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Soil - America’s Heritage
Soil erosion is the process
of soil removal by natural
agencies, of which water and
wind are the most active at
this time. Erosion is con
stantly going on in opposi
tion to the slow process of
soil formation.
Erosion has modified the
surface of the earth more
than the combined activities
of all earthquakes, volcanoes,
and tidal waves since the be
ginning of history, yet its
processes are so gradual that
we in America have been
prone to ignore it. We have
failed to see anything of im
portance in the fact that
every rain that falls removes
a thin sheet of soil. We have
even failed to notice the
gradual change in the color
of our fields, or in the color
of the water in our streams.
Several years ago a Secre
tary of Agriculture wrote
concerning soil losses, “on
the basis of existing surveys,
The Future of Farminq
As you look back at fam.-
ing, you will find it has
come a long way. We are the
only animals with a brain
capable of true thought, and
to me we have used it to the
best of our knowledge in de
veloping higher standards of
living. This is very true in
the field of farming.
From the time man planted
the first seed, he has con
tinued to improve hi s
methods of farming.
By using chemicals and
better farming ideas we are
now able to plant less, on
less ground and produce
more. Most of farming now
adays has become mecha
nized with the use of ma
chines which can do more
work in less time and in
most cases do a better job.
The horse used to be the
power supply on the farm,
now we have the tractor
which has more power and
more convenient. The disk
harrow, cultivator, mower,
hay rakes, hay baler, corn
picker, and others are faster
and cost the farmers less in
labor and time. These ma-
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, FFA MEMBERS!
HERBERTS
FOOD STORE
GROCERIES AND MEATS
PHONE 478-6585
251 N. Main St. Jonesboro, Ga.
Forward, FFA!
Fairfax
Hardware Co.
1900 RIVERDALE RD. 766-8633
COLLEGE PARK
Hardware, Paints, Gifts, Toys
Electrical and Plumbing Supplies
it was estimated that at least
35 million acres of formerly
cultivated land, mostly good
land, has been essentially de
stroyed by erosion in the
United States".
Today we know that the
acres of formerly cultivated
land which has been essen
tially ruined amounts to
around 100 million acres.
The top four inches is the
essential part of our soil.
Without this top four inches
. of soil we would be minus al
most all our minerals and
life giving foods. Therefore
we would be doomed. Topsoil
is the thin, vital living layer
of the earth's surface that
produces food and wealth.
Someone has said that the
topsoil, “marks the dividing
line between the land of
plenty and the land of lit
tle”. Our population lives
from the top four inches of
soil. Below that there are
three things, desert, despair
chines cut down on time and
money in the long run.
With our population in
creasing at a high rate, the
farmer has a big job on his
shoulders, but with the help
and aid of hard study and
scientific research and just
plain common sense we will
be able to come out on top
as we have before. There is
going to be greater demands
put on agricultural workers
in the future and I believe
there is a great need and a
good future in the agricul
ture field and will require
lots of trained people to fill
these positions in the fu
ture. I am glad that I had
the opportunity to study vo
cational agriculture in high
school.
Let me say by using con
servation ideas, rotation of
crops, contour farming, and
the use of soil sampling we
will be able to prove that the
farmer is the important man
in this world. The farmer
produces the three main
tnmgs a person needs to
exist in this work and that is
food, clothing and shelter.
and death.
Seven hundred thirty mil
lion tons of soil from the
midwest are deposited at the
mouth of the Mississippi
River each year. This gigan
tic tonage is equal to all the
topsoil on more than five
hundred farms of two hun
dred acres each. If this rate
of soil loss is allowed to con
tinue, it means that a total
of 36,400 typical American
farms will be lost from this
one region within the life
time of one citizen that lives
to attain an age of seventy.
If we do not open our eyes
and stop this tragedy how
long do you think it will take
at this enormous rate for
this top four inches of soil
to be washed in a river or
lake?
Water causes two types of
soil erosion, sheet erosion
and gullying erosion. Sheet
erosion is the more impor
tant of these, measured by
the amount of soil it re
moves. Since sheet erosion
removes soil in thin layers,
its action is not easily ob
served and is, indeed, not
usually noticed by farmers
until it is far advanced.
Gullying is the spectacular
kind of erosion. It is the kind
people get alarmed over; it
is easily seen. It has
prompted farmers through
out the ages to make some
effort at erosion control.
Both forms are usually pres
ent on the same area at the
same time.
A good example of the ef
fects of soil erosion is China.
The Chinese had one of the
earliest and greatest of civi
lizations. Today they are a
poverty stricken and helpless
people. Tens of millions of
them are crowded into flat
muddy valleys and other
millions of them huddle in
house boats on rivers which
run yellow with soil from
their hill sides. Are we going
to let this happen to our
United States, or will we
-stop it before it is too late?
The Japanese people’s
teeth are poor because they
lack the proper foods. Their
soil is run down and can
only grow rice. Rice is not a
tooth building food and does
Congratulations, FFA!
BUNYON
ENTERPRISES, INC.
Stockbridge
474-7231
P. 0. Box 52 . . . Morrow
FFA, Clayton County Is Proud of You!
* ******* **•*“" 11 jAs!
? FFA WEEK V
" FEB. 17-26
"■
7 believe tn the future of farming with a faith bom not of
words but of deeds -- achievements won by the present
and past generations of farmers; in the promise of better
days through better ways, even as the better things we
now enjoy have come up to us from the struggles of
former years '
... from the FFA creed
PHILLIPS TRACTOR
AND EQUIPMENT CO.
