SCS Helps Change
Soil Philosophy
By H. G. BOBST,
State Conservationist
Great progress has been made
in establishing conservation prac
tices on the farms and ranches
in Nebraska during the 11 years
since the Holt Soil Conservation
district was organized. The total
amount of accomplishments in the
state on a few of the more im
portant soil conservation prac
tices are as follows: Range man
agement practices have been es
tablished on 3,338,000 acres; 67,
000 acres of range and pasture
have been seeded; 1,628,164 acres
are contour farmed; stubble
mulch is practiced on 2,226,983
acres; tree planting has been ac
complished on 38,004 acres; farm
darinage on 230,806 acres; 50,358
miles of terraces constructed, and
7,238 farm ponds built. Land lev
elling for irrigation has been ac
complished on 206,832 acres.
These are but a few of the re
portable practices that will give
you some idea of the volume of
work that has been done. The
work remaining to be done, of
course, greatly exceeds that which
we have accomplished todate. We
in the Soil Conservation service
share with district supervisors
and cooperators pride in the
amount of work that has been ac
complished in the past few years.
Perhaps more indicative of the
real progress is the understanding
and acceptance of the idea of con
servation farming and ranching
which has developed in a few
short years. The soil conservation
districts have had a major role
in revising the philosophy of ag
riculture. Within the life of the
soil conservation districts in Ne
braska the philosophy of exploita
tion of soil and vegetative re
-• sources has been changed to one
of conservation and wise use.
The following ligures show the
6ize of the conservation job on
farms and ranches in soil conser
vation districts in Nebraska. Of
this amount 47,673,938 acres are
in farms and ranches. This area
of land is divided into 107,426
operating units. In other words,
there are 107,426 farms or ranches
in soil conservation districts that
are cooperators or are potential
cooperators with soil conservation
districts.
As of June 30, 1954, there were
46,126 district cooperators. This
represents about 43 percent of the
total operators in the state. Basic
soil onservation plans have been
developed on their land by 32,997.
The remainder of the cooperators
operate 15,890,850 acres. This rep
resents about 33 percent of the
total land in farms in soil conser
vation districts.
It will refresh our memories to
review briefly the history of dis
trict organization in the state of
Nebraska. In 1937 legislative bill
No. 535 entitled the Nebraska Soil
Conservation districts law was
passed by the legislature. This
made it possible for interested
groups of land owners to organize
soil conservation districts. The
first district was organized in
Washington county under the
name of Papio Soil Conservation
district. It included some 47,954
acres. The referendum was held
on February 19, 1938, and the cer
tificate of oganization was issued
the 24th of March that year. Since
that time nine inclusions or addi
tions to the district have been
added until it reached a total of
241,817 acres. The last of these
inclusions was made on June 8,
1943.
In the early days of district or
ganization in Nebraska, this pat
tern of organization of a part of
a county or a relatively small
area into a district was generally
followed. It was not until the 15th
district was organized—that being
the Deuel County Conservation
district organized in 1940—that an
entire county was organized at
one time. From that time on, in
clusions became fewer and more
of the districts included whole
counties in their original organ
ization. After 1944, no districts
were organized in segments with
the exception of the Keith-Arthur
Soil Conservation district No. 69
which added Arthur county to
the Keith County Soil Conserva
tion district and thus formed the
Keith - Arthur district. The last
district to be organized in the
state—the 87th one—was given
its certificate of organization on
March 2, 1950.
The Holt Soil Conservation dis
trict was organized in 1944 and
the original organization included
the entire county. The Holt district
was the 44th to be organized and
represented the half-way mark in
organizing the 87 districts in Ne
braska.
The method of organization and
the rapid extension of the idea of
soil conservation districts as a
means of conducting the program
of soil and water conservation has
had a normal, healthy growth in
Nebraska. At the time of the in
troduction of and eventual pas
sage of the Soil Conservation En
abling Act, there were questions
in the minds of many people as to
the advisability of establishing
legislation which enabled districts
to organize with the broad author
ities of this law. Real concern was
felt that this might lead to some
loss of initiative and authority by
farmers and land-owners. The
pattern of organization clearly
points out that the people of the
state felt heir way along by or
ganizing small segmens of coun
ties until they had gained enough
experience to determine for them
selves that all of the fears felt
by a large number of people at
the time of the enactment of the
legislation were not founded on
fact. This was a healthy, normal,
American way of entering into a
new idea. When the people of Ne
braska became convinced that this
was the right way—and a practi
cal way—to get at the soil and wa
ter conservation job, they went
rapidly ahead with the district
organization and Nebraska was
one of the first states to be com
pletely organized itno soil con
servation districts.
Progress in the development of
the district programs and accept
ance of responsibility by boards of
supervisors has likewise been a
gradual and healthy development.
