Fescue Grass Ladino Clover Bottomland Pasture

Photograph of Martin examining part of his 48 acres of fescue-ladino clover bottomland pasture. He turned 112 head of cattle on this 48 acres in December 1950, and left there until April 1, except during three weeks of severe weather in January. During that three months Martin says, the livestock had nothing else to eat, yet they fared better than cows that were on straight ladino and ryegrass and being given a couple of pounds of cake each day. Martin also has fescue-ladino planted on 15 fertile upland acres.
Date: July 25, 1951
Creator: Tomkins, Gordon
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Tree Farming

Photograph of tree farming, pine trees planted in 1948.
Date: November 2, 1959
Creator: Bryan, Hugo
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Forestry-Tree Farm

Photograph of a first member tree farm. This farm is registered with the American Tree Farm System. It consists of 30 acres of pine released by girdling undesirable hardwoods in 1953. A selective cut was made in 1957. Excellent natural reproduction is evident from a good seed crop in 1957.
Date: July 22, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Crop Flooding

Photograph of floodwater from a 3. 5 inch rain 18 to 30 hours prior to photo. The different heights of the cotton is due to water standing in the field. This land would be Class I land if it weren’t for flood water. It is producing about 30 percent of what it should be.
Date: July 22, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Forestry Training

Photograph of Smithville, Okla. Vocational Agriculture class with instructor examining pine tree that should be removed from the forest because it is defective. Small log or pulpwood will be cut from defective trees of this type. A tract of about 80 acres, owned by Story-McKee-Wilson Lumber Company, is set aside as school forest where the Voc. Agri. class study and apply proper forestry practices. Selective cutting has been carried out on 20 acres in the 1955 and 1956 compartment. The high school's senior class receives the net income from this forest project.
Date: November 27, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

New Building at the Brushy Ridge School Site

Photograph of a new building on the old site of Brushy Ridge School. Patrons and School Board completed this building of a class room, hall, assembly room and large kitchen for $2,600. 00. Funds from their school forest donated by J. D. Bates helped furnish the kitchen.
Date: November 20, 1956
Creator: Hayes, E. J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Forestry Training

Photograph of Glen Scott, Vocational Agriculture student, girdling cull hard wood tree in pine stand. J. C. Brown and Tom Stickler checking girdle to be certain it is wide enough to kill the tree. These boys are studying forestry in relation to soil conservation training. Work and training is being carried on in the school forest. The forest is divided into several compartments to allow study of all phases of forestry.
Date: November 27, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Largest Cypress Tree in Okla.

Photograph of Earl J. Hayne, WUC. This old cypress (taxoduim distichum) is the largest tree in Oklahoma. It measures 13 1/2 ft. in diamator and 45 ft. in circumference. This tree has been a landmark since the early history of Oklahoma. The "trail of tears" came by this tree that was a sizable sapling with Christ was on earth. This monarch of the plant would be determined to be over 2,000 years old. It is protected by lightning rods to prevent further damage.
Date: 1954-05-XX
Creator: Gamble, Maurice
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Kudzu

Photograph of Kudzu at roadside. Planted by CCC boys in 1939. This Japanese plant is famous in the south for controlling gullies and steep land. It High in protein it is excellent forage.
Date: August 6, 1959
Creator: Hayes, Earl J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of a forestry tree farm. First member tree farm. This farm is registered with the American Tree Farm System. It consists of 30 acres of pine trees released by girding undesireable hardwoods in 1953. A selective cut was made in 1957. Excellent natural reproduction is evident froma good seed crop in 1957. OK-629-5.
Date: July 22, 1958
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of Roy McKee and his chain saw. He has killed more worthless cull "weed trees" than anyone in southeastern Oklahoma. His jeep can take him everywhere. As the cowboy carries his rope, McKee carries his chain saw everyday as he goes about his work. OK-10-888-E.
Date: July 1954
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of Roy McKee and his chain saw. He has killed more worthless cull "weed trees" than anyone in southeastern Oklahoma. His jeep can take him everywhere. As the cowboy carries his rope, McKee carries his chain saw everyday as he goes about his work. OK-10-888-E.
Date: July 1954
Creator: Gamble, M. D.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Land Clearance, Cultivation, Brush, and Weed Control

