Photograph of harvesting hay from sericea lespedeza planted April 16, 1942. First cutting made June 4, 1943, realizing 15 tons from 16 acres. OK-8566

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 land use capability classes. Left slope, Class VII. Middle Distance on the right, Class VI. Lake to trees (right background), Class V. OK-8557.

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 R. T. Douglas and his field. The back of the photograph proclaims, “Pig weeds grow on fertile land where I planted corn twice this year,” says R. T. Douglas. “My fist planting washed out and the second planting had just started growing when this field was flooded a second time, I’ve got about 75 acres on which there will be a total crop loss this year. If my new drainage system had been completed in time I expect I’d have made 40 bushels of corner per acre here from the first planting.”

Photograph of land use capability classes. Foreground, cotton on the contour, Class III. Middle distance, Alfalfa, Class III. Background, corn, Class I. OK-8558.

Photograph of weeping love grass seeded on eroded cultivated field for meadow in April 1943. In only two months the grass has achieved excellent growth. OK-8552.

Photograph of the harvesting of hay from Sericea lespedeza grass planted on April 16, 1942. The first cutting was made in June 4, 1943, making 15 tons off of 16 acres. Ok-8566.