Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPersonal Memorabilia the time the operations were finished the Johnson Grass roots were well exposed. Brazos County has a few light fro{its each win- ter. These frosts are not sufficiently' heavy to penetrate far enough into the ground to kill Johnson Grass roots. But if the roots are exposed, it \is another story. Last winter when the frosts came, the roots of the John- so~ Grass on Mr. Fountain's farm we;;) all on top of the ground.. ~ It is easily said. But the bald state' ment gives little idea of the work that had to be done. Most of the time wet J - w,eather had to be fought. This made ~it 'necessary to use every possible mo- ment during the dry spells. Men were worked in two shifts from dawn until \ miqnight. There could. be no let-up. But they did their work well, and this summer the cotton on the Fountain farm was cleaner than any in the neighborhood. . There were places' where. the. ground could not be plowed-dit.:hes, wooded creek banks, and the like.- ThIs"spnntf,'\Vhdl the grass came up in"':he ditches, it was poisoned. A solution of one pound of whiteffsenic and two pounds of caustic soda in ten gallons of boiling water was used successfully. Octobe/', 1928 ':'L \ ~ ,r ~.. ,.. r V t;!' f ~ ~ } The fa tile Brazos bottom plantation owes its fertility to the overflows of this tem- peramental river. could not be cleared of Johnson Grass, it only served to make him the more determined. He admits, how- ever, that at times he had his doubts. '"It did seem practically impossible," he said. '"Why, the man who owned ,the place before Mr. Fountain, lost a cultivator that-couldn't be found un- til after we'd cleared it- up. From the field you couldn't see a car in the road, the grass was so high. '"It took a lot of hard work. After the cotton was' planted, we chopped it seven times. There was one piece of ground I had to plow every week, but finally we got it clean. '"The tractors were a big factor in our success. It would have been im- possible to push mules the way we did those Fordsons. It would have killed them. I'm an oldtimer; I like mules; and until I came on this job, I'd rather have had mules than machinery; but I've changed my opinion now. Trac- tors are the thing." .. 1 He showed us over the plantation, pointing ouL ._ ..;.;0. ~ ~ --... - -.... - -... .... "'- ~ tne various operations as we drove alCln~. '"The soil here is now, he stated, "in a really r j J f \ ACCO P"RESS Young Johnson Grass has co111parati7Jely short roots. ~-.......,.....-.....,....,~- ---- - ~ ---.....-.. ., Page Three J l~_"'" ~ ~~. . Once deserted cabins are 110,(' hap}y h01l1es. better condition than it was when we started to work. All the gras~ we turned under added to its humus. This not. only enriches the 'land, but also make~ it bet- ter able to retain moisture. Then, too, the constant plowing thoroughly aerated the land. This has helped to keep down.)nsect pests. ~ 0.- "We're going to run some hogs with the cattle on the Johnson Grass in the woods. Hogs will eat the grass roots, and will eventually, I suppose, clear it up. We've already made a start in that direction. By the house there's an alfalfa field in which we've got a number of pigs. And Mr. Fountain inten,ds to buy .~ome goats. We'll have a pretty well diversi, fied'livestock program along with our cotton. Cot- The wooded places are being fenced off for live' stock, for it was felt that it would be more satis- factory thus to utilize the Johnson Grass growing ; the~ej;~an to fight it. MR. FOUNTAIN employs Mr. J. O. Alexander to manage his farm. Mr. Alexander is a veteran of the Brazos bottoms. He is a tenacious man, a ~ghter. When people said that the Fountain farm A CLAYTON PRESS MAKES A GOOD GIN BETTER 1 \.,.- ..... \ .