The original program was devel
oped by the first boards of super
visors with a great deal of assist
ance from county agricultural
agents, soil conservation service
personnel, and other technically
trained people. As district super
visors have become more thor
oughly familiar with their jobs
and their responsibilities, they
have in some cases reconsidered
and revised the program for their
district. Where they have done
this the program has been
strengthened materially because
the thinking of farm people—the
owners and operators of the land
—has been incorporated into the
program and it is more realistic
and better adapted to the soil
conservation district.
The Soil Conservation Service
is proud to have been a partner in
the growth and development of
soil conservation districts. Funda
mentally there has been no change
in the role of the Soil Conserva
tion Service from the date of the
earliest district organization to
this time. Under the memorandum
of understanding and the supple
mental memorandum of under
standing which provides Soil Con
servation Service assistance to
districts, the Soil Conservation
Service has endeavored to give
technical assistance in the devel
opment and carrying out of soil
and water conservation plans for
cooperators of the districts. It has
not been—and is not now—the
policy of the Soil Conservation
Service to determine policies or
operating procedures for soil con
servation districts.
The Holt Soil Conservation dis
trict can indeed be proud of the
part it has played in this great
movement. It was in the vanguard
of the districts to be organized in
the sandhills area of Nebraska.
In many respects it pioneered in
the development and application
of range conservation and still re
tains its place among the leaders
in the districts of the state.
Speaking for the Soil Conserva
tion Service in Nebraska, we ex
tend to the Holt Soil Conservation
district our heartiest congratula
1011s on the fine progress being
made in the conservation pro
gram.
Watershed
The Pilot watershed protection
program is now in its second year
of operation in Nebraska. Con
struction work was contracted
during the fiscal year 1954 in
three of the four approved Ne
braska watersheds — Upper Salt
creek — Swedeburg tributary in
Lancaster and Saunders counties,
Indian creek in Gage county, and
Brownell creek in Otoe county. A
delay in the completion of the
work plan for the Dry creek wa
tershed in Red Willow and Fron
tier counties prevented the con
tracted structural program from
getting underway in 1954. Con
tracts will be awarded this winter
and work started in that area ear
ly this spring.
All work contracted prior to
July 1, 1954, was completed last
fall except for a small amount of
seeding work. This work consisted
of eight (8) flood water retarding
and thirteen (13) grade stabiliza
tion structures. In addition to this,
some minor work supplementary
to these structures was done.
Construction easements and
rights-of-way have all been pro
vided by land-owners at no cost
to project sponsors. The project
sponsor in Nebraska is a Water
shed assciation and/or the soil
conservation district board of su
pervisors of the district in which
the watershed lies. This “Pilot
watershed appropriation” provid
ed that watershed protection funds
could not be used to acquire ease
ments.
Participation by state and local
agencies in this work has been
excellent. Township and county
boards and the Nebraska depart
ment of roads and irrigation have
shared in the construction of sev
eral grade stabilization structures
or appurtenances t o existing
structures on township, county
and state roads. This participa
tion has been either in the form
of assistance in construction, that
is, actually building a specific
part of the structure, or a cash
sharing.
For the fiscal year 1955, several
contracts have been let in the past
two months and bids will be open
ed on several other structures
during February and March. It is
anticipated that contracts totaling
approximately $220,000 will be
awarded this fiscal year.
In addition to the above struc
tural program for which federal
funds are expended to actually
construct floodwater retarding,
grade stabilizing structures and
ether work, the land treatment
program has progressed rapidly in
all four of the Pilot watershed
protection projects, since their
designation.
in tne appropriation, congress
provided that a certain portion of
the funds could be made available
for additional technical assistance
to accelerate the land treatment
program in the watersheds. This
work includes the regular soil
conservation district practices
such as terracing, waterway de
velopment, etc. In this, they rec
ognized that these Pilot projects
should demonstrate what could be
accomplished by local people and
groups of people working with the
federal government and yet re
quiring that the structural pro
gram supplement, but not be a
substitute for, the basic land treat
ment (conservation) program.
In all Nebraska Pilot projects,
the sponsors have taken the stand
that a high percentage of the
regular soil conservation measures
in any sub-watershed be applied
and on the land before they will
approve for construction those
floodwater retarding or grade sta
bilization structures in that sub
watershed.
This policy has, no doubt, pro
vided the incentive for this accel
erated land treatment program in
the Pilot watersheds this year.
Many small sub-watersheds with
only a small percesntage of land
treatment applied in the fall of
1953, now are well along in this
work.
It is anticipated that this ac
celeration may quite logically be
expected to increase, as more and
more structures are completed,
and land-owners can see the ef
flooding of lands below, the re
fect of these in the reduction
duction of erosion abve.
