The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1915-08-06
Gathering Specimens For
the County Fairs

A good agricultural fair is of
great value to farms and localities
from which exhibits are obtained.
The man who wins prize on any
farm crop wither has better land
than his competitors, or he has
better method of farming and pre-
pairing his exhibits. Practically
none of the farm crops can be gath
cred one or two weeks before the
fair and be made No. / exhibit.
Specimens must be gathered when
in the right stage of growth, treated
in proper manner and prepared
properly to make the best exhibit.
Some of our grains and grasses are
now ready for harvest. Specimens
for show purposes must be gathered
either at or before the time of har-
vest.
Grain for show purposes should
be gathered when just starting to
ripen. Single stalks may be Sc
lected from the field and gathered
together into bundle for exhibit,
or a bundle or bunch of grain may
be cut together and best specimens
selected after the bunch or bundle
has become cured. Some think an
advantage is gained by dipping the
butts of grain stalks in salt water
Immediately after gathering. Tie
the bundle or bunch securely at the
butts and hang in a dark, cool
place with heads down until cured.
The grain will ripen somewhat after
gathering and the brine in the straw
will tend to prevent shattering of
the grain in the head.
After the sample has been cured,
take it down, unite the bundle and
strip the leaves from the straw. Lay
the selected plants with heads even
in a wooden form the size of the
bundle desired. Show specimens of
grain should be at least four inches
in diameter just below heads. When
the form is filled, tie securely with
cotton cloth or ribbon and cut butts
off square. Cover with newspa-
per or sack and hang again in a
dark, cool place until date of the
fair-the Kendrick Fair opens Sep
tember 28th, for three days. Grain
samples treated in this manner will
be clean and bright and if tied with
dark ribbon usually make very at
tractive exhibit.
Alfalfa or clover samples should
be gathered at the time they should
make the best showing. Take at
once to a cool, dark place, and hang
with heads down until cured. Fruit
must be gathered when little un
der ripe and handled carefully ir
order not to bruise or break the
skin. Peas, beans and crops of thi:
mature should be handled as advised
!for alfalfa and clover.
Root crops cannot be gathered
until ripe, or nearly 80. Care mus
Sbe taken when harvesting for SHOW
purposes that the roots are no
broken until the specimens ar
cured and usually better showing
will be made in all roots not de
tracing from the appearance of tn
article are left on the specimen
Potatoes or other root crops, i
gathered before ripe, will be in
jured by handling because of tn
tenderness of the skin; will usual
shrink badly and will be scored lo'
10y the Judge of exhibits. Wher
two or more specimens must be II
cluded in an exhibit, uniformity
eue of the very necessary items fc
= successful exhibit. 1t is better
have all the specimens of an exhib
of the same size, color, shape, etc
even though this necessitates lea
ing out one or more especially goc
specimens, than to have an exhib
containing specimens not uniform.
With the crops that we can gro
in the northwest, it should requi
building three or four times
large as we now have to hold the
exhibits. Prepare larger numb
of exhibits for each class, so that
one exhibit is destroyed or injure
another may be put in its place,
if more than one exhibit per pers
is allowed, you may be able to "
not only first but also second a
third prizes.
Do not forget that fairs prove
the greatest value to those W
take part in making them succe
If you wish Premium List Sc
you, send post card request to
J.. BROWN,
VonJr;ol Tdoho