I think, Mr. Chairman, we should have in the record a statement. showing for the last 20 years the work that you do, and an estimate of the increased yields as a result of research, investigation, and experiments with new plants.

Mr. ANDERSEN. Will you put that in, Dr. Moseman?
Dr. MOSEMAN. Yes, sir.

(The information requested is as follows:)

INCREASES IN CROP YIELDS

Today crop yields per harvested acre average about 45 percent more than they did in 1930. This increase becomes even more striking when compared with only a 5-percent increase in average yield for the 20-year period from 1910 to 1930. The increased productivity has been achieved in spite of continuing soil erosion, newly discovered destructive plant diseases and insects, and shifts to submarginal land during emergency periods. The increase in quantity produced has been accompanied by improvements in the quality of the product. Likewise, the overall efficiency of production has been improved. Our crops today, even perishables, hold up well when shipped long distances. The spectacular yield increases resulting from the innovation of hybrid corn are well known. Changes in productivity rates for several crops for the same period are shown below.

These increases have resulted from the complex interaction of a number of factors, including economic conditions, favorable weather, improved managerial ability of producers, and the availability of crop varieties and methods of production with an inherently higher productive potential. Because of the interplay of factors it is difficult to estimate accurately the increase due to research. Because of the cumulative effects of research, today's crop varieties have a higher yield capacity. Plant breeders have incorporated insect and disease resistance in the new varieties as well as the ability to withstand drought, extreme temperatures, and other production hazards. Research has produced in many instances crop types especially suited to mechanical harvesting. Simultaneously soil scientists have developed improved soil-management systems, better fertilizers, and other practices to get the maximum expression of the yielding potential and the greatest economic output per acre consistent with sustained productivity of our soils. Research engineers have developed the equipment and machinery needed to take advantage of the biological innovations both as to cost and timeliness of cultural operations. General economic conditions, labor shortages, and the need for all-out production in emergency periods have accelerated the adoption by farmers of the improved techniques.

COMPARISON OF LAND LOST TO CROP PRODUCTION AND COST OF RESEARCH

Mr. WHITTEN. I also would like, Mr. Chairman, to point out with regard to these various fields in which this group works, the amount of the annual loss in dollars and quantity as a result of plant diseases in wheat, cotton, and the various other crops. I would like to have included in the table an indication of the number of acres of land that are no longer capable of producing the plants that have heretofore been.

grown on that land. I am requesting this information to show the greatness of this problem and the amount of loss that we have as a result of disease in comparison with the total cost of research on these problems.

(The information requested is as follows:)

ESTIMATED LOSSES FROM DISEASES AND ANNUAL COST OF RESEARCH

The following tabulation shows estimates of certain crop losses due to some of their diseases in 1952 and the approximate allotments of funds in the Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and Agricultural Engineering for all production, breeding, disease, and improvement research relating to those crops.

From alkali, poor drainage, erosion, etc., there are approximately 21 million acres of land under irrigation in 19 States west of the Mississippi River. In the period 1929 to 1939, 1 million acres of irrigated land were abandoned because of alkali, poor drainage conditions, and for other reasons. On much of the 21 million acres now irrigated the crop yields are reduced 10 to 20 percent by salinity or an excess of soluble salts in the soil, commonly referred to as alkali. Using all available sources of information the Soil Conservation Service has estimated that the equivalent in productivity of about one-half million acres of good farm land is lost each year through land damage and deterioration as the result of or produced by floods, soil erosion, and other forms of land damage.

From black shank disease of tobacco: In some cases the soil may become infected with disease organisms thus reducing the productiveness of the land. Black shank disease of tobacco is a good example. It has been estimated that in the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, 50,000 acres annually must be taken out of tobacco for at least 3 years, then returned to tobacco with the prospect of a 10 to 25 percent loss if susceptible varieties are used. While these 50,000 acres of land are not a total loss during the intervening years, they must be used for pasture or other crops.

