OCR Text |
Show MARCH 2, 1951 THE SAUNA SUN, SAUNA, UTAH Makes Land Produce Crops By Clyde W. Larsen, Soil Conservation Service Besides being one of the best fishermen ever to take a string of trout from Utahs Fishlake, Ernel (Jake) Peterson of Salina, Utah, has earned the reputation of being one of the states most determined conservationists, and he came by this title the hard way. This all started back in 1944, when Jake traded some and and permits, and ended up with 15 acres of bottom land bordering the Sevier River on the west, Folks in the area kidded Jake about his trading ability, and intimated that if he had started trading with the proverbial jackknife, he certainly was out one good knife. Frankly, the people did not think much of (Petersons d 15 acres. There was a good basis for this opinion, too. The land was unlevel, with high spots that could not be irrigated. The acreage along the river had a heavy tamarix growth. The water table ranged from 18 to 36 inches, and the salt content of the soil was so high, that only a few of the more weeds and grasses were growing. In the spring of 1946, Peterson asked the aid of the Sevier County Soil Conservation District in planning a complete conservation program for his farm .including the traot. Soil Conservation Service technicians worked with Peterson in planning his program. Everything went well until they tract. came to the After careful analysis of the soil and related physical prob newly-acquire- salt-resista- nt 50-ac- re 15-ac- re 15-ac- re lems, the technicians reached the conclusion that: I. Any development would be long and costly; 2. Removal of the tamarix, leveling and leaching of the salts from the soil, would be necessary, and 3. The general water level of the river was within a few feet of the surface of the land, so deep drainage would not be possible. The first big job was to remove the tamarix. Peterson hired a tractor and bulldozer, with the idea of breakihg off the tamarix and pushing them into piles for burning. The old dry ones broke off all right. However, the live ones just bent to the ground as the dozer passed over them, and immediately straightened up in the wake of the tractor. Next, Mr. Peterson tried plowing out the tamarix with both moldboard and wheatland disc plows. This didnt work either. 2. Finally in desperation, Jake brought the tractor .back, placed the dozer blade at an angle, and simply plowed up the tamarix. With the unwanted plants out of the way, the SCS technicians staked the field for leveling to a uniform grade. By this time, radius people within a were observing the work on Petersons land, and making comments. Most of them considered the work a waste of money, and predicted failure. SCS personnel urged Peterson to have patience, and warned, that. 'because of the high water table, it would take a long time to reduce the salt concentration in the soil. Peterson planted the field to oats and sweet cloved in i , .. i : r," tlf n I , 56-fo- ot tiie bottom of the furrow could mean the difference between success and failure in starting the seedlings. Peterson fuiruvei the field with a beet eult,ator. A beet drill then was used to plant the seed in the bottom of the furrows at 20 imh spacing on three acres. The rtst of the field was seeded to barley and sweet clover. The field was irrigated .rtret rrrrf;i( i : On Oct. 6, 1950, just a year after the tall wheatgrass stand was established, three acres were harvested for seed, and yielded an average of about 545 pounds to the acre. Ernel Peterson is shown standing beside the combine in the wheatgrass, some of which reached a height of more than six feet. When Ernel Peterson (above) traded for 15 acres of land along the Sevier River near Salina, Utah, in 1944, his neighbors were sure he had made a bad deal, and that the land never could be made productive. The tract was unlevel, had a high water table, a heavy salt concentration, and a dense growth of tamarix. Francis Peterson (left) father of Ernel, and Clyde W. Larsen, former Soil Conservation Service farm planner at Salina, and now district conservationist at Fillmore, are shown in the tall wheatgrass stand obtained on the field. After the tamarix were removed, with great difficulty, the land was leveled and seeded to oats and sweet clover in 1947. The crop failed, and did so again in 1948, because of the heavy salt concentration. Tall wheatgrass then was seeded In the furrows in 1949, and made a good stand. 