Photograph of Kudzu for erosion control on bank of North Canadian River. Crews were set out by CCC in 1940.

Photograph of a huge roadside gully caused by run-off from improperly constructed terrace and unprotected outlets and outlet channels. OK-8673.

Photograph of standard street sweeping equipment that was successfully used to harvest Buffalo grass seed. The sweeper brush is raised and the collector pan—ahead of the brush and not showing—would be in the dummy position. The machine was put to work on a golf course to collect the seed needed for reinvigorating and Oklahoma military airfield. Tarpaulins were placed on each side of the fairway and the collector of seed, trash and grass was dumped on the tarpaulins and then sacked. The golf course was undamaged. One experienced seed collector estimated that at least 95% of all seed on the ground was collected. Sampling indicated that 30 % of the clean seed were collected per hour at a cost of less than 50 cents per hour. Total seed collection was about 1500 pounds. OK-8679.

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 Blaine Bottom from Sansbois Creek Bridge 3.5 miles east and 4.5 miles north of Keota, Oklahoma. Flood waters 3 to 6 feet over the high land in the Arkanasas River Valley. Note: Only the tops of the buildings above the water in the background. The flood water was 3.7 feet above any previous record for the past 100 years. OK-4/2405.

Photograph of 4 rows of crotolaria for wind erosion control and soil improvement alternating with 8 rows of peanuts. Mr. J.R. Grydor, father of J.W. Grydor, examines the crotolaria seed crop. TX-41-307.

Photograph of wind erosion control. 8 rows of corn in wind strips alternating with 8 rows of peanuts. OK-8574.

Photograph of wind erosion control on peanut land. 8 rows of sorghum alternating with 12 rows of peanuts. OK-8573.

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 the harvesting of a mung bean crop planted at 20 pounds per acre on June 1, 1943. Farm planner Harold Welch (left) and Earl Tucker (right) farm owner, examine the crop. One field yielded 400 pounds per acre and the average yield on the entire 30 acres ranges from 312 to 315 pounds per acre. The beans followed a barley crop destroyed by green bugs and Tucker says he will follow the beans with wheat for pasture. “I have heard much about the soil-improving qualities of mung beans,” he said, “and I hope to work out a rotation with wheat.” The beans are selling at 5 cents per pound. OK-8580.

Photograph of mowing a Johnson Grass Meadow. A 27 acre bottomland field that is subject to overflow. “From May 1 to July 10 I had 34 head of beef stock on this grass,” said Earl Fish, “and the last of July, I got a hay crop that yielded at least a ton to the acre. I let the stock stay on the grass until about August 5 and I am now getting my second hay crop. I expect to make about ½ ton per acre this cutting, put the stock back to grazing and leave them until the first frost, probably in the middle of October. During the entire grazing period the stock have had access to about 30 acres of native grass on the hill, but they would only go up there at night for the cool breeze. No matter how early in the morning, I’d get out to the bottom land, the cows would already be there grazing and they’d stay on the Johnson grass all day.” OK-8596.

Photograph of two acre Bermuda grass pasture strip developed from a badly gullied draw. The draw was sloped and sodded in 1938 and now provides grazing at the rate of 1 unit per acre and serves as an outlet channel for 70 acres of terraced and cultivated land. Mr. Fred Bunch states that this pasture strip furnishes better grazing than any of his 28 acres of native pasture on this 160 acre farm. He also states that his soil conservation practices have increased by $1,000 the value of this farm. Terraces were built with the assistance of the old Sentinel Civilian Conservation Corps [CCC] Camp. OK-8467. Meadow development. In the spring of 1940 this 60 acre abandoned, cultivated field was planted to sericea lespedeza. There was formerly a shoulder deep gully where the man I standing and numerous smaller ones covered the area. This year Mr. George Stainer has made one cutting for hay that yielded a ton per acre. It has been heavily grazed since then and another hay crop could be cut immediately (the estimated yield is 1 ton per acre). OK-8628.

Photograph of Class II land. Terraces on San Saba Clay. OK-8503

Photograph of Class I land. Lonoke very fine sandy loam on a slope less than 1 percent. OK-8500.

Photograph of Class III land. Bowie very fine sandy loam, terraced and farmed on the contour.

Photograph of furniture in front of the W. H. Stubbs home. During recent flood, water was approximately 3 feet deep in the house. Stubbs’ loss was listed as follows: crops destroyed: 20 acres of sweet corn, 80 acres of filed corn, 15 acres of green beans, 10 acres of spinach, 9 acres of sweet potatoes, 2 acres of cantaloupes and watermelons. Livestock lost: 29 hogs and pigs, 2 cows, and 2 horses. Also lost includes $350 worth of seed, 540 gallons of gasoline for the tractor, 50 gallons of motor oil, 1 planter, 1 cultivator, 1 section harrow. An irrigation system costing $600 to replace was also destroyed. Residence damage was $1200. The furniture damage was $1500. OK-8531.

Photograph of the temporary repair in the levee of a drainage ditch that was clogged with silt and sand washed from the adjoining farm land during a recent heavy rains, contributed to record-breaking floods in OK and AR. The levee broke in four places. Joe Preston, administrative assistant, State Soil Conservation Committee is standing on the repaired break. In the center foreground H. M. Chambers, State Conservationist for the Soil Conservation Service, stands near the bottom of the ditch which has now silted up to a level above fields is seen in the background. OK-8524.

Photograph of a huge roadside gulley caused by water run-off from an improperly constructed terrace and unprotected outlets and outlet channels. OK-8673.

Photograph of the St. Louis and Santa Fe railroad tracks that were washed 200 feet from the railroad during recent record-breaking floods on the Verdigris River. These tracks washed from the roadbed and completely across Hwy 66 before lodging against the trees. Most of the rails are bent out of shape. Photo shows Verdigris River between Tulsa and Claremore. OK-8543.

Photograph of H.H. Bennett, chief of the Soil Conservation Service, and F.S. Hurd, Chairman, Board of Supervisors, Arkansas Verdigris Soil Conservation District [SCD], examine an improved pasture on the farm of C.B. Ritberger. Ritberger says carrying capacity of this 88 acre pasture has been doubled since he improved it with the addition of hop clover, white Dutch, yellow hop and lespedeza. Ritberger first came to this 200acre farm as a tenant in 1928, he rented the farm for $700 from F.S. Hurd until 1938, when he bought the farm, paying $8000 cash. Starting with 2 cows in the diary business he has increased the herd to 40 Jerseys that average 20 pounds of milk per day, the year round. He also has 20 white-faced Herefords. His 92 acres of cultivated land are terraced and tilled on the contour. He has 12 acres of bluestem meadow and 2 acres of post lot. OK-8546.

Photograph of harvesting mung beans planted 20 pounds [?] per acre, June 1, 1943. Mr. Earl Tucker (operating combine) said that he planted 30 acres this year and had never tried to grow a mung bean crop before. One field yielded 400 pounds per acre and average yield on the entire 30 acres ranges from 312 – 315 pounds per acre. The beans are following barley as destroyed by green bugs and Tucker says he will follow the beans with wheat for pasture. “I have heard much about the soil improving qualities of mung beans,” he said, “and I hope to work out a rotation with wheat”. The beans are selling at 5 cents per pound. OK-8579.

Photograph of wind erosion control on peanut [?] land. 8 rows of kafir corn alternating with 12 rows of peanuts. OK-8573.

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 farm land cover with sand and silt deposited during record breaking floods along the Canadian River between May 10 and May 28, 1943. OK-8540.