46 



Jh'IcniiiiKilluii <if iiioisUur in (jrccii. crupx, Jc'l'lci:^, ratils, niiif ijnniix. 



I. I'KEP A RATION. 



[a) (ireeii crops. Cut sample rlose to ground. Eitlici- fold or tie into sliort l>un- 



dles or cut into short lengths and jnit into 

 a tray. 



{h) Fodder (including hay and straw). 

 Cut a (juantity of the material in a feed 

 cutter or with a* knife, mix well, and lill 

 tray with sample. 



(c) Roots. Select one or more typical 

 roots, clean with a good brush or wash 

 and wipe carefully. With a sharj) knife 

 slice in tray ijuickly and cover. 



(d) Grain. Place about one pint of 

 cleaned grain in a tray. If it is desired 

 to determine the moisture of corn in the 

 ear select a typical ear having all of its 

 kernels and place in tray. 



II. LAHELIXG. 



For the material i)laced in the trays it 

 is sufticient t<j record tin- number of the 

 tray. 



Upon those materials not jtlaced in 

 trays a tag bearing your name should 

 be placet!. 



III. WEHiHTS. 



You will need t(j determine: (") Net 

 weight before drying; {h) Net weight 

 after drying; {<-) Loss of moisture by 

 drying. 



With this data determine the per cent 

 of moisture in the undried material. 



IV. THE DKYING. 



Place material in hot-air oven (tig. (3) 

 having temperature of 120° C. Drying 

 should continue until materials have 

 reached constant weights. This will usu- 

 ally be accomplished in twenty-four 

 hours, but sometimes as much as forty- 

 eight hours are required. 



[Each student is given from six to eight 

 materials to dry. In some cases he is 

 required to go to the bin or field to pro- 

 FiG. 6.— Hot-air drying oven. cure them.] 