GOOD PLOWING
with McCORMICK No. 8 PLOWS
The McCormick No. 8 Plow has long been the yardstick for
measuring good plow performance. McCormick Plows can be
depended upon to turn good furrows in all kinds of going. Their
rugged construction and proven design withstands the strains of
plowing behind modern, fast-moving tractors. Ample clearance
under beams and between bottoms assures a thorough job of
turning and covering heavy growths of stalks, weeds and green
cover crops. McCormick Plows are easy to handle in any field
and easy to adjust. They do the kind of work that particular
plowmen like.
Come in and see the line of McCormick Plows in our store.
We have them in sizes to fit all farms and power.
Shelhamer Equip. Co.
Phone 570 O’Neill
m
W McCORMICK
FARM EQUIPMENT HEADQUARTERS
\
• MILLER THEATER
— Atkinson —
Fri.-Sat. Feb. 25-26
Pi
r RORY CALHOUN PIPER LAURIE
IW1IW minmmiws »umc«
Snn.-Mon.-Tues.
Feb. 27-28, Mar. 1
asSfii
Ail111 l ’ii
Wi U WALTER PIB5E0N LOWS CALHERN
DEWEY MARTIN AEENAN WYNN FRANK LPYEJOY
Wed.-Thurs. Mar. 2-3
•••Marlon* *•
Inman Residents
Give $244.42 to Polio
Solicitation Accounts
for $91
INMAN—The Inman residents
and organizations contributed
$244.24 to the 1955 march of
dimes drive, Mrs. John H. Matt
son and Mrs. James H. McMahan,
city campaign directors, have an
nounced.
A breakdown of contributions
follows:
Project club bake sale, $46.80;
band concert by Inman school
band, $41.10; Inman public school,
$31.70; clubs, lodges and other so
cieties, $24; solicitations, $91; coin
collectors, $9.64.
Other Inman News
James Sholes a-nd Ernest
Brunckhorst went to Ainsworth on
Monday, February 14, wheie they
called on Mr. and Mrs. Max Moss
man and family and also tried
their luck at fishing.
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Clark of
Burwell spent Sunday, February
13, visiting Mr. Clark’s mother,
Mrs. Anna Clark, also Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph Moore, a brother-in
law and sisiter.
Tom Clark, who is employed at
Lexington with the telephone com
pany spent the weekend with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Clark.
Mrs. Larin Keyes and daughter,
Mary, who have spent the past
couple of weeks at the home of
Mr. Keyes’ parents, Mr. and Mrs.
F. E. Keyes, left Monday morning
for New York City from where
they will sail for France to join
W/O Lorin Keyes, who is station
ed there with the army.
Mrs. Ray Siders, Mrs. L. R.
Tompkins and Mrs. Harvey Tomp
kins attended a tea at the Legion
club rooms last Thursday after
noon given by Mrs. Larry Schaffer
of Emmet for the Cowbelles and
prospective members.
Mrs. Kathryn Abbenhaus of Sa
lem, Ore., who has been visiting
her sister, Mrs. Anna Young, and
son, Charles, left Thursday for
Spencer to visit her son.
Mrs. H. H. Rousseau returned
to her home at Griswold, la., on
Wednesday, February 16, after
spending the past two months in
the home of her brother-in-law and
sister, Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Har
kins. Mrs. Harkins and daughters,
Hyldred and Mrs. H. E. Smith, took
her as far as Norfolk.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Siders, Mr.
and Mrs. L. R. Tompkins and Mr.
and Mrs. Harvey Tompkins attend
ed the fifth annual grasslands day
at Stuart on Monday, February 14.
Inman friends have received
word of the death of Archie
Stearns on Friday at Lincoln. Mr.
Stearns made his home here far
several years.
Mrs. Lois Juracek and two
daughters spent Tuesday, Feb
ruary 15, at the home of her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Siders, and
Marilyn.
Helpless Couple
Watches Home Burn
ATKINSON — Blizzard condi
tions and snow-blocked roads con
tributed to the destruction of the
D. W. Baab farm home near here
by fire Sunday afternoon.
The blaze is of uncertain origin.
Atkinson firemen were summoned
to the place two miles from town,
but they couldn’t get through un
til a county snowplow had open
ed the road.
By the time the firemen could
get to the place, which took near
ly an hour, the two-story house
had burned to the ground.
It is believed that a stove ex
plosion may have caused the
blaze. Mr. and Mrs. Baab were
in the barn at the time it started,
however, and they cannot be sure.
They had been doing chores for
about an hour.
Mr. Baab is best-known as Jack
Baab. His wife is bookkeeper for
me Atkinson Graphic. The loss
was partially covered by insur
ance.
Mr. and Mrs. George Bosn enter
tained ait a dinner at their home
Sunday.
Club Meets with
Mrs. Forbes—
The Young Homemakers club
was called to order at the home of
Mrs. Ray Forbes on Wednesday,
February 9. Eleven members an
swered roll call by telling what
age they would like to stay.
