Photograph of class IV Land Clearance, Cultivation & Brush and Weed Control. Blue grama practically all gone. Most of the sparse vegetation is annual, principally 6-week grama, false buffalo and goat hand, although still remains traces of blue grama, tobosa and burro grass with a scattering of Sphaeralcea angustifolia. Severe erosion. Maria Silty Clay Loam. TX-40, 445.

Photograph of a Ford tractor pulling one way with effect [?] discs and seed drill. Pitting and seeding operations on rangeland in poor condition. TX-46-958.

Photograph of soil and agronomy. Soil conditioning. Soil unit la1 . Riceland profile--no improved crops. Idle for one year. Annuals and rice straw. TX-1174-9.

Photograph of soil and agronomy. Soil conditioning. Soil Unit la1 --Profile after 4 4 years. Dalligrass and white clover on riceland. Note crayfish hole that has been filled with subsoil on the right. TX-1171-12.

Photograph of Soil Unit 12 FC, Class III. 24 acres in cultivation for nearly 100 years. In the Fall of 1950, 10 acres were chiseled [i.e., furrowed with a chisel plow], fertilized with 500 pounds of 0-14-7 fertilizer and 100 pounds of 33-0-0 fertilizer and seeded with crimson clover. During 1951 the whole field gave 4360 animal days of grazing plus 2000 pounds crimson clover seed off of ten acres. The rest of the field (14 acres) was fertilized with 300 pounds of 0-12-12 fertilizer and 100 pounds of 16-0-0 fertilizer per acre. During 1952 (a drought year), the whole field gave 3916 animal days grazing plus 1800 pounds of crimson clover seed from the 10 acres. The 10 acres received 100 pounds of 0-12-12 fertilizer and 100 pounds of 16-0-0 fertilizer per acre. Through June 12, 1953 (another drought year), the whole field gave 2848 animal days of grazing. On June 8, green weight clippings showed 20480 pounds per acre on 10 acre area compared to 4960 pounds on the 14 acre area. For June 12, 3600 pounds cured hay per acre was harvested from the 10 acre area. RIGHT: Plant from the chiseled area. LEFT: Plant from unchiseled …

Photograph of conservation training. This excellent job of vegetating the dam on Site no. 2 of Greens Creek is in the evidence here as the trainees and instructors of the Stephenville Training Center pose for a picture. Note the knot-root paspalum grass in the foreground along the water line and Bermuda grass on the rest of the dam.

Photograph of conservation training. A study of grasses and their adaptability is being conducted by Plant Material instructor, James E. Smith, on the grass plots grown cooperatively between Tarleton State College and the Soil Conservation Service Training Center. The trainees come from Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico along with one visitor from Indonesia.

Photograph of conservation training. The purpose of the detention reservoir on small watersheds is being explained by training center supervisor, walter E. Chessmore, while Maurice Gamble was waiting to discuss vegetating of the dam as a part of agronomy training at the Stephenville Training Center.

Photograph of oats following oats: 15 bushels per acre. Oats following vetch: 60 bushels per acre. J.N. Dickenson, the Palo Pinto, Texas Soil Conservation District supervisor, who lives 6 miles northwest of Perrin, listens while G. F. Wimberley, post master and soil conservation district cooperator tells how vetch increased his per-acre yield of oats from 15 bushels to 60 bushels per acre. The increase is indicate by comparing the two piles of oats, 4 ounces in one and 16 ounces in the other. The vetch was planted in December, 1943. It was grassed and it yielded 7254 seeds on 6.2 acres. TX-43. 157.

Photograph of beef cattle grazing 20 acres of improved Bermuda grass pasture. Mr. Gunn, in the picture, developed the pasture several years ago from an old cultivated field and said, “I have mowed the weeds twice a year for three years and I’ve about exterminated a heavy growth of broomweed that hampered the Bermuda’s growth. In 3 years of regular mowing my grazing capacity has increased from one animal unit [for every] 3 acres to one animal unit per acre, 8 months out of the year.” Each year he harrows in and spreads the manure dropped by grazing stock and said that the grass cover is still improving. TX-41, 230.

