--- In iris-photos@yahoogroups.com, "Barb Johnson"
<barbjohnson_62@...> wrote:
One year I meant to run out and see if I could find a set of stamps
like you would use for metal or leather.
I like the awl idea. I use scrub tops when I'm in the garden so I
can imagine that an awl could be hazardous for me.
Christian
> Or, you could use an awl and not clog your pen! Or even a pen that
has run out of ink, saved for the occasion.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: christian foster
> To: iris photos
> Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 5:28 PM
> Subject: [iris-photos] HYB: Marking Pods
>
>
> Hey gang, here's a tip if anyone's interested.
>
>
>
> Sometimes the cross tag gets seperated from the pod before
the pod matures. My notebook will show the cross, there's a pod (or
several pods) on the stalk, but there's no cross tag. This is