-1 ~~. \ Page Four ACCO PRESS October, 1928 ,. ton will, however, continue to be our mainstay. . '"Have you noticed the number of pecan trees all around?" We had. '"We intend to capitalize them, too. My assist- ant, Kenneth Smith, made a specialty of horticulture at Texas A. &" M. This fall he'll bud all those trees. It won't be long before we'll ge gathering a pretty good crop from them." TATER WE had dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Alex- Lander. There we met Mr. Reuben Grant, the storekeeper, another old-timer in the bottoms~ The talk drifted back to a time when Mr. Alexander and Mr. Grant were younger men, when the Brazos River rose suddenly, flooding the rich plantations and taking a heavy toll of life. Mr. Grant has~en through six such floods. And- It ~ '"I remember the time," said Mr. Alexan er, '"when I was Assistant Manager of the 8epper Plantation. The river rose suddenly while I was visiting at Chance's Ranch. I had to get back to my place. There was a colored boy with me; and when. we started back, he insisted that I not ride my saddle ~l\~".-e_l,.,..tL_L~ L,:>_~ m"10 .As t~.<> horse> had ,..oc1- me . .> ~ 1.al..J..1.0 DUT'~.-,dl\o..\:.. tr" ~\..1 '-'_ "" .1.1'-' .L _ _ ...,'" '" $300, I dfdn't want to run the risk of losing him, and so I mounted a big gray mule. The negro got on a little dun colored mule, and we set out. "We hit the water. It was so deep that our .ani' mals had to swim. Something happened to my mule. What it was I've never been quite able to figure out; but, anyway, he rolled over and drowned. '"Night had come while we were in the water. There was a little. moonlight, however. By it I could see a tree not far from ,ifhere I was. The water was icy cold and my clothes as heavy as lead, but I managed, some way, to reach that tree. "I looked around and saw the negro, still on his ~ mule, evidently trying to make for me. But, as you can imagine, my hands were pretty full trying to . stay in the tree, and for a moment I lost sight of him. The next time I saw him he was off his mule and swimming toward me. I leaned as far out as I could to give him a hand, but the current swept him by out of reach. Just as he passed, he called, 'Cap, I can't make it!' '"In a few minutes I saw his mule. My only chance was to make the mule. I realized it, struck out for him, and-how, I don't know-climbed on. Then I tried to find my colored boy, but I couldn't. '"Yes, I got home all right." r- ~.. MR. FOUNTAIN'S farm furnishes mute evidence of what a farmer can do when he tries. His was a problem which has baffled many. The cotton farmer who finds his fields infested with Johnson Grass is prone to throw up his hands and ask, '"What's the use!" Numbers before him have tried and failed; why should he waste his time, energy and money attempting the impossible? And so, be- fore he has begun, he is beaten. But the man who is willing to work, to study and to employ the ma- I chinery which modern industry has placed at his J disposal may well profit by Mr. Fountain's experi" ence. Why Dairy? I We give below a few reasons why every farmer should make dairying a part of his farming ope.:"a' tions: 1. It is a business with few risks. 2. Prices vary very little and they are always such as to guarantee a profit to those who work in- telligently. 3. The business can be conducted profitably on a large or small scale. 4. It enriches the land without cost. '). It supplies lucrative work for the children who are old enough to work the year 'round without interfering with school duties. ~ 6. It brings in money every'day of the_year, and . there is practically no danger of an oyer supply of the products. - 7. It makes the home an important producer of wealth, and is an uplifting force for the com'. munity. 8. The dairy business may be carried on in connec- tion with other farming, and thus will relieve the farmer from sole dependence on the '"crop" that is always extremely uncertain. -Farm and Factory. . Feeding Dairy Heifers 1 Th~re are three ways to raise heifers: with nurse cows, by hand feeding on whole milk, and by hand feeding. on skimmed milk. The nurse cow method with two or three calves on good common cows . where pastures and roughage are plentiful and cheap is very satisfactory and produces a calf good to look at with lots of flash and finish. Hand feeding of ;,..