The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-02-10
$4,000 Ex-Service
Men Could Work
In Soil Conservation

is. Soil Conservation Service could
put 10000 ex-service men to work
on critically needed conservation
work, DR.. H. H. Bennett, Chief of
the Service declares.
These ex-service men would help
farmers speed to completion the
erosion control and soil and water
conservation work already started.
In addition, they would do conserva-
ton work Of semi-public nature,
such as drainage, rehabilitation of
irrigation systems. flood control,
reservoir protection, quarrying Of
limestone for use on acid land, and
erosion control on highways and
stream banks.
BY the end Of the second year
after the cessation of hostilities, the
Soil Conservation Service could
have developed its program so that
it could effectively use l75,O0O men
a year for at least four years, the
chief conservationist believes
Would Train 1000 Leaders
In order to use these men to the
best interest of the nation, it would
be necessary for the nearly 5000
technical men already trained in
soil and water conservation now in
the armed forces to return to their
peace-time pursuits. In addition,
1000 men would have to be trained
IN engineering, agronomic, and 9TH
er types OF agriculture and land pro-
lection work at rate sufficient to
provide trained leaders for the re-
turning ex-service men. The Soil
Conservation Service is ready to in
itiate this training,
For carrying on conservation work
which the farmer is not equipped to
do without help, the Soil Conserva-
ton Service estimates that min
imum of 500, 900 man-years would be
required. This work would be done
very largely in cooperation with
soil conservation districts, operated
under the supervision Of the farm
ers, themselves. Such a program,
the Soil Conservation Service be-
lieves, would greatly speed soil and
water conservation work in the
United States.
Jobs That Would Be Done
The following items Of work, as
revealed by a Conservation NeeuS
Survey Of the country, would be
among the most important jobs to
be done:
Repair or improvement Of farm
irrigation systems on IL million
acres.
Production Of limestone for the
lining of liz million acres which
badly need this treatment.
Seeding or reseeding Of 100 mil
lion acres of pasture.
Drainage Of 80 million acres
This would include projects on in
dividual farms, new group drain
age enterprises, and rehabilitation
Of existing group drainage enter
prises.
Terracing of 100 million acres
This is the construction of ditch
or channel, with ridge below, con-
structed across a slope at various
levels to catch and delay the run
off Of surface water.
IOntOurlng OF I1U million acres
This practice includes both contour
planting of cropland and contour
furroWing of grazing land In con-
tour paintings, crops are planted or
drilled in rows that follow the same
level on sloping land, the rows fol-
LOWING the contour of the land.
Strip cropping OF 80 million acres
Field crops are grown in sys-
tematic arrangement of strips so
hat crops themselves help prevent
The strips are laid out on
level or contour lines. Strips of in
certified or close drilled crops are
alternated with sod crops of grass
IS or legumes.
Subsurface tillage of 1870 million
acres-By sub-surface cultivation
With an implement that does not
destroy or cover up crop residues,
;tubble mulch is left on top that
helps to catch and conserve mois-
ure for the next years crop and
% prevent wind erosion.
Water-spreading systems on
million acres-This practice, applied
,nly to grazing land, diverts run
re xryofas from uty1lioc or nfhor mn III