Mrs. Albert Henning and Mrs.
Leland Anderson gave a lesson on
using the broiler. Mrs. Albert
Henning will be hostess for the
March 9 meeting.
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS
SD—Leo S Tom jack- Sheriff to
Ernest Howard 2-7-55 $80- Lots
7-8-9 & 10 Blk 8- Page
WD— Emil Lieswald- et at to
March E Warner & wf- no da*e
$2750- Part of NWy4 29-26-12
WD — Henry Krier to Wm D
Kiple & wf 10-17-53 $333.75- Part
of SEy4SWy4 19- Twp 29- Range
11
WD—Arthur Seger to Kasper
W Harley & wf 2-14-55 $2800
South 180 ft Lot 9 Subdivision of
Outlot L- Hallock’s Add- Stuart
WD — Robert J Batenhorst to
Joseph C Batenhorst 2-18-55 $1
Ey4 14- Twp 31- Range 16 NW^
25-31-16
WT> — Joseph C Batenhorst to
Robert J Batenhorst 2-18-55 $1
NEy4 11-30-16 NEy4 25-31-16
WD— Cordia B Smith to Ver
non Harley or wf Z-8-55 $500
Part of SEy4SEy4 19-26-12
WD—George D Hansen to Ger
ald D Hansen & wf 1-21-55 $1
SEy4 2-31-11
WD—Effie Kubart to Wayne H
Fox- Gilbert E Fox & Charles R.
Fox 2-14-55 $2100- Lots 11-12-13
& 14 Blk 2- Collins Add- Atkinson
WD—Charles Fox to Wayne H
Gilbert E & Charles R Fox 2-15
55 $10,000- SWV4 24-29-13
QCD — Anna Brown to Henry
Vequist 1-31-55 $1- Lots 4-5-10
11-12 & 13 Blk 1- Ballons Add
Atkinson
QCD — D G Vequist to Henry
Vequist 1-31-55 $1- Lots 4-5-10
11-12 & 13 Blk 1- Ballons Add
Atk
Guests Here—
Mr. and Mrs. Varn Beckwith of
Columbus and Mr. and Mrs. Ar
thur Harley were Wednesday, Feb
ruary 16, supper guests at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Beck
with.
50 HEAD
Special Dairy Cattle
SALE
At Sale Barn
BLOOMFIELD, NEBR.
Friday, March 4
— 1:00 P.M. —
This will be a good offering
of dairy cattle. One entire herd
’ of good, large Holsteins, some
fresh and others close spring
ers. Balance will be good Swiss
cows and heifers, and some
good Guernseys. All cattle will
have necessary health papers.
Gor any other information call
or write
FRED J. LAUTERBACH
Martell, Nebr.
Cliff Van Houten, Auct.
AT PUBLIC AUCTION
Buildings and Personal Property
On Arthur McCandless Wilson Ranch, one mile south of our
headquarters ranch, or 5 miles south of Emmet and 3 miles west
or 8 miles south of Atkinson and 4 miles east, on—
Starting at 12:30 P.M. — Lunch on Grounds
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28th I
BUILDINGS (to be removed from premises) include dwelling
28x32, could be remodeled into family size home; dwelling
18x26 ft.; horse barn 32x34 ft.; cow barn 16x28 ft. Bldgs, to be
removed in sixty days.
CATTLE: 10 head 3-yr.-old Hereford hfrs.; 10 head mature
Hereford cows; 4 head Hereford steers, wt. 450 lbs.; 2 reg. Here
ford bulls.
HAY AND GRAIN. MACHINERY AND EQUIP., including WP
A-C 151, fully equipped; IHC 1940 Model A; rakes; IHC ham
mermill; harrows; pump; set of underslung axles; many miscel
aneous items, including some household goods. TEDMS: Strict
ly cash.
ALFRED W. & LOIS ANN MARTENS
Owners and Custodians
THORIN & BOWKER AUCTION SERVICE, Sale Mgrs.
COL. ED THORIN, O’Neill, Auct.
BILL BOWKER, O’Neill, Clerk
Now! WILLYS Brings You a Completely
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New, Sturdier Body Design: Body sheet metal is flanged and
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lieve road strains and for even greater sturdiness.
New, Easier Riding Springs: Front and rear — 4 inches
longer provide excellent stability and long life.
New, Larger Windshield: Has approximately 100 square in*
ches more of glass area and folds on stronger hinges.
New streamlined hood offers increased visibility.
New, Softer Front Seating: Form fitting, bucket design with
coil springing gives an unbelievably comfortable ride.
Driver’s seat is adjustable to 3 positions fore and aft.
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On U.S. Highways 20 - 275 - 281 O’Neill, Nebr.