Photograph of +Mr. Edward L. Brewer, owner of 6000 acre ranch in Oklahoma panhandle. Mr. Brewer has owned and operated this ranch since 1917. He has seen several dry and wet periods. He went though the "Dirty Thirties" of dust storms. One of the first to sign contract under Great Plains Conservation Program.

Photograph of a combine harvesting irrigated maize. This maize averaged 80 bushels per acre.

Photograph of SCS Tech. John Bailey checking the seed heads of the wheat in this irrigated 60 acre field. Good tall growth of wheat was attributed to conditioning of the soil with alfalfa for six years. Wggins is to change from flood irrigation to level border. SCS Engineers designed irrigation system. III HP 2.

Photograph of filling one of the 8 trench silos on the H.C. Hitch Ranch, Guymon, Oklahoma. 18,000 tons of ensilage was stored in the silos.

Photograph of wind erosion and revegetation range. Part of a 20 acre area of edward L. Brewer's ranch that was plowed and then blown out during the thirties, before Brewer owned the land. Cane will be planted left to grow until blowing area is stablized enough to plant grass. Will take from five to ten years. Left to right is Edward Brewer, his son, Glenn Brewer and John Bailey, Work Unit Conservationist [WUC] and the Soil Conservation Service [SCS], Guymon, Oklahoma. OK-607-11.

Photograph of a fence line contrast. The pasture on the left has been heavily grazed with sheep. No rains have occurred in 1953. The result is that the range is almost bare. The pasture on the right has not been used as heavily and some clover still remains. TX-48-566.

Photograph of Glen Brewer overseeding badly depleted Land Clearance, Cultivation & Brush and Weed Control under his Great Plains Conservation Program contract. The sagebrush has been treated with a one-way plow prior to seeding. An estimated 70-80% of the sagebrush was killed by the one-way plowing, leaving ample residue to protect the land from blowing and provide a firm seedbed for seeding grasses. OK-680-6.

Photograph of Norman Fischer, one of Louis Fischer’s three sons who operate a farm with him, shows how a sub-surface tillage implement operates, cutting weed roots, loosening soil and mixing residue into the surface. This type of equipment is coming into greater use as a means of controlling wind erosion in western Oklahoma blowing areas. This tillage also helps control water erosion which Norman says sometimes does more damage more quickly than wind erosion. OK-10, 721.

Photograph of Fischer’s Wheat Bowl Farm, Hooker, Oklahoma. side view showing V-shaped shovels or blades of sub-surface tillage implement of the kind used exclusively by the Fischers (See OK-10, 721-23). II HP 2X. OK-10, 724.

Photograph of a view of a part of the long Brothers and their irrigated farm showing alfalfa, wheat and sorghum--the three principal crops grown with irrigation in Texas County, OK. Underground piper line can be seen in the center of the picture. OK-172-5.

Photograph of four UNIDENTIFED men dumping chopped sugar drip cane from harvester into a 1000-ton trench silo on the H. B. Hale Farm. A fifth UNIDENTIFIED man is standing on the tractor behind the truck. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Trucks carry chopped sugar drip cane from harvester and dump it into a 1000 ton trench silo, where it is packed by tractors. Mr. Hale plans to feed the ensilage to 160 head of registered Hereford cattle this winter."

Photograph of an UNIDENTIFED worker harvesting ensilage on the H. C. Hitch Ranch. The back of the photograph proclaims, "Harvesting Ensilage. Harvesting irrigated ensilage on the H. C. Hitch Ranch southeast of Guymon. Field averaged 15 tons per acre."

Photograph of the City Service Company compressor plant in Straight, Oklahoma. Built in the midst of a wheat-growing area in the Oklahoma Panhandle in 1944. The first year the compnay had a great deal of trouble from blowing dust. The Soil Conservation District helped them get a start of buffalo and other grasses to treat the problem. Now the entire 160 acres surrounding the plant is tied down with grass. OK-10, 338.

Photograph of wind erosion and revegetation range. Part of a 20 acre area of edward L. Brewer's ranch that was plowed and then blown out during the thirties, before Brewer owned the land. Cane will be planted left to grow until blowing area is stablized enough to plant grass. Will take from five to ten years. Left to right is Edward Brewer, his son, Glenn Brewer and John Bailey, Work Unit Conservationist [WUC] and the Soil Conservation Service [SCS], Guymon, Oklahoma. OK-607-10.

Photograph of bindweed control. The field corner is abandoned due to bindweed. Bigtop dalea [legume], silver bluestem [grass], threeawn [grass] and sand dropseed [grass] are crowding the bindweed. OK-342-3.

Photograph of Soil Conservation Service [SCS] technician John Bailey checks the seed heads of the wheat in this irrigated 60-acre field. Good tall growth of the wheat was attributed to conditioning of the soil with alfalfa for six years. Wiggins is to change from flood irrigation to level border. SCS Engineers designed the irrigation system. III HP 2. OK-10, 769.

Photograph showing the V-shaped shovels of blades of a subsurface tillage instrument up out of the soil (see OK-10-721 and 10-722). II HP 2-X. OK-10-723.

Photograph of Fischer’s Wheat Bowl Farm, Hooker, Oklahoma. Side view of sub-surface tillage equipment being used on this farm comprising 16 scattered quarter sections (See OK-10, 721). II HP 2X. OK-10, 722.

Photograph of Norman Fischer (left) shows Technician John Bailey the effectiveness of properly-managed residue in controlling wind erosion and conserving moisture. This wheat is in good condition though at the time the picture was taken, rain was needed for further growth. In June 1952, Fischer harvested 22 bushels of wheat per acre despite the drought. He left the stubble 8 to 12 inches tall. In the first week in July, he worked the field with a sub-surface plow with blades or shovels as set from 3.5 to 4 inches deep, leaving residue in the surface. He repeated the operation in mid-August to cut weeds and volunteer wheat. Drilled wheat in a deep furrow on September 20, 1952. OK-10, 725.

Photograph of a joint meeting of the County Agents and Work Unit Conservationists [WUCs} in the Panhandle of Oklahoma. The purpose of the meeting was to orient personnel on procedures for use of the county soil testing laboratories, and discuss fertilizer recommendations. This was the last of a series of meetings that covered the state. Robert O. Woodward, Extension Agronomist, is leading the discussion. OK-138-1.

Photograph of a 35 acre field of irrigated sugar drip cane is being harvested by a portable ensilage cutter. This field had 5 tons of manure applied per acre and mold board plowed 11 inches deep last year. There was no pre-planting irrigation but the field received 4 to 5 inches of rain in May before planting. The cane was planted at the rate of 7 pounds per acre in 33 inch rows, 1160 feet long. This field had three 4 inch applications of water and 30 pounds of anhydrous ammonia per acre during the growing season. The cane was 9 1/2 feet tall and yeilded 23 tons of ensilage per acre. Soil units 2x and 18.

Photograph of row irrigation by gated pipe on a 1 to 2 percent slope. Grade exceeds SCS specifications.

Photograph of Glenn Brewer overseeding badly depleted range land under his Great Plains Conservation Program contract. The sagebrush has beentreated with a one-way plow prior to seeding. An estimated 70-80% of the sagebrush was killed by the one-way, leaving ample residue to protect from blowing and a firm seedbed for seeding grasses.

Photograph of baled hay dots this 250-acre block of irrigated alfalfa. This ranch also irrigates wheat and sand lovegrass. Three wells with reservoirs are used for irrigating water. II HP 2