures for stopping erosion. Methods of Preventing Erosion. Since erosion is due largely to the rapid movement of the rain water over the surface of the ground, methods of preventing erosion must cause the water either to sink into the soil or flow away slowly over the surface to a drainage channel. If the rain water were absorbed by the soil as fast as it falls, there would be very little . erosion. In order to drink up surface water rapidly a soil must be very permeable, which means that it must contain fairly large open spaces through which the rain water can pass easily, or where it can be stored temporarily. Some soils are naturally very permeable. A number of ways of increasing the permeability of a soil are deep plowing, plowing under organic matter such as manure, stubble, stalks and cover crops ; the practice of tile drainage, and, in certain,, soils, the use of explosives. Protection of Vegetation. Vegetation covering the surface of the ground protects the soil from the direct action of the rain and checks the flow of the water over the surface, giving the soil a better opportunity to absorb the water. It is therefore important that some kind of cover crop, such as vetch, clover, oats, wheat or rye, be grown on the land during the winter or at any time that the land is not used for other crops. Contour plowing, which consists of breaking the ground along level lines across the slopes, reduces the flow of water directly down the slope. Also in planting gnd cultivating the crops the same level lines are followed so that a "'shallop trough is, made above each-rWMost of the rain watei; is caught and held in this trough until It either evaporates or is absorbed by the soil. Contour plowing should Invariably be practiced on all hill lands. The beginning of a great many gullies Is due to the practice of plowing and cultivating directly up and down the slopes, View Showing Erosion Between Cotton Rows Where Rows Are Run Directly Up and Down the Slope, a Practice Which Is Responsible for a Largd Percentage of Badly Eroded Lands. BOLL WEEVIL LOSES GROUND BEEF CATTLE IMPROVEMENT Second Year in History of Insect That Take Care to Develop to Greatest Extent Those Portions From Which There Has Been Reduction in Cuts Are Taken. Infested Territory. (Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) Due to the hard winter of 1917-1the boll wet-vi- l lost ground In his conquest of the cotton belt last year. This is exceptional in the history of the weevil, in tnat It Is the second year since the establishment of this insect in the Uniiad States, that there has been a net reduction in territory Infested by tl.is pest. This does not mean that the movement of th6 boll weevil has been permanently shopped. In fact, the net loss of tejr tory for the year was but a fraction of the loss at the beginning of 1918. Much of the lost territory was regained by the weevil later in the year. The losses in territory occurred In Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Alabama. The weevil gained territory in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia,, and New Mexico. This is the first report of the boll weevil on cotton In New Mexico, where it was found in the Pecos valley. The weevil has reached the southernmost limits of cotton production in Florida. It is steadily gaining new territory In South Carolina. Almost the d cotton belt Is now inentire ' fested. Altogether the weevil invaded only 16,100 square miles of new territory during 1918. It lost 46,600 square miles of formerly Infested territory, making a net loss of 30,500 square miles. About 150,000 square miles of cotton territory still remain sea-islan- , (Prepared by the United States Depart ment of Agriculture.) In the improvement of beef cattle care has been taken to develop to the greatest extent those portions of the d body from which are secured the cuts of beef. These points should be kept In mind when selecting breeding animals. high-price- SYSTEM OF SHEEP FARMING Farmer Cannot Be Successful and IgBoth nore Wool and Mutton Worthy of Consideration. by the United States Department of Agriculture.) A system of sheep farming that Is (Prepared to be continuously successful cannot Ignore either wool or mutton. In many cases the two products will be worthy In others of equal consideration. either one may be emphasized according to the peculiarities of conditions, management and marketing. PRODUCE LARGE MILK YIELDS Animal Is Necessarily of Different Type for Production of Beef Breed Not Found. , (Prepared, by the United States Department of Agriculture.) As the type of animal necessary for the production of large yields of milk Is entirely different from that of the beef animals, it has been Impossible to produce a breed which would combine these functions and be of aupe-rimerit for both purposes. or Y A G?S7AJY 4 Q3J?m7Qy SAJLJLOW GOAVG UP l.L Arizona, not to say Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Southern California it would be safer to in-elude Wyoming, Montana and Idaho also Is feeling a certain sort of grim satisfaction these days. For Frank Luke, Sr., of Phoenix has got the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously awarded to Lieut. Frank I, like, Jr. Oil, yes, it was presented with proper ceremonies at the Arizona state capitol in Phoenix by Brig. Gen. H. R.' Hickok, Governor But the main Campbell and other dignitaries. thing is that the medal was awarded and is now where is belongs. And the fighting men of tills western country are mixed in their feelings divided between grief that they can no longer wish their pet flyer Happy Landings and pride that he so well represen tetrthemTlutn was th'e