1949-51- 4-- i iii furrows. However, on this portion of the field, he built border of intervals. These will be used to control the irrigation water, should Peterson decide in the future to stop growing seed and start pasturing the field. A good stand of tall wheatgrass has been established in the furrows. The original three acres of the wheatgrass, planted in 1949, made steady growth last year, and exceeded six feet in height in some spots. Early last Oct., Peterson harvested the seed with a combine, and got an average of about 543 pounds to the acre, and this was the first year after the planting was established. Now, with a good stand of tall wheatgrass on the entire 15 acres of the former wasteland, Peterson feels that his judgement has been vindicated, and that his investment will pay big dividends for years to come. immediately afnr planting, and the tall wheatgrass. sweet clover and barley germinated over the entire field There was a 100 percent stand of the whiatgrass .which continued to grow throughout the season. However, most of the barley and yellow sweet clover on the rest of the field died, and alkali weeds dominated completely at harvest time. When the snow melted on the field during the winter of ) the tall wheatgrass was green. This encouraged Peterson, so in the spring of 1950, he seeded the Final games in the North Serest of the field to wheatgrass, in the vier of division of Region Four bottom the planting were played Friday night, with the Richfield Wildcats winning over North Sevier, 29 to 36, and the Monroe Rams taking Wayne into camp, 52 to 33. The Wolves were hampered in the first two quarters by an inability to connect with field goals, getting only two in 16 minutes. The players had plenty of good shots, and ringed the basket time after time, but just couldnt get them to stay in. On 'WW'4J the other hand, the Wildcats had their eye set on the middle of the hoop, and seldom missed. Coming out in the second half, the Wolves made it a different story, but couldnt overcome the first half lead built up by the Richfield team. In the final 16 minutes, the Wolves outscored the Wildcats 23 to 15. Little Ronnie Steele led the Wolves with 9 points, and StanErnest Bastian, combine operator, is shown studying his ley I vie added 8 counters to the instruction book prior to setting his screens and fan to' harvest cause. Scoring for Richfield was Petersons tall wheatgrass seed. Clyde W. Larsen, Soil Conabout even, with six players servation Service technician, stands by to check the efficiency getting 2 field goals each, and of the operation. totals running from 4 to 6 points. Score by quarters: North Sevier 5 6 17 29 14 21 32 36 Richfield 15-mi- le rv , the spring of 1947, and started irrigating. The results were white alkali on the surface, and a few weeds, but no oats or sweet clover. The same crops were seeded again in 1948, but only occasional plants of each came up. Samples of the soil then were taken on the surface, and at depths of 6, 18 and 24 inches. The heavy concentration of white alkali on the surface was found to be so strong that the seedlings were being burned to death soon after germination. In 1949, the Sevier County Soil Conservation District received some tall wheatgrass seed from the SCS nursery in Albuquerque. Trial plantings had revealed this grass to be tolerant of some white alkali. The district supervisors gave Peterson 50 pounds of the seed for a trial planting. SCS technicians suggested that he plant the seed in the bottom of furrows, since field observations had indicated that the difference in salt concentration on the ridge and in PAGE S Last night (Thursday) the annual Region Four Round Robin got underway, with eight teams from the region competing. In the upper bracket, Richfield, 2nd place winner in North Sevier, met Ephraim, 2nd place winner of the Sanpete division, at 3 p.m. The other afternoon game saw Gunnison, winner of Sanpete, meet Panguitch, runner-u- p of South Sevier. The lower bracket played at 7 p.m., with North Sevier meeting Marysvale, 1st place winner of South Sevier, followed by Monroe, North Sevier winner, meeting North Sanpete, 3rd place winner in their district. Three top teams of the tourney will enter the Class B tournament in Salt Lake City. SEE OUR DISPLAY OF EASTER CANDIES PINEAPPLE JUICE TUNA FISH Vi Size Libbys White Star, Grated Delbrook YELLOW MARGARINE CATSUP Pierces 2 2 14 oz. BAKERS COCOA CRANBERRY 46 oz SAUCE 4 in 1 for Vi Size Ocean Spray For LOG CABIN SYRUP 24 oz - 37c 29c lb. 45c 10c RIT EASTER EGG COLORS NIBLETS CORN 35c PEANUT BUTTER 21c CREAM OF WHEAT FAB or SUPER SUDS 49c CLOROX Dixons qt 18c 12 oz 35c Peter Pan 35c 28 oz 31c 33c Large 17c Vi gaL Rllarket (aaiffig333i?CEC natural-lookin- waves in little g as 10 minutes with 35c 2 Vi Size FRUIT COCKTAIL soft, unbelievably 29c time Its the THE COLD PERMANENT WITH THE PATENTED OIL CREME BASE oil in Nutri Tonic that does so many wonderful things for you. Try it see, feel the difference. Beauty shops have given millions of luxurious Nutri-Tonpermanents, priced to $20 and up. -- ic TO KELP of If for Nu" Tonic hoir tnple crmJ wlth lo-l- ,t Pf"onnff, oik Choltifwol. SAVE! IUV REFILL PLASTIC COALERS IF TOW HAVE LUXURT, dr,,,,n8 DELUXE, with plotfic cvrlwt 2 tift proftioof Mica PIUS M TELLURIDE POWER COMPANY SALINA DRUG Salfna, Utah A Self Supporting, Tax Paying Industry I |