The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-09-03
SAUK CENTRE HERALD, Sank Centre, Mimi.

II there . possibility that . fire
may start due to the action Of the
heat Of the sum ON sodium chlorate
when IL Is used to spray n0xious
weeds7
It Is possible, but fire Is more
likely to start wnen some animal,
such as q dog or rabbit runs
through the dead vegetation. An
animal running through dry vege-
tation which contains small
amounts of sodium chloride would
cause sufficient friction to start q
fire. Sodium chlorate, as marketed,
usually contains enough calcium
chloride to keep 1t in a moist con-
dition, but the high temperatures
and low humidities which we have
been experiencing would offset the
effect of the calcium chloride.-R.
A. Gortner, chief. Division Of Bio
chemistry.
What Is the method for drying
corn?
Gather any good corn in the milk
stage only in quantities that can be
used at once. Husk the ears and re-
move worm injuries. Silking Is not
necessary. Dip in hot water s to IL
minutes to set the milk. Young
corn will require longer for this
than old. Drain, cool and cut grains
off the ear. Spread on trays " to
three-fourths inches deep and dry.
Stir during the drying process to
separate grains and break up mass
es.-Inez M. Hobart, Extension
Nutrition Specialist.
find my basement infested with
the insects which I am sending for
Identification. What are they, and
how may I get rid Of them?
The insects are fleas which COM
monty infest cats and dogs in this
region. The insects lay minute eggs
in the fur Of the animal and drop
off, particularly in bedding places
In about two weeks after the eggs
are Matched, the larvae reach an
adult stage. You may either get rid
Of the infested animals or free
them of the insects by cleaning
them thoroughly and repeatedly by
washing them with some of the
standard flea soaps sold in drug
stores or by bathing them in a 8
to 4 per cent creolin solution. The
solution can be made by adding
four tablespoons of the stock to
one gallon of warm water. Flea
powders containing pyrethrum or
deris can be substituted for the
baths. Buildings may be freed of
them by squirting kerosene into the
cracks, scrubbing with a five per
cent creosote disinfectant and by
applying general methods of clean
liness.-William A. Riley, chief, Di-
vision of Entomology.
What can I do to eliminate rats
from my farmstead?
Cleaning up the premises is one
Of the first essentials in getting rid
of rats, but it will not control
them Old wagon boxes, rubbish
piles and other rat shelters should
be done away with. Wood and lum-
Der piles should be built off the
ground. An effective rat poison Is
barium chloride which is odorless,
tasteless and economical. It can be
used under old buildings which
have floors only a foot or so above
the ground. A rat has a tendency
to balance his diet and a good bait
or which to use the poison on the
average farm where grain Is plen-
tiful Is hamburger or salmon H.
L.Parten, Extension Entomologist.
understand that Kafir corn can
Withstand drouth conditions for
long periods Of time. Would 1t be
q good crop to raise In place of
part Of our corn? Is Minnesota too
far north to grow the crop? Would
Kafir make as good silage as corn?
We do not consider Kafir a good
substitute for corn in Minnesota.
This crop requires the same cultur-
al practices as corn, but cannot be
sowed until the soil has warmed
in the spring. The seed rots In the
soil under moist, cool conditions.
Although Kafir may yield about the
same tonnage Of green corn per
acre in Kansas and Missouri 1t can
not be expected to yield as much in
Minnesota. Nutrients in corn are
more digestible than nutrients in
Kafir. AS for silage, available data
give the following protein-Kafir
silage 1.8 per cent, corn silage 81
per cent; fibre-Kafir, SO per cent,
corn 6 8 per cent; nitrogen free ex-
tract-Kafir 1876 per cent, corn
1874 per cent; fat Kafir IL per
cent, corn 0.8 per cent.-Wallace
w. Brookins, Agronomy and Plant
Genetics Division.