All Issues

Soil compaction problems from increased recreational loads in the State's redwood parks are causing increasing concern for the health of these unique forest giants. New highway construction, logging activities and periodic flooding through the groves can also cause conditions detrimental to the trees. Preliminary studies reported here indicate that radical root pruning and replacement of the compacted soil may be a practical method of revitalizing redwood trees after heavy recreational use.

Spacing wind machine-heater units close enough together to allow an overlapping effect offers more efficient frost protection than is possible with single isolated installations. A spacing interval of 300 feet is probably the optimum for most conditions, according to last year's tests with nine ground-level revolving units, producing 60 pounds thrust and burning 20 gallons of diesel fuel per hour.

Low sugar content, despite high root tonnage, has characterized sugar beet production for several years in the Cuyama Valley, of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Field trials indicate that large amounts of nitrogen available at the usual harvest time may be responsible. The sudden presence of this nitrogen is probably accounted for by the decomposition of previous crop residues as soil temperatures increase in late summer. However, as a result of this ample supply of nitrogen, beet root yields increased 1.6 tons per acre each week from August 16 (normal first harvest date) to November 10 and sugar production increased 2 1/2 tons for a total of 6 tons of sugar produced per acre at this later harvest date.

Soil fumigation with methyl bromide applied under a polyethylene tarp at 2 pounds per 100 square feet of soil, controlled Armillaria root rot fungus in Tulare County tests.

Investigations on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley indicate that wells carefully located at sites of good aquifer characteristics can be pumped effectively to control water tables over a limited area. Previous experience by local irrigation districts had led to the belief that drainage by pumped wells was unreliable in this area of fine-textured alluvial soils of sedimentary origin. However, this type of drainage can become physically feasible where there are no perched or confined water tables. Application of this method depends on economic considerations, such as the possibility of reusing the water.

Enterprise accounting is a system providing a separate profit statement and cost analysis for each crop and kind of livestock in the total farm business. These statements show the contribution of profit or loss each enterprise makes toward the total farm profit. But more important, the detailed information made available on production, income, inputs and costs allows the analysis and study of each enterprise with the possibility for discovering changes to make it more profitable. As part of this analysis, comparisons can be made with the sample schedules of inputs and costs on important crops that are available at local Agricultural Extension offices.

Although Colorado River water has been used for irrigating various crops in southern California for many years, careful consideration to soil type and water management is especially important to successful use for new citrus plantings. The Colorado is the principal source of water for the Imperial and Coachella valleys and is being used increasingly for crop production in San Diego and western Riverside counties.