Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1919-02-04
BABES CLOTHES SEED TESTERS
Rag Dolls" Show il Grain win Grow

Rag Dolls" Show IL Grain VIII Grow
\ Young lady--a very young lady
i'm Union county. kentucky Is he
licved 10 have done as much as any
American Of her years In helping To in-
crrnse food production IN this country.
She gave all her clothes for use In
making rag-lol testers of the germi-
mating power Of seed corn. And her
years are only two.
Her father. n county agent of the
United States Department of agricul-
ture and the Kentucky extension or
ganization. used up all the spare cloth
around the house in making testers
for the farmers In his territory. aud
then he turned to the hahys wardrobe.
The need for testers was acute and
baby didn't need rs many clothes ms
formerly The result was that the baby
had TO wear u tub until her mother
could prepare new raiment.,
The sccd-corn situation In the spring
of 1918 was serious II is not expected
To he so serious in 1919. but In many
sections Of the country farmers will
have need for rag doll testers or other
apparatus In finding what seed will
produce corn and what viii not. They
may not have to use the haby's clothes.
hut they should he ready witt. testers
The cheapest material which has given
entire satisfaction is blcached muslin.
The muslin should be cut into strips 10
inches wide and from 3 to : feet along
With n pencil or crayon draw line
down thc center of the strip. Leaving
at east I inches AT the ends. mark the
strip croSswisc every inches. number
ing the sections.
Using the Rag Dolls
Nloistcn the tester before putting the
kernels upon IT, Number the ears aud
place them In definite order From
different places on ear No. | take out
~ kernels and place them In section
No. /. Similarly take 10 kernels from
ear No. >. place them in section No. .
aud continue in this manner until ev.
cry section of the tester has been filled
Care should he taken 10 place the kcr.
nelS some distance from the dividing
lines. 81 tlat slight displacement caus
ed hy handling the testers will not
mix the samples Fold each side Of
The tester over. 50 that the edges meet
ia the middle. Press the cloth down
firmly over the kernels. and. using II
cob or somc other cylindrical object
as u core. roll the tester. Tie n cord
ar slip rubber band around the mid
die. aud the doll is complete.
The Testing Process
Dolls should he thoroughly Immersed
in lukewarm water. From Ia I hours
have been found sufficient for the soak.
Ing. and II Is hest not to soak for more
than ~ hours Remove the dolls from
the water. allow them Ia drain. and
place them where they may be kept
warm und moist During the GERM.
nation period the dolls should not he
subjected Ia temperature higher than
100 degrees or lower than ~ degrees
+. \ temperature between 81 and M
degrees T. during the day and ~ aud
10 degrees during the night will give
good results. II is not advisable Ia
give the dolls u second soaking. \
good way 10 prevent drying out Is To
wrap them mp IN n piece Of wet sacking
or put them upright In an ordinary
water bucket and cover them with n
wet cloth. In either ease provision
must be- mnde for draining on eX-
cess moisture At the end Of five days.
with temperatures approXimntng those
recommended. the kernels should he
Sproutcd sufficiently tn show their lit.
ness for seed.
u any sample has n n0ticeably weak
termination or has more than two
dead kernels. the ear from which the
sample was taken should he discarded.
There may be times. such rs the spring
Of 1918 when the supply Of good seed
corn is extremely limited. In such sea
sons II Is well tn retain all ears show
ing termination of 60 per cent or
more. The poorer terminating ears
win have to he used II the supply Of
seed terminating 80 per cent or better
Is not sufficient Keep the poorer seed
separate aud II II must be used. plant
II thicker than the rest.
II the dolls are Ia be used over again
they should he thoroughly scalded IN
order Ia destroy any mould growth.
When 10 Use Rag Dolls
OF course. the testing Of the GERM.
nation Of each ear is some trouble
However. Ia obtain a successful corn
crop II l. work that must be- done by
those who have not retained seed corn