Pasture Establishment

Photograph of Bermuda grass base pasture from seed developed on formerly timbered land in May 1955. Timber cut off at ground level with a crawler tractor mounted scalloped blade cutter in the fall of 1955. Land prepared in the spring of 1956. Limed according to needs and fertilized with 300 pounds of 4-12-4 per acre and seeded with 2 pounds of hulled Bermuda seed per acre. Seed and fertilizer placed in shallow furrows 18 inches apart. Photo made 9 weeks after seeding. Moderately grazed from seeding time. Owner plans weed and brush control with herbicides.
Date: July 9, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Pasture Establishment in Ouachita Highlands

Photograph of a planned conservation treatment of timbere4d rock free soil in Ouachita Highlands. Bermuda grass from seed on dozer cleared land 2 months after seeding. This grass was limed and fertilized with 150 pounds of 10-20-10 per acre. Land was tandem diced, followed by packing rain. Seed and fertilizer placed on top of ground in 18 inch rows. Seeded at the rate of 2 pounds of seed per acre.
Date: July 9, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Erosion Control on Backside of Dam

Photograph of tilling of the 2:1 back slope of dam to prepare it for the sprigging of Bermuda grass. This dam is at Site 22, Big Wewoka Creek watershed and was built as a joint project between the State Game and Fish Commission and the Soil Conservation Service.
Date: September 9, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Stubble Mulch Tillage

Photograph of a close up of stubble mulch tillage of wheat stubble after harvest. Approximately 2000 pounds per acre of wheat stubble left on the soil surface to protect the land from wind and water erosion. Decomposed stubble also adds organic matter to the soil. This practice is recommended by SCS.
Date: August 9, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Terrace Construction

Photograph of Wayburn Gibson, contractor, constructing terraces with caterpillar and bulldozer. Terrace will reduce erosion by reducing runoff. Terrace system was designed by the Soil Conservation Service. Land will be planted to wheat in the fall of 1956.
Date: August 9, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Sandlove Grass Drilled in Wheat

Photograph of Sandlove grass drilled in wheat in 1952 on Class III and IV land, Soil Unit 12.
Date: July 9, 1955
Creator: Engleman, Jack
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Brush Control

Photograph of untreated Blackjack oak brush pasture. Little or no grazing can be gained from this land until the oak brush has been removed. Photo made on NE corner of NE1/4 section 26 twp 20N-4 15W, opposite 18th post south of brace post.
Date: July 9, 1955
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Wheat Stubble Mulch Tillage

Photograph of stubble mulch tillage of wheat stubble after harvest. Approximately 2000 pounds per acre of wheat stubble left on the soil surface to protect the land from wind and water erosion. Decomposed stubble also adds organic matter to the soil. This practice is recommended by the SCS.
Date: August 9, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Remains of Old Sod House

Photograph of the remains of an old sod house built by early settlers of Northwestern Oklahoma. The houses were built of blocks cut from the good grass sod they found in this area. Some of the walls are still standing and are in fair condition after nearly 100 years. This type of sod no longer exists. It has been destroyed by plowing for farming, over-grazing and erosion.
Date: July 9, 1955
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Multiflora Rose

Photograph of Multiflora Rose planted in 1950 by a Oklahoma Fish and Game Representative. This plant is a good example of a living fence and cover for wildlife.
Date: May 9, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass Planting

Photograph of Sandlove grass drilled in wheat in 1952 onClass III and IV land, Soil Unit 12.
Date: July 9, 1955
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Pasture Establishment

Photograph of pasture establishment following planned conservation treatment for establishing bermuda grass and clover pasture. Bermuda grass roots were planted with a mechanical bermuda grass sprigger available to cooperators of the Latimer SCD on a rental basis. Roots were planted on a well prepared seed bed and fertilized with 150 pounds of 10-20-10 per acre applied in rows at sprigging time, limed according to need.
Date: July 9, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Remains of Old Sod House

Photograph of remains of old sod house built by early settlers of Northwestern Oklahoma. The homes were built of blocks cut from the good grass sod they found in this area. Some of the walls are still standing and are in fair condition after 100 years. This type of sod no longer exists. It has been destroyed by plowing for farming, over-grazing and erosion.
Date: July 9, 1955
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass, Legume and Forb Cultivation

Photograph of switchgrass planted in the spring of 1955, with fertilizer shown in pounds per acre. OK-395-1.
Date: October 9, 1956
Creator: Fry, Chester
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Farming Equipment and Methods