first flying officer to get the Congressional Medal of Honor. Moreover, the mystery of Lukes fate that for many months kept all the fighting men of this western country on the lookout for news of him Is now solved. And these western fighting men are now doubly proud that their air hero died with his boots on that his grand finale was fittingly glorious and as heroic as was his whole meteoric career. Eighteen Hun planes and balloons in seventeen days is part of Lukes official record. And balloons! Ifes, balloons. Dont make the mistake of thinking lightly of an aviator destroying a balloon. Regulars, marines, national guards, national army, doughboys, artillerists, engineers all have their heroes. But dont overlook the airmen when apportioning honors. And if there is any var business more dangerous than combating enemy airplanes it is destroying enemy observation balloons. The quality of the job is indicated by the German practice of crediting with two victories every pilot who strafed a balloon. And maybe this is why strafing balloons was the chosen business and specialty of Frank Luke. Heres a glimpse of what Lieut. Frank Lukes comrades think of his work: The other day J. Loy Maloney returned to the Chicago Tribune staff. He had a pair of R. M. A. wings and three gold overseas service chevrons, and his pilot book shows 350 hours in the air, 150 of which were over the lines. He was with the famed 94th aero squadron Eddie Rickenbackers own. He was pressed for news of his exploits. Well, I didnt do a darn thing, but I can tell you a story about a hero a real hero, the bravest man in the war, said Maloney. ' His name was Frank Luke, Jr., hv lived in Phoenix, Ariz., before the war and he was probably the most brilliant flyer we had. He would fly over our balloon officers and drop a note telling them he would knock down a blimp at a certain time and at that time down would come the bag. On Lukes last trip up he made the most sensational flight In history. He had dropped a note saying two German balloons would be crashed. They were, and then Ills air went bad and he had to pump by hand, which means handling the stick, the gas and all the guns with one hand. He saw two Fokkers knock down an American scout, so he went up and knocked down the boches. On his way back he saw seven Frenchmen trying to get a huge German triplane. Luke got the ship, but shrapnel stopped his motor. Below was Germany and Down he went. German troops. That 20 year old kid dove the ship over the marching columns of boche troops and turned his machine gun loose on them, know, ing he would be a prisoner. But he killed eight men, then set his ship down on the ground and whipped out his auto- matic. He hit three boches when they came up to capture him and they bumped him off. ; When he died he had eighteen victories to his credit and was keeping Rick humping. This is the judgment of a trained newspaper man, used to getting facts, appreciating their value, and sizing up men. Perhaps nobody is better able to tell the truth about Luke than the man who commanded his squadron in the fighting in which he took so brilliant a part. That man, Harold E. Hartney, now a lieutenant colonel and chief of gunnery in the air service, describes his first impression of him d as that of a youth keen and aquiline, and fair, with a strong jaw and hair brushed back from a broad, high forehead. Luke was 20 years old when he entered the service. He was trained at the University of i January 3, 1019. From i Graven Registration Officer, eufehateau, Area No, 1. To i CIlief Air Service, A. E. F. Subject i Grave, Unknown American Aviator. 1. Unita of this aervlce have located the grave of an unknown aviator, killed on Sunday, September 28, 1018, In the village of Hnrvam (Meuse). 2, From the Inspection of the grave and inter-- view held with Inhabitants of the town the following Information was learned In regard to the heroism of this aviator. Any assistance you can furnish-uthat will enable ns to properly identify this body will be greatly appreciated. The following might assist you In gaining for us this information I. Reported as having light hair, young, of medium, inheight and heavy stature. Reported by the man-habitants that previous to being killed this two German down three German, balloons, brought planes, and dropped hand bombs, killed eleven German soldiers and wounded a number of others. He was wounded himsolf in the shoulder, nnd make n forced landing,, and upon ' evidently had tofire withe his automatic and fought landing opened until he was killed. It Is also reported that the Germans took his shoes, leggins, and money, leav- i,' ? ing his grave unmarked.CHESTER E. STATEN, S. G. R. Olllcer. of Capt. Infantry, A A AFFIDAVIT. The undersigned, living In the town of Murvaux, of the Meuse, certify to have seen, on department the 20th day of September, 1018, toward evening, an Ainericni aviator, followed by an escadrllle of Germans, in the direction of Ulny, near Dun (Mease), descend suddenly and vertically toward the earth, then straighten out close to the ground, nnd flew In the direction of the Briers Farm, near Doulcon, where he found a German captive balloon, which he burned. Following this he flew toward Mllly (Meuse), where he found nnother balloon) which he also burned, In spite of an Incessant Are directed against bis machine. There he was e apparently wounded by u shot tired from rapid-fircannon. From there he came back over Mnrvam, nnd still with his machine gun killed six German soldiers and wounded many more," Following this he landed and got out of his ' l AT Texas, at Rockwell Field, at Issoudun and at Cazeaux, in France; joined the 27th