-. whole milk~ produces a good calf and one that will- f ~ also show much bloom but is by far thej~most ex- ~ .pen~ive way of raising a. calf a~d all th~.rules. of san- / ""\ ItatlOn set out for feedmg skImmed mIlk WIll have l --I to be watched. The feeding of skimmed milk is the ] last and most common method on the dairy farm and produces a calf not quite so good to look at but om~~hat will develop into a good cow by the time she romes into production. -Southern Pacific Farm News. A C LAY TON PRE SSM A K E SAG 0 0 D GIN B E. T T E R ~, :t-- - - -. ~ ~~L- ,..f ~_. 1 l'""-~ 1 { ;... ~ ') / ,~ <: "COpy ;' " ,..;,.~,f-'; ~:~lt.": .r.," .., .." Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas College Station, .Texas March 5, 1951 Mr. Wallace Kimbrough County Agricultural Agent Brazos County Bryan, Texas Dear Mr. Kimbrough: Some months ago, Mr. J. O. Alexander of Wellborn, Texas, called my attention to several large oak trees growing near the front of his rural residence. The trees had been injured near their bases by having been used as snubbing posts in an ef~ort to extricate ~rucks that had mired down in an attempt to reach a wrecked aeroplane. I was asked to estimate the damages. Realizing that this was contingent upon several things, I delayed several weeks and returned for a re-examinition. The trees were alive, but the bark on. large areas had failed to reattach itself. The ugly wounds themselves represent a serious damage, but the injuries are a hazard to the lives of the valuable trees. The original injuries which prove to be the undoing of large. trees are of.ten several years removed the ultimate loss by death of the injured tree. There is little doubt that few large trees near a residence of the type involved enhances the value of the property by from $560 to $1,000. At the present time the injured trees are in a dormant state. Prolonged drought has put a severe strain on all our trees. Those which in addition have sus- tained injuries may not survive. Were the property mine, I am sure that I would not have permitted the injury and in-. curred the chance of loss for le ss than $100 per tree. Sincerely yours, /s/ C. C. Doak, Head ceD: cr Biology Dep artment ccfHm f' ~' ~, ~, );~ >, ~~f' ~':. ~' Texas A '& M College System & U S Dept. of Agriculture Cooperating State of Texas - g -f o COpy -- Cooperative Extentlon Work in Agriculture & Home Economics .... ....~: Bryan, Texas March 17, 1951 f .~,t; TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: .,.. I~~( :..-'!',: I checked several oak trees growing in the front yard of Mr. J. O. Alexander on June 20, 1950. These trees had been injured to the extent that I do not think they will live, as it was doubtful at that time, and now with a prolonged drought the chances of survival are now smaller. ~)~ Mr. Alexander asked me to estimate the damage, along with others who would estimate these damages. To me, these tre~s increased the value of this pl~qe by ,,$,700.00 to $1:200.00. . ~' - '-- ,;;. '..,. , : . -- . WMK/meh County Agricultural Agent Brazos County c: hem . ~ .. ':i~ -- ...~--- ~ . -1( z.. J . '-!" ~~;- .'0.. 0 0'1 . ..- ~ ~ . ~,,',,.j I :!!~- .... ."j ,.:~i{.'t4; )J ""'l!"",O. .~ . ;;:~{ :- - ,..-.....,. # ) Wellborn, Texas Maroh 22, 1951 Commanding 0 ff10er " Connally Air Faroe Base I Waco, Texas Det\r Sir: On May 27, ,1950, Lt. Robert Lee Blazek orashed, in a training. plane rrom your Base, in a pasture owned by my mother--Mrs. Luoille Alexander. Said pasture lo- cated approximately six ml1~s south of College Station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad, in the community known as Wellborn. Immediately following this crash, a Provost Marshal from your Base was dispatched with a detachment of Mill tary Police to the scene, to guard aga:!.ns t the hazard of fire from waste gasoline and a.lso against possible piltering. On Saturday night, May 27th--I told this Captain (Provost Marshal) that due to the oondition of the soil trom exoessive rainfall in the past week--that it would be impossible to reach the plane with any type of wheeled vehicle. I asked him at the time to oonvey this message to the Commanding Offioer and in.formad him there was no urgenoy on our' part in the removal of the plane. Whether or not he con- veyed this message is unknown to me. At the p~~ticular ti~e my illother was out of town and no one was at her residence. This residence is.lo- oated approximately 250 to 300 yds. from the orash soene. When I returned on Sunday afternoon, May 28th, two large vehicles had attempted to reach the wreoked plane, and in doing so they went direotly across, and in front of the front yard of this residenoe. 1mmediately upon leaving the road they began to bog down. After going approximately 50 yards they wane 80 mired that they could continue neither forward nor baokwards. As a result--they put their w'noh lines out and used three large oak trees, located to the side and 1n front of this home, as "dead men" or t1sn:ubbing posts". ~. .~ . .,1 IJ~ .'1-) i~ . . " </ " ;!-:~. -.'.~", i;:'; ~~ r.......~ , . (. [ " tl 0; t:l Connally A~~ Foroe Base .. t -2- March 22, 1951 ~. ... An officer in oharge~r this detail ha.d undoubtedly.. '. . authorized the use of;',:these trees for such purpose~;'" Had I been presant I would. not have permitted this,. to, be 4one, as ;.any cable ,oh~in or rope used to circle.8. . tree will damage aama~-ln. .:that the layers of oambium ,. ,found 1m.rnecliately beneath the bark are inJured.. ,..:~ . Seemingly, this ~ff1cerdld not think about this,':'.8.O;d., asa result the trees WE:)re permanently injured., As is stated in the attached letters, we have had an extreme drought in this. area, and as a result it is very doubtful at the present time, whether these trees will survive--due to this injury. . .Lmmediately foilowlng' this incident, a Olaims Officer visited my mother and told her that she could :file a claim for this damage anytime within a yeaI*' 5 period. The reason for not filing this claim sooner, is the fact that the blologiat wi shed to gi va 8. fair ohanoe of reoovery in order that a justifiable estimate of the damages could be made. I have contaoted Dr. G..C. Doak, head of the Department of Biology at Texas A & M College and he has written a letter to Mr. Wallace Kimbrough, County Agent, Brazos County, whioh is enclosed. Dr. Doak has shown what ,damages WBre done and also has made an estimate as to what he believes the trees were worth. It 18 the opinion of several people that these trees, being located near and in front ot this home, are praotioally prioeless;, as said t~ees constituted the direct reason for locating this home at the particular spot. Alsoenalosed 1s a letter from Mr. Wallaoe Kimbrough showing his op1nion of the damages to the trees, and his value of these trees. It might be interesting to note e. t' this PQint, that these trees are oa.k trees and were approximately 40 years old. Therefore, you can see, that money cannot replaoe them. As the~ is Q varied opinion as to the value of the trees by all conoerned, I wish this to be a bonaflde ola1~. to the United states government 1n the amount or $1000.00. Ireal1ze that this Is a rather high figure, to place on three trees, but in 80 doing I have also oonsidered the value of the trees relative to the. beauty '<J.od. ~~ ~>,( ."~ ~ ., .~_.. . . r ..... ~ } ~ . Q Connally Air Force Base -3- M.aroh .22, 1951 of thl.s home and 1 te future resale value. The home was built as 9. country. ~ome in 1945 and the. trees played,Q large part 1n the selection of the looation. Also, at the time of the c rash, some damage was done to the land by the vehioles and jeeps used in getting back and forth. This cost was negligible and we do not wish to put in a olaim to cover same. Should it be necessary for a Claims Offioer to visit this plaoe, will you please write me and designate a time of a.rrIval, as both my mother and I are out of town much of the time. I will be glad to meet any representative from your Base at the Post Office 1n Wellborn at any time aoceptable to you. Very sincerely, joa;hm J. O. Alexander, Jr. ,. KOPPE FARM J. O. Alexander, Mgr. Route 4 -.- Bryan, Texas . ~ ~. ....