Photograph of pasture development and improvement. Beef cattle grazing Bermuda pastures overseeded to Dallis grass, yellow hop, black medic and white Dutch clovers. 15 acres cleared and sodded this year. Mr. Jeffus, the district supervisor in the picture says, “In 1937, I started clearing and retiring 216 acres for pasture. With assistance of CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps} we cleared 40 acres of small trees and heavy undergrowth and retired 176 acres of cultivated land that in 1936 had overflowed 13 times before I made a crop. This is rich bottomland that is capable of producing a bale of cotton or 40 bushels of corn per acre but wet seasons made yields uncertain. I’ve moved the pasture every year and it carries 108 head of cattle the year round with only a little hay to help through the winter. The land is worth more in pasture than it would be in cultivation even if I made a maximum crop every year. I believe regular moving has increased the carrying capacity of this pasture four times.” TX-41, 227.

Photograph of pasture development and improvement. Beef cattle are grazing on Bermuda pasture overseeded to Dallis grass, yellow hop, black medic and white Dutch clovers. 15 acres cleared and sodded this year. Mr. J. L. Jeffus, the district supervisor in the picture, says “In 1937 I started clearing and retiring 216 acres for pasture. With the assistance of CCC [the Civilian Conservation Corps] we cleared 40 acres of small trees and heavy undergrowth and retired 176 acres of cultivated land that in 1936 had overflowed 13 times before I made a crop. This is rich bottomland that is capable of producing a bale of cotton or 40 bushels of corn per acre but wet seasons made yields uncertain. I’ve moved the pasture every year and it carries 108 head of cattle the year round with only a little hay to help through the winter. The land is worth more in pasture than it be in cultivation even if I made a maximum crop every year. I believe regular mowing has increased the carrying capacity of this pasture four times.” TX-41, 227.

Photograph of tame pasture. Dallisgrass pasture being rested. Note cover, growth and seed development. TX-484-3.

Photograph of a close up of side oats grama on retired land seeded in 1944 to a mixture of side-oats, blue grama, bluestem and hairy grama. The overseeding was done on land following the planting of Sudan grass [Sorghum × drummondii]. TX-42, 901.

Photograph of bees from this row of 23 hives are pollinating 35 acres of hairy vetch from which seed crop will be harvested. Bee pollination increases seed production. TX-45. 667.

Photograph of Tumblegrass (Schedonnardus paniculatus), aka, tumbleweed, an invader in many closely grazed rangelands. TX-46, 986.

Photograph of the appearance of delayed subtilled fallow plot immediately after the first cultivation. 3300 pounds of surface residue per acre, 56% of the original. TX-R-4, 1778.

Photograph of the appearance of subtilled fallow plot after four cultivations. Plot SM 6. 3500 pounds of surface residue per acre, 57% of the original. TX-R-4, 1781.

Photograph of a Bermuda grass waterway sodded in the spring of 1952 with an almost solid cover near the end of the second growing season. The waterway is 200 feet wide and will carry the water from terraced fields on either side of the waterway. The waterway strip is 200 feet wide and will be used for pasture after the terraces have been constructed. Soil Unit 2, Class III BL. TX-48-831.

Photograph of agricultural terraces. Collective terrace outlet sprig sodded to Bermuda grass in March, 1949 and planted to cotton in May, 1949. Cultivation of cotton results in the cultivation of Bermuda grass. The width of the strip is 160 feet and will be fenced and utilized as pasture after grass is well-established and the terraces are constructed. TX-45, 717.

Photograph of a crowd of 400 ranchers and farmers looking at grasses and other plants at the first stop on the Range Conservation Field Day held by the Association of Hill Country Soil Conservation Districts [SCD]. Soil Conservation Service [SCS] technician, B. W. Allred led the discussion on the tour. This pasture has been conservatively grazed and rested since March 15. Note the good grasses in the foreground. TX-46, 950.

Photograph of a crowd of 400 ranchers and farmers with their families listening to a discussion of range conservation under the shade of some live oaks. Note the good grass. This was at the Range Conservation Field Day held by the Association of Hill Country Soil Conservation Districts [SCD]. TX-46, 952.

Photograph of part of the crowd of 400 ranchers and farmers looking at range grasses at the Range Conservation Field Day held by the Association of Hill Country Soil Conservation Districts [SCD’s]. This pasture has been conservatively grazed for 5 years and rested since March 15. Note the excellent cover of little bluestem, Sideoats grama and other grasses. TX-46, 951.

Photograph of newly pitted rangeland just after a ¾ inch rain fall. The pits caught the rain and more ran off the area. Moisture penetrated into the soil in the pits10 ½ inches deep, whereas in an adjoining area not pitted, the soil was wet at only 2 to 3 inches deep. TX-48-277.