NEW AND USED
2686 Moreland Ave. S. E., Atlanta
MA 7-4420
not contain many minerals.
Japan has let its popula
tion outrun the resources of
its soil. In the past it has
sought by despoiling other
people and conquering richer
lands, to supply at the cost
of others, its own deficiency.
An instance happened on
our farm that I believe will
show the importance of min
erals like lime, phosphorus,
and potash. We had some of
our cattle grazing in a pas
ture with plenty of grass,
three or four inches high,
yet the cows seemed to be
loosing weight and getting
thin. This was caused by
the low mineral content of
the soil. After we put them
in a pasture with other cat
tle where the grass was
grazed to the ground but the
mineral content high, the
cattle began to pick up
weight and look healthier.
The difference was the min
eral content.
The first pasture had been
in row crops a number of
years, and then just idle. We
thought by putting 150 lbs.
of nitrate of soda an acre on
the voluntary bermuda and
crab grass we would get
some extra growth and
thereby get some extra graz
ing. We got the growth but
not the grazing. The min
erals had evidently leaked
out during the period of idle
ness. The second pasture was
land that had been cleared
about four years previously
when a large amount of
minerals and fertilizer had
been applied. This example
shows the importance of
minerals and nature’s way.
Not all steps of soil reha
bilitation are known, but the
direction we must travel is
absolutely clear. We must
restore our soil bank ac
count. Our soil like ourselves
must be fed back to health.
Now I am sure you’ll agree
that’s a tremendous subject.
No two soils have exactly the
same history and topog
raghy, and soil mineral dif
ferences may occur within
the same region.
The population of the
world has been growing fast
for the last century and a
OH GREAT SPIRIT IN THE SKY--
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'bring to our white brothers the wisdom
OF NATURE TO HEAL THE WOUNDS OF THE EARTH'
Soil Conservation Activities
By TOM COLE
Winter months do not stop
Farmers and Landowners
from planning and carrying
out soil and water conser
vation practices needed on
their land, in cooperation
half. In one century the
population has increased as
much as in all preceding
time. At this rate there will
be twice as many people to
feed in the year 2,000 as
there are today. Os course,
we will never run short of
soil. But what about min
erals, , phosphorus for in
stance, which feeds our
nerves — our very lives?
Without phosphorus the
body is doomed.
In my speech I have tried
to show you the importance
of our soil, and what erosion
is. Now in closing I would
like to leave with you this
thought, soil has been good
to man, will man be good to
the soil?
AGRICULTURE ...
2^3®
;Jffa wEEK^*f^y.^v/ ¥ /.
- FEB. 17-26
JAMES JONES HAS JOINED OUR STAFF
FRED LONG
BARBER SHOP
Come and Visit Us Soon!
1849 RIVERDALE RD.
Congratulations
FUTURE FARMERS
OF AMERICA
JONESBORO
FLOOR COVERING
COMPANY
281 N. Main St. Jonesboro
Inlaid Linoleum and Tile, Carpet
FREE ESTIMATES
Call 478-7431
with the Upper Ocmulgee
River District Supervisors.
Mrs. W. A. Slate of Conley
recently requested marking
trees of saw timber size on
six acres of woodland. Mr.
Marvin Burgess, Assistant
District Forester and I met
Mrs. Slate to determine the
best needed treatment for
good woodland manage
ment. Loblolly Pines aver
aged from 12 to 18 inches di
ameter. Most of the area
had a good stand of volun
teer pines without too much
competion from hardwood
under-growth. After trees
are marked and a close esti
mate of the board feet of
timber, these trees will be
marketed. This will allow
sunlight to reach the young
pines which will Increase
their rate of growth wohi n
10 to 15 years these trees,
with normal growth rate
should be six inches or
larger in diameter, ready
Free Press-News & Farmer, Tues,, Feb. 15, 1966
for a selective thinning for
phlpwood.
W. S. Turner of Lovejoy
has requested this service in
marking 36 acres of loblolly
pine large enough for a
profitable cutting of saw
timber. In 1959-60 this area
was marked and less desir
able and crowded or too
closely spaced trees mark
eted for pulpwood. Now
there is a good growth of
young loblolly pines grow
ing. In marking, enough seed
trees will be left, where
needed, to improve the
young pine stand.
During Summer when the
understory of undersirable
hardwoods o r sometimes
called weeds are in full leaf,
CONGRATULATIONS, FFA!
AGRICULTURE IS A
VITAL PART OF
OUR AMERICAN
WAY OF LIFE
P. K. DIXON
CHAIRMAN,
CLAYTON COUNTY BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
Training Boys For Tomorrow's Leaders
4Mh
X
I » rWIHk
Carnes Food Town
Riverdale Plaza Riverdale
GROCERIES - MEATS - PRODUCTS
"Shop Where You Can Take More Home"
478-5080
FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA ]
^jjp’ WEEK • FEB. 17-26
Careers
Through
Agriculture
"YOU HAVE NO FEAR
WHEN INSURED BY SPEIR"
The Speir
Insurance Agency, Inc.
2958 Jonesboro Rd.
Forest Park 366-5115
plans are to spray needed
areas to deaden them which
will eleminate competition
for sunlight, plant food and
moisture. This will increase
growing rate of young lob
lolly pines.
Woodland can be used for
a profitable crop with good
management.
The time spent on de
veloping just one new, ef
ficient drug product— if
only one person were in
volved in all the study and
research—would require 19
working years —or 58,000
hours—of a research chem
ist’s life.
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