Calag Archive

Three hybrid sugarbeet varieties adapted to early plantings have been released for use by sugarbeet growers. One variety, designated US H6, is multigerm; and two varieties, designated US H7 and US H8, are monogerm. All three varieties were developed at the USDAAIisaI Branch, Agricultural Research Service, Salinas, in cooperation with the Beet Sugar Development Foundation and the University of California. The new varieties have been thoroughly field tested by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and the California sugar companies in the major sugarbeet producing areas of the State. In these tests the hybrid varieties produced from 10 to 20% more sugar per acre than open-pollinated varieties such as US 75, a variety used extensively in California five to ten years ago. The root yield and sucrose percentage of the three hybrid varieties are similar. The growers' choice of a variety would be determined by his requirements for curly-top and bolting resistance, and by his need for a monogerm variety suited to mechanical thinning.

Today's specialization with development of large-scale “factory farms,” including drylot dairies, beef feedlots, and chicken ranches, plus the spread of urbanization to house an increasing population, have created new problems for both farmers and city dwellers. The city dweller is offended by agricultural odors and insects while production is made more difficult for the farmer by the higher, and more costly level of sanitation demanded. Disposal of livestock manure, the greatest of the problems with agricultural wastes, is discussed in this article.

Cracking of flax seed caused by improper adjustment of combine threshing equipment has reduced the germination and vigor of seedlings, according to this report of studies conducted at University of California, Riverside, and U. S. Department of Agriculture, Brawley in the Imperial Valley. Seedsmen have often placed the blame on fungicidal treatment and long storage; but although mercurial fungicides have some adverse effects, cracked seed is largely responsible for the reduced seedling emergence.

A properly functioning milking machine system requires a vacuum controller that maintains a nearly uniform vacuum level from no-load to full-load operation. Experiences with commercially available equipment on California dairies indicate that some types of controllers perform markedly better than other types. In this analysis of vacuum controller performance, controller terminology is redefined, a method for field testing controller performance is described, and six vacuum controllers in common use are rated as to how they meet the operating requirements of a good milking machine installation. Performance tests showed considerable variation in their sensitivity, and the need for better engineered controllers is suggested.

Recent experiments indicate that chemical sprays applied to kill navel orangeworm moths in the spring may provide a practical way to control this pest.