Photograph of a homemade two-row Bermuda grass sprigger in operation planting Midland Bermuda grass roots. This planter was built on a three-point hook-up cultivator that opens the furrow, covers the roots, and packs the ground afterwards. The Bermuda grass roots were brought into the county by the Soil Conservation Service Program working wih the District. OK-225-11.
Date: April 9, 1956
Creator: Martin, J. V.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Farming Equipment and Methods

Photograph of a cleat tractor and an off-set brush disk. Hap Ray, contractor, is disking the second time after trees, brush and crowns were removed and summer shaded crop. Disk weight approximately 7600 pounds and disk cut 8 to 10 inches. Area to be sprigged with Bermuda grass.next spring. OK-297-4.
Date: May 9, 1956
Creator: Chance, R. J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass, Legume and Forb Cultivation

Photograph of cattle grazing on NK-37 Bermuda grass planted on May 30, 1958. Planted in 4 inch flat furrows 16 inches apart. 2 pounds of seed per acre. 150 pounds of 10-20-10 fertilizer applied per acre at time of planting. Grass was 12 inches high 6 weeks after planting. 50 cows and 23 calves turned onto pasture on July 6, 1958. Soil Mapping name--Stidham very fine sandy loam. Badly eroded abandoned cropland. OK-725-10.
Date: July 9, 1958
Creator: unknown
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Farming Equipment and Methods

Photograph of cleat tractor and offset brush disc. Hap Ray, contractor, is discing a second time after trees, brush and crowns were removed and a [planting a] summer shade crop. The disc weight is approximately 7600 pounds and the disc cut 8to 10 inches deep. The area to be sprigged to Bermuda grass the next spring. OK-297-5.
Date: May 9, 1956
Creator: Chance, R. J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Grass, Legume and Forb Cultivation

Photograph of Bermuda sod on the front slope of a dam—sodded and fertilized in 1949—occasional light grazing. Sod shows some evidence of breaking up and probably should be fertilized in the near future. Has provided excellent protection to the structure. OK-3134-4
Date: December 9, 1955
Creator: Cooper, H. W.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Livestock--Dietary and Nutritional Needs

Photograph of silage, Fred Jackson farm. Trench silo is being filled with Atlas Sorghum. Feed is averaging 18 tons per acre of silage. Will be used to feed 65 head of diary cattle this winter. The crop was irrigated. OK-143-1.
Date: August 9, 1955
Creator: Murray, Hubert J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Livestock

Photograph of cattle grazing upon rye and vetch. Purebreed Hereford cattle are grazing on rye and vetch on the Mike Schlitz farm. He has run 160 head of cows and calves on this 40 acres of rye and vetch from March 1, 1956 upto the present when this picture was taken [July 9, 1956]. There has been less than two inches of rain on the vetch crop, yet, the vetch produced an abundance of grazing and the cattle were in excellent condition. Program of soil building crops began in 1937 with the assistance of T-Bone McDonald, Assistant State Conservationist of Oklahoma. Mr. Schlitz has continually used rye and vetch since that date. OK-307-10.
Date: July 9, 1956
Creator: Baggett, Beryl
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Water Conservation; Water Erosion; Flooding and Prevention

Photograph of F. E. LeGrand, Mayfield, Oklahoma, receiving a one-gallon jug of Oklahoma rainwater from Leon J. McDonald, Assistant State Conservationist. In a contest to name Mr. Raindrop, sponsored by the Soil Conservation Society of America and the Oklahoma Farmer-Stockman magazine, Mr. LeGrand won with the name “Mr. Splash.” OK-194-9.
Date: November 9, 1955
Creator: Whittington, Fred
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Fiber Cultivation

Photograph of Soil Conservation District [SCD] Board chairman Olean (left) and Soil Conservation Service [SCS] technician Albert T. Jordan (right) inspect a strand of cotton planted where guar was grown last year. Cotton planted as two rows in and one out. At left is cotton following cotton. Practically no cotton will be harvested around here this year because of drought. I 2 RR. TX-48, 201.
Date: September 9, 1952
Creator: Fox, Lester
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Fiber Cultivation

Photograph of Soil Conservation District [SCD] Board Chairman Olson (left) and Soil Conservation Service technician, Albert T. Jordan [right] standing in a field of cotton following cotton. Drought has ruined this cotton, planted 2 in and 2 out following. In the background in the 10-acre field of cotton planted 2 in and 1 out following soil-improving guar. I 2 RR. TX-48, 204.
Date: September 9, 1952
Creator: Fox, Lester
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History