aero squadron near Chateau-Tliierrlate in July, 1918; had an insatiable appetite for flying, defied all rules of formation and safety in the air. y ' "If any layman or landsman reading the history of Lukes career is inclined to fancy that balloon strafing is an easy trick, no experienced pilot shares that illusion, says Colonel Hartney. In reality it is the most dangerous exploit any man in any branch of the- service can undertake. The concentration of fire from the ground makes it much more hazardous than other On every occasion of such attempts fighting. Lukes machine was literally riddled with, bullets and twice he. was compelled to abandon his airplane and break in a new one. Here Is a sample of the work Luke did: September 15, 1918, 'the eneipy succeeded in getting another balloon up at Boinville, and a second at Bois dHingry. Luke had been watching like a hawk this area, and the moment a balloon ascended he spotted it and returned to his own aerodrome with data and an appeal to be allowed to destroy it. Before Luke went out on that afternoon, therefore, new tactics were decided upon. Three friendly escorting patrols of five machines were to dart to Lukes rescue, timed to arrive at the objective 60 seconds after Luke. Our balloons were advised by courier that at 5 :05 that afternoon Luke would shoot down the Boinville balloon and asked to be on the lookout. Almost to the second Luke was perceived diving homeward, with a formation of five enemy Fokkers sitting on his tail and a burning balloon falling in the background. He managed to dodge the fire of the enemy and landed on his own side of the line and not far from the most advanced American troops. Those on the ground thought that he was lost. He had, in fact, landed to get his own bearings and those of the second balloon, which he had seen at a distance. Without getting out of his machine, without even stopping his motor, careful only of hidden shell holes which might smash his undercarriage, he took off skillfully from ground which was never intended as a takinghjff. place for airplanes and made straight for the balloon at Bois dHingry. Without escort and with no companion, at exactly 20 minutes after shooting down his first balloon, the second fell actually under the noses of the enemy formations near by. ' Later observing north of Verdun and east of the Meuse an attempt to send up another balloon, anti-aircra- ft ' , blue-eye- ma- chine, undoubtedly to quench his thirst at a nearby stream. He had gone some fifty yards, when, seeing the Germans come toward him, still had the strength to draw Ills revolver to defend himself, and a moment after fell deed, following a serious wound received In the chest. ' Certify equally to have seen the German commandant of the village refuse to have straw placed In the cart carrying the dead aviator to the vileeiaetery. This same oflicer drove away some lage women bringing a sheet to serve as a shroud for the hero, nnd said, kicking the hodyi Get that out of iny way ns quick as possible. The next day the Germans took away the airplane, and the inhabitants also saw nnother American aviator fly very low over the town, apparently disappeared aviator. looking for the of the following Inhabitants: SignaturesRene Colin, Angnste Cuny, Henry Gns Pcrton, tave, Eugene Coline, Odtle Patoehe, Richard Victor, Valentin Garra, Gustave Garra, Leon Henry, Cortlae Delbart, Gabriel Dldier, Camille Phillip. The undersigned themselves placed the body of the aviator on the wagon and conducted it to the cemetery. VOLINER NICHOLAS. CORTLAE DELHART. Seen for legalization of signatures placed above! ' 1010. THE MAYOR, Marvaux, January 15, of Marvaux.) (Seal Auguste Garre. he hurried back to his squadron and begged to be ordered to go out in the dusk of (he evening, surprise and destroy it. It was found that his machine was not in condition for this flight. Luke got another airplane, and, though he was unfamiliar with this machine and uncertain of the reliability of its motor, he determined to risk it for night flying. With express instructions not to attempt to go down on 'the balloon until 7 :50, Luke left his home field at Rembercourt, accompanied by Wehner. As before, and precisely at 7 :50 in the dusk of the evening, his comrades on the aerodrome watched the bailoon fall in flames, giving Luke his third official victory of the day. . ' I have all the details of his meteoric career. For his glorious work on September 29, 191.8, the day of his death, he was awarded the medal. He started out to destroy three Huu observation balloons. When nearly overhead he was attacked by ' ten enemy machines. He engaged all of them and crashed two of the ten. Then single-handehe dropped out of control, as it seemed, but most likely only pretending to be so. When he reached the level of the balloons he shot them down one after another In flames all three of them. The guns were very busy about the second balloon. After that he disappeared. , The Americans made every effort to solve thi mystery of Lukes disappearance. The report ot Captain Staten and the affidavit of citizens of Murvaux given herewith, show the situation of one stage of the proceedings. The remains of the Intrepid air fighter were buried close by in a grave marked ns that of an UnIt was stripped, as the known American aviator. Germans thought, of everything that would iden-tif- y it, but they overlooked a wrist wntch. which identification was found later and sent bureau at Paris, Then Captain F. W. Zinn of the air service went to Murvaux and made an investigation which seemed to prove conclusively that the body was that of Lieutenant Luke. ' d ' anti-aircra- ft ' to-th- .; |