Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], July 01, 1951, Page 9, Image 9

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
Editorials
Mobilizing Agriculture Against Attack
/'■'10UNTY extension agents are key men in
so many constructive agricultural pro
grams that they will probably accept, as a
matter of course, the new responsibilities
that have come fo them under the mobiliza
tion of agriculture's defense against attacks
In this period of organized subversion *
and great international tensions, when even
cold war carries grave dangers, and when
there is the continuing possibility of an all
out armed conflict, farmers and ranchers
must keep their guard up.
In pointing out some of the ways in
which crops and livestock might be de-,
stroyed, openly or secretly, Director R. B.
Tootell of the Montana extension service
from hostile nations.
cites the following;
Grain rusts far more destructive
than those previously known in Mon
tana and Wyoming might be introduced
by airplane or otherwise. This is true
of other plant diseases as well.
Hog cholera, rinderpest, foot and
mouth disease, anthrax or' other live
stock disease could be similarly intro
duced.
Insect infestations might also be
started.
How About That Scrap Pile
T HAT pile of scrap on your farm or ranch,
and on the other farms and ranches all
over the country, is tremendously impor
tant to the defense effort—and to the pro
duction of farm machinery and other essen
tial equipment in this period of metal short
age.
Steel mills and foundries require about
2,000 carloads of scrap iron and steel every
day to maintain capacity production. An im
portant part of this huge supply must come
from the farms in the form of old tools,
wom out parts of tractors, trucks, culti
vators, plows and other equipment.
Moon Rings, Sore Bunions—and Weather
W HEN a meteorologist looks at the oft
quoted weather signs that have been
passed down from generation to generation
he finds that some of them have a scientific
basis while others are completely un
founded.
Writing in Iowa Farm Science, George
L. Barger, a professional "weather man"
calls the turn on some of the popularly ac
cepted indications of weather change. He
finds that a ring around the sun (or moon)
often does precede rainy weather because it
accompanies a cirrus cloud formation which
frequently, but not always, results in rain.
The phase of the moon, on the other
hand, has no known relationship to weather
—wet or dry, hot or cold. For one thing,
interpretations based on moon phases often
contradict each other. Thus one weather
sage will tell us that the moon is wet be
cause the farmer can hang his harness on
it—rain will keep him out of his fields. But
another local prophet may say of the same
moon that it is dry because it is tipped so
that no water can run out of it.
Nor does experimental evidence support
Unfortunately, these dangerous possibili
ties are not just figments of someone's imag
ination. With present-day chemical, biologi
cal and bacteriological techniques, and mod
ern methods of transportation, such methods
could be used with widespread effect. And
without any declaration of war. The thing
that worries responsible officials is the real
an< * are prepared to co-operate immediately
ization that such attacks could be carried out
secretly and in an extensive way at any time
even while the aggressors profess to be
striving for world peace.
All agencies of the U. S. department of
agriculture, as well as state livestock sani
tary boards, have been alerted to the danger
in applying control measures. It is important
that farmers and ranchers watch their crops
and livestock closely for evidence of any
unusual disease conditions. Anything that
appears out of the ordinary along this line
should be reported at once to the county ex
tension agent. He will notify the appropriate
measures taken before serious damage
control agency so that the situation may be
investigated promptly and necessary control
occurs.
the steel mills helps to make about two
pounds of.new steel,
Every pound of scrap which gets back to
The government is strongly urging farm
ers and ranchers to take all available scrap
metal to town and sell it to the scrap deal
ers. If you have an unusually large supply
you may be able to arrange to have the
scrap dealer come and get it. The important
thing is to get it started toward the steel
mills just as soon as possible. It will help
increase the supply of new steel for the de
fense effort and for the farm equipment and
other essential industries.
the contention that you should plant cer
tain crops in the dark of the moon or in
the light of the moon. Timely planting with
reference to frost danger, good seed, proper
soil preparation and fertilization, and con
trol of weeds and pests are what really
count, according to agronomists.
The scientist is also convinced that ani
mal signs are completely unreliable in fore
casting a hard winter or a mild one. If a
falling barometric pressure causes a certain
reaction in an animal then that reaction may
foretell stormy weatlîer immediately ahead,
But, generally speaking, animals respond to
conditions they have already experienced,
n °t the kind of a winter that is on the way.
A. heavy coat of fur may be the result of an
early spell of cold weather but, at least, ac
cording to the meteorologists, it cannot be
the result of cold weather yet to come,
ity, however. An east wind often brings
rain in Montana for instance. A bunion or
increasing humidity or changing barometric
A number of signs are hi proved reliabil
rheumatic joint may be a fair weather
prophet also because it may be sensitive to
pressure. Wind shifts, cloud characteristics,
changes in temperature or humidity, and
other natural phenomena may be fairly
trustworthy indicators of what lies imme
diately ahëad to long-time residents of a
local farming community who have ob
served such signs over the years and have
learned their frequent relationship to
weather changes.
But for most ordinary mortals a good
barometer will beat old proverbs, hunches
or instinct every time when it comes to fore
casting th-' kind of weather tomorrow or
the next day will bring. And professional
long.-range forecasters study pressure areas,
mass air movements and other meteorologi
cal factors, rather than local conditions, in
arriving at their predictions.
fat cattle that can go direct to the packing
plants should be in strong demand at prices
considerably higher than for regular feed
ers. But such animals will naturally carry
less flesh than if they went to market via
the feedlots. So there will be less beef avail
able for consumers.
A good grass year would enable Montana
and Wyoming stockmen to avoid some of the
loss resulting from the beef roll-back. Grass
lations or domestic policy, the American
people, in the words of Bernard Baruch,
stagger from crisis to crisis." Like the pitch
er who throws two or three balls before put
ing a strike across the plate, we seem always
to be behind the event instead of abreast
of it. Perhaps this is the inevitable price
that must be paid by free men for the de
mocracy they enjoy. If so, we should at
least strive to "stagger" a little more skill
fully as we acquire experience.
Whether in the Held of international re
Fire is an ever present danger to farm
and ranch people. George Gustafson, state
co-ordinator of Montana Rural Fire Fighters
service, reports that 11 lives have been lost
in farm and ranch fires in Montana since
Jan. 1. And that property losses due to 30
rural fires in the month of May alone re
sulted in property loss totaling $150,000.
United States got 66 percent of the national
income in 1929 while the top 5 percent got 34
percent, reports the National Bureau of Eco
nomic Research. Today, the 95 percent get
82 percent of the national income. The top
5 percent get only 18 percent. That's quite a
change in 20 years. •
Ninety-five percent of the people of the
Consumption of petroleum fuels on U. S.
farms and ranches has increased about ten
percent a year since 1947, reaching a total
of 9,800,000,000 gallons in 1950. Montana
ranks second among the states in consump
tion of petroleum fuels per farm with an
average of 2,318 gallons in 1947 compared
with a national average of 1,039.
Montana F armer- Stockman
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1951—9