From dwarf bunt of wheat: Dwarf bunt of wheat in the Pacific Northwest causes an annual loss of 6 to 10 million dollars and unless resistant varieties are used it is almost impossible to use the land for wheat once it becomes infected. From nematodes: It has long been known that soil infested with plant parasitic nematodes is less productive than similar soil in which the nematodes have not become established. In a recent survey conducted by the Bureau it was estimated that 11,533,250 acres in 27 States were infested with root knot nematodes. It appears probable that root knot nematodes are present in about 500,000 to 1,000,000 acres of irrigated land in California. It has been estimated that in Kern County, Calif., alone, at least 100,000 acres of the best agricultural land are infested with this pest. The citrus root nematode is found on 90 to 95 percent of the citrus plantings in southern California and is widely distributed on citrus trees in central and northern California. Thus approximately 286,606 acres of citrus in California are infested. It is not uncommon for beet yields to be reduced 5 to 10 tons per acre by sugar-beet nematode. Approximately 50 percent of the California acreage of sugar beets is infested. With cotton alone, more than 20,000 acres of the 1952 crop in Arizona showed reductions in yield ranging from moderate to severe in many areas of the State. Establishment of the golden nematode on Long Island has removed about 11,000 acres of land from potato production.

From brush infestations: Another example of land loss is the case of brush in the Southwest. It has been estimated that brush, especially mesquite, has invaded some 50 million acres of range and pastureland. Some progress has been made on control methods, but there is need for further research to develop the information required for economical and permanent control of the brush and reestablishment of forage on these grazing lands.

TOTAL RESEARCH PROGRAM NEEDS

Mr. WHITTEN. How nearly do you meet your real needs? In other words, how much extra money would you need to really meet this problem of adequate research in your Bureau?

Dr. MOSEMAN. I believe, Mr. Whitten, to provide the soundest base for that answer to your question, it would be desirable to use the recommendations of the various industry advisory committees. Mr. WHITTEN. What percentage of their requests are you able to meet with your present funds and how much additional would it take? Dr. MOSEMAN. At the present time-this year-with the increases that we have in our budget estimates, we are covering about 25 percent of the urgent requests that the industry advisory committees presented in their last meetings. In other words, to implement their recommendations would require something over $3 million, and we have in our request a total increase of about $805,000, including $76,000 for the National Arboretum. At the time of their last meeting the committees were not considering the soil research program of the Bureau, so their recommendations related to only a part of our program.

BUREAU AND DEPARTMENT BUDGET REQUESTS

Mr. WHITTEN. What amount did you request of the Secretary for

1954?

Mr. BEACH. The request was $2,570,000.

Mr. WHITTEN. How much then was the request of the Bureau of the Budget and how much did they cut it?

Mr. BEACH. The request to the Bureau of the Budget was $1,341,072. Our budget allowance was $805,072, a reduction of $536,000. Mr. WHITTEN. By asking these questions, I do not mean to agree with your figures. But we must make all these parts fit and we must do the best we can. I doubt if there is enough money in the world

to supply every person with an answer to all the problems that he has. But I do think it is helpful for us to have some idea of the magnitude of the problem and the smallness of the amount of money that may go toward meeting it.

Mr. ANDERSEN. Thank you, Mr. Whitten. I think that was very valuable.

INDUSTRY SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL FIELD CROPS RESEARCH

I have before me a statement from people interested in the breeding development of small grain, which I mentioned previously. They feel that we are about one-half million dollars short of what should be expended in this particular item, "Field crop investigations."

This group I am referring to is made up of hard-headed businessmen who feel that this is one place where we could spend a little additional money with great possible results to the future of our agricultural

economy.

TOBACCO RESEARCH PROGRAM IN WISCONSIN

Mr. LAIRD. Our Wisconsin congressional delegation has been re quested to look into the matter of research for tobacco production in Wisconsin. In the last few years the Wisconsin State government has set aside $25,000 for tobacco research. We have had certain problems in the production and marketing of a suitable tobacco leaf in our State. What work has been done by you on that particular project? Dr. MOSEMAN. We have had a man located there for a number of years, Mr. Laird, and he was concerned with developing a type of plant that would be suited for growing under your conditions in Wisconsin, with disease control and production practices. The problem that I think your folks are most concerned about now is related to the burning quality of tobacco. They have difficulty in finding a good market for their tobacco. We feel that burning quality may be related to the nutrition the soil furnishes to the plant, and we have been working with the people at the Wisconsin station in trying to develop a joint program there that will help us to find out what the problems and

answers are.

