684 IOWA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE 
After a week or ten days, according to the weather, these oats are 
ready to be stacked. Beginning with the sliock place the sheaves around 
it, buts down and heads up, going around until the bottom is the de- 
sired size. Then begin on outside and lay the sheaves around the out- 
side and then another course, lapping over on the preceding one as far 
as the band, and so on to the center of the stack. Build up till about six 
feet high, letting the sides project over a little, and by that time have 
the middle well filled. Now lay two courses at once, making the outside 
one project over for "eaves" of the stack, laying it in a slanting manner 
to run off rain. Do not tramp on outside course after this. Draw in 
each succeeding layer of sheaves a little until stack is finished. Place 
capsheaves in center of stack as much as possible because they are flat 
and will pack closer than other sheaves. Rake loose straw from outside 
of stack in a downward manner. If the stack stands straight after 
settling it will shed a surprising amount of water. Thresh after sixty 
days or more, and both straw and grain will be of much better quality 
tnan if threshed from the shock. 
B. T. SEAMAN, DAVENPORT, IOWA ^TIIIRD PRIZE. 
First test the seed for vitality. Place in the bottom of a shallow dish 
three or four layers of newspapers; spread over this a layer of thin mus- 
lin; place a good handful of oats upon this, covering with another layer 
of muslin, and lastly several layers of newspapers. Fill the plate with 
water of a temperature of sixty degrees. Allow it to soak three or four 
hours; then pour off all surplus water and place where it can be kept 
moderately moist and at a temperature of about seventy degrees. 
In about three days by removing the cloth you can determine the exact 
percentage of grain showing a good healthy sprout. Reject any sample 
which does not show at least ninety-five per cent of good healthy sprouts. 
Being satisfied that your seed will grow, it should be run through the 
fanning mill at least twice. The first time use sufficient wind to blow out 
all chaff, hulls and light grain, the second time to screen out all weed 
seed and small oats, thus procuring seed uniform in size and weight. 
Next treat your seed for smut, using formaldehyde treatment. Take 
one pint of a 40 per cent solution of formaldehyde and dilute with fifty 
gallons of water (soft water preferred). Spread a three inch layer of 
oats on the granary floor and sprinkle it thoroughly witn your solution, 
using a spray pump or sprinkling can. Then add another layer of grain 
and spray again, and so on. The above amount of solution is sufficient 
for about sixty bushels of seed. 
After the seed has all been sprinkled, mix it thoroughly with the 
shovel, working the pile over six or eight times; then round it up and 
cover with canvas to prevent the too rapid evaporation of the formalde- 
hyde fumes, which kill the smut germ. 
In from ten to twelve hours remove the covering and spread out the 
grain to dry, accelerating the process by frequent stirring and in damp 
weather by running through the fanning mill. The seed is ready to sow 
when dry enough to run through the grain drill, but it may be kept for 
several days, being careful not to contaminate again with smut. 