Photograph of heavy equipment that has cleared over 6,000 acres like this in 10 years in this district. Flooding and poor drainage keeps much of it in pasture. OK-243-7.
Date: 1958
Creator: Hayes, Earl J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Land Conservation, Management and Utilization

Photograph showing how it takes good management to produce good logs on a sustained yield basis. Soil Conservation Service technicians mark timber to be harvested on a high percentage of land worked by Stauter Mill. He paid the government $44,000 for eleven 40-acre tracts for marked timber only. OK-338-1.
Date: July 20, 1956
Creator: Hayes, Earl J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Land Conservation, Management and Utilization

Photograph of harvest cutting. It takes good logs to make good homes. To keep this mill operating continuously the Stauter Lumber Company buys logs from the McCurtain County Land Utilization [LU] Project formerly administered by the Soil Conservation Service. Increased timber volume enabled this mill to employ 85 people where none worked before. OK-315-12.
Date: July 19, 1956
Creator: Hayes, Earl J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Land Conservation, Management and Utilization

Photograph of an automatic lumber sorter in operation at a saw mill. This sorter conveys and drops lumber in piles according to size and grade. Lumber is sawed at a mill in the forest and hauled to a finishing mil in town. As the lumber is unloaded, it is fed into this sorter which moves it and piles it in the proper place. The lumber is fed into the sorter by two men, thus conserving much time and labor. OK-413-9.
Date: November 27, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of improvement cutting. In any improvement cut on abused pineland numerous hardwood trees must be eliminated. Cross ties are common hardwood products. Eagletown has been a forest community for over 130 years. It is Oklahoma's oldest commonly operated post office. OK-775-2.
Date: October 6, 1958
Creator: Hayes, Earl J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of a pine nursery. Bill Campbell, nursery manager, preparing to plow up trees. Tractor loosens trees with bar, leaving trees loose for hand pulling. Trees are sorted and packed in bundles of 50 trees each. Little River Soil Conservation District crews pick up the trees at the nursery she dfor farm delivery. Three large industrial forest firms give small landowners trees on a tree-for-tree-matched basis. These trees are given to small land owners to encourage them to increase their timber stands. OK-412-1
Date: November 26, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of a pine nursery located on Yashau Creek. The output of this nursery goes largely to cooperators in the Little River Soil Conservation District. The District plants seedlings for cooperators on contract at $0.75 per 100 trees. Approximately 300,000 trees in the District in 1956. Drought reduced the output of the nursery in 1956 by abour 50%. OK-411-12.
Date: October 26, 1956
Creator: McConnell, John
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of a woodland area to be potentially seeded with pine. This overstory [i.e., giant, emergent trees that tower above the surrounding woodland canopy] of inferior hardwoods will be cut out to allow pine seedlings to grow. Alvin Howard, Project Conservationist, is in the picture. Follow-up in August 1951. OK-10-457-4.
Date: July 20, 1950
Creator: Putman, Jack
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of Dierks Forest [from the lumber company established by the Dierks family beginning in 1903] in Valliant, Oklahoma. Follow-up of OK_656-9. 25c OH soil Class VII. Forest cleared by a D8 crawler tractor. Cut on and planted with pine seedlings on March 1958. OK-1072-3.
Date: November 25, 1959
Creator: Killim, O. J.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph ofa loblolly pine tree 26 inches in diameter and [illegible] high. It's the "mother tree" to 6 area pines on this farm. In 1955, the surounding seedlings were about post [?] size. OK-[?]29-4
Date: August 6, 1959
Creator: M. H. Conine
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph of continued pine growth. It is no longer possible to kneel in the same position seen in the "A," "B," and "C" pictures, and be seen. The pines are now much too thick and tall for that. OK-10-456-D.
Date: May 18, 1953
Creator: Davis, D. O.
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History

Trees, Tree Farms, Woodlands, and Forests

Photograph that follows from Okla-456-A. Shows good pine reproduction in 50-acre area which was release cut in August 1950. Openings were created by girdling all oak six or more inches in diameter and by cutting or deadening smaller hardwood and brush. Pine trees are shortleaf and Loblolly. All pine growth is from natural reseeding. Alvin E. Howard, project conservationist, is examining pine reproduction. Camera postition marked by upright metal pipe painted yellow. Picture taken in center of Unit 360-A. Okla-456-B.
Date: July 24, 1951
Creator: Tompkins, Gordon
System: The Gateway to Oklahoma History