The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-07-25
EXHIBITS FOR
COUNTY FAIR
NOW is THE TIME TO SELECT
YOUR BEST SAMPLES FOR
EXHIBITION
ADVICE N CARING FOR EXHIBITS
Better Farming Association Issues q
Bulletin on Gathering and Care
OF Grains and Vegetables.

Now Is the time when the farmers
OF Brookings county should begin gath.
ering their best samples Of grains and
vegetables for the county fair. We
grains and vegetables and every farm
er should take pride in making the ex-
hibit at the county fair the finest in
the northwest. Every year a large
number of strangers visit our fair and
the advertising we get from a good ex-
hibit Is valuable and far-reaching. The
county will also likely have an ex-
hibit at the state fair, in spite Of the
refusal Of the county board to assist,
and every good citizen shoLld do
everything possible to make it a Sue
cess. The following bulletin issued
by the Better Farming association on
the gathering and care OF samples for
exhibition will be of interest at this
time:
Great are should be exercised in
preparing sheaf exhibits of alfalfa,
clover and grasses. The leaves OF
he foliage crops are easily damaged
and discolored. In selecting a show
sample, the most leafy types in the
field should be located. Then, when
the blossoms have appeared, go into
the field that has the best growth and
with a small hand sickle cut off a good
sized sample as close to the ground as
possible. Both legumes and grasses
should be cut when the blossoms first
s%ucculcnt forage is secured.
After the samples are cut, they
should be tied into loose bundles not
than four or five inches in d.
ameter and loosely wrapped in news
paper or, better still, cheesecloth and
hung in a dark place to cure. To re-
tain their color, forage crops must be
cured or dried in 4 dark place away
from the sun, with plenty OF air. The
covering OF newspaper or c~heesecloth
will prevent the dust and flies from
marring the samples.
DO not strip a single leaf or branch
let from the stem, as it is essential in
showing the forage value to retain all
the caves possible. Alfalfa, clover,
timothy, bronze grass, rye grass, red
top, millet and other forage crops are
spoiled for exhibition purposes if the
leaves are stripped off.
"Sheaf exhibits are prepared from
the small grains. The grain is cut a
few days before it would be ready to
harvest with the binder. Go into the
field with a sickle and from the best
portions of the standing grain cut off
the amount necessary, cutting the
straw off straight at the ground so as
to get the full length. If the grain is
cut and tied with a binder, a portion
Of the length is lost in the stubble and
the straws are broken by the band
which goes around the sheaf. Care
should be exercised in handling the
samples to see that the straw is moi
broken.
After the samples are gathered in
the field, they should be taken to the
granary or barn, where they should
be spread oil boards or on the floor.
In the matter of preparing thresh-
ed samples Of grain for exhibition pur-
poses, great car should be exercised
10 see that the grain is free from dis
celebration and free from foreign seeds.
Perhaps the best way to select thresh.
ed grain for exhibition purposes is to
go through the field after harvest and
pick out the bundles that are free
from dis~coloration and that give every
indication of a large bright and we'll
filed kernel. These bundles should
be threshed separately and thoroughly
cleaned.
"The vegetables and root crops
should be carefully selected, washed
and dried in shallow trays in cool
well-ventilated cellars.
The samples Of ear corn should be
selected from the field and not from
the crib after husking. Make a few
selections OF thirteen ears each, as
nearly uniform in size, shape and
color as possible. See that the oars
are we'll cured in dry place and thus
avoid formation Of mold and premature
sprouting OF kernels. which IL apt to
occur when both heat and moisture