Mr. LAIRD. Does your program call for any help financially on that project?

Dr. MOSEMAN. We are putting some money in that, about $4,000 this year. It is not a large amount, but it is supplementing what the Wisconsin station is putting in.

Mr. LAIRD. The reason that I have asked these questions is that Wisconsin farmers some years ago were encouraged to go into tobacco production. Is tobacco a product we should be producing or not? Will you give me a report on the information you have developed? Dr. MOSEMAN. Yes, sir. I will be glad to put in a statement about the situation for the record.

(The statement referred to follows:)

THE PROBLEM OF FIRE-HOLDING CAPACITY OF WISCONSIN TOBACCOLEAF The fire-holding capacity or burning characteristics of all tobaccoleaf used for making cigars, cigarettes, and pipe-smoking tobaccos has long been recognized as a most significant quality consideration. The fire-holding capacity of these tobaccos is regularly determined in all research associated with production, breed

ing, curing, and handling problems, since these practices influence this quality characteristic. In certain areas of production, the problem is one of determining the extent of fire-holding required and the relative costs of handling methods or of soil treatments necessary to produce a burn quality acceptable to the trade. In Wisconsin, and to a lesser degree in some other cigarleaf and burley-production areas, the problem is more complex. A critical condition has developed in the three major producing counties of Wisconsin where cigarleaf is grown. The fireholding capacity of the tobaccoleaf is frequently too low for making cigars, and it has to be diverted to other use, resulting in reductions of 50 percent in farm value and income from the crop. The problem is complex, apparently related to local conditions and appears to be more critical in Wisconsin than in other areas at this time.

BUREAU RESEARCH ON TOBACCO QUALITY

Within the funds and resources available, the Bureau has intensified its research program on regional quality studies, considering the fire-holding capacity of tobacco leaf as most significant. The Bureau, in meeting with the Tobacco Advisory Committee of the Department, for the past 5 years has recognized the fire-holding capacity problems of tobacco leaf and is fully aware of the serious situation in the 3 tobacco-producing counties of Wisconsin.

While the Bureau

has been concentrating support primarily on regional aspects of the research program, there has been a cooperative effort with the University of Wisconsin to intensify the research on the plant-soil relationships in their specific problem area. A series of conferences with the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station has resulted in the drafting of a joint State-Federal program whereby the State will place more emphasis on the local plant-soil relationship problem. The Bureau is continuing to cooperate with the State on problems of regional significance and is providing $4,000 for the joint program, covering all phases of tobacco research in Wisconsin. The Bureau, in counsel with the Tobacco Advisory Committee, has recognized the need for more extensive and intensive research into the plantsoil relationships to evolve an understanding of the basic principles relating to the low fire-holding capacity of tobaccos produced on these special soil types; however, it has not been possible to extend the research program for such a study.

FEDERAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH REGIONAL PROBLEMS

Mr. WHITTEN. It has been my understanding through the years that the research work of this Bureau has been directed toward cooperating with regions of considerable size. Would that possibly be the reason that you have been unable to meet this problem in this area as you have in some others?

Dr. MOSEMAN. That is the principal reason, Mr. Whitten, because we have been concentrating out efforts on regional problems and in the principal tobacco-growing areas where the different States from Florida on northward have similar problems. The situation in Wisconsin is a critical one, but it is somewhat more localized and specific; it is within a State and we feel that we would like to see the State experiment station do as much of that work as possible, although we are providing about $4,000 for the support of the work there.

FIELD CROP INVESTIGATIONS

NUMBER OF POSITIONS UNDER PROPOSED INCREASE AND DESCRIPTION OF THEIR WORK

Mr. ANDERSEN. With regard to the item "Field-crop investigation," doctor, I would like for you to insert in the record the number of additional people you are proposing with the $364,000 increase requested here. Also describe the special work which you plan to strengthen with these people.

(The information requested follows:)