Photograph of contour listed rows on a field to be terraced.

Photograph of Improved Drainage Ditch in Fame Bottom Farms Drainage project (see OK-8709 for view of unimproved ditch immediately above and adjoining these two farms). About 20% of the land in Fame Bottom very frequently produces crop failures due to excess water on the fields. Average crop yields on fields not damaged by [unclear] of cotton per acre; 35 pounds corn per acre. Properly drained, the land in this bottom will produce 4 tons of alfalfa would fail. The drainage project benefits 1790 acres, 90% cultivated on 21 farms. Combined length of ditches: 2175 linear yards. OK-8710.

Photograph of Mrs. B.B. Hornsby (center) pouring coffee for her husband (left) and son, Jack (right), after the men have spent a hard day in the fields. Jack, age 18, looks over the bonds purchased by his father during the 4th War Loan Drive. The Hornsby family has purchased a total of $3,370 in bonds. Mr. Hornsby says, it all come off the farm where he has established a complete soil and moisture conservation program, "Without what I have done in trying to save my poor, old land, I couldn't have done it, boys. I couldn't have done it farming the old way." OK-8706.

Photograph of the fertilizing of a contour-cultivated field with the application of barnyard manure. OK-8705.

Photograph of an unidentified man engaged in contour and terrace plowing. OK-8698.

Photograph of use of two bottom plows to plow out channel of new terraces that were constructed with a small road maintainer. Mr. O.N. Newton (on the tractor) owned a farm 1 mile south, 1 mile west which he terraced in 1938 under CCC supervision. Before renting this 160 acre farm (with 60 acres cultivated), this year he told the owner he would rather not farm it unless it was terraced. Newton agreed to rent equipment and build 5,300 feet of terraces and in return, Mr M. Cook, the owner, agreed to give Newton the AAA conservation payments, "We'll both make more money with less work this way," Newton told Cook, "Your farm will be worth more after it is terraced and there'll be no washes develop in the cultivated fields." Oats and Korean lespedeza will be planted in this field. Okla-8698.