"--'WSM' 



varieties of pasture grasses and legumes 

 and of other crops under different de- 

 grees of soil fertility and management. 

 Pasture studies are being made on more 

 than 40 large plots or fields. About 500 

 acres of bottom lands are utilized mainly 

 for the production of winter feeds, chief- 

 ly corn and corn silage, but some of 

 these areas are used for very early pas- 

 tures — seeded to rye after removal of 

 the corn crop. • 



Livestock.' — There are 250 head of 

 Hereford Cows — 90 heifers — 60 

 steers — 15 bulls and the 1944 crop of 

 200 whiteface calves. Sheep operations 



include about 1000 western breeding 

 ewes with their 800 lambs. Purebred 

 Hampshire Shropshire and Southdown 

 rams are used with Hampshires preferred. 



The Turkey range produces about 2000 

 birds a year. 



Best way to get a first hand picture of 

 the scope of the Dixon Springs activities 

 is to participate in one of the county 

 tours. Several have already been held 

 but here's a list of those planned for the 

 balance of the summer: 



July 24 Johnson and Pulaski-Alex- 

 ander - : 



{Coatiimed on page 27) 



F, A. Stewart, assistant chief in lana man- 

 agement, n. oi I., in experimental plots 

 showing etfect oi limestone versus no 

 treatment on barley. . 



ing on independent studies of factors that 

 are important in soil and water conserva- 

 tion. 



A gain of 168 pounds per acre per 

 year achieved with sheep on grass-legume 

 pasture when grazing is regulated as 

 against 4 pounds gain per acre per year 

 when grazing is unregulated on pasture 

 treated or untreated. A bluegrass pasture 

 which last spring turned 187 pounds of 

 meat from heavy stocking of beef and 

 sheep. These are just two of the inte- 

 resting experiments which will make you 

 an enthusiast for Dixon Springs. 



To see the many experiments and dem- 

 onstrations under way you need some 

 transportation as well as your "hiking 

 boots" for they are spread out over the 

 5,000 acres. There are more than 400 

 small experimental plots for testing 







Scattered over the 5000 acres are several 

 ponds. All have fences around them to 



%m^^'^^: 



keep the livestock out. Water is piped to 

 watering tanks or troughs below the dams. 



Everyone enjoyed the barbecued lamb 

 sandwicl)es served in the shelter house at 

 noon while a welcome shower poured 

 down outside. Left to right: Franklin- 



Hamilton Farm Adviser, W. C Andenen: 

 James Hayes, Bill Fisher and Floyd Kems, 

 Franklin county farmers; G. C. Smith. Pope- 

 Hardin farm adviser. 



R. J. Webb, station superintendent, ex- 

 plains pros and cons oi concrete trench 

 silo in use at Dixon Springs. It's 8 ieet 

 wide at bottom. 14 ieet wide at top and 

 125 ieet long. Holds 350 tons oi silagtf. 



Last stop was the drinking fountain. When 

 a farmer is thirsty he wants a drink so — 



six thirst quenchers ore provided. 



JULY-AUGUST. 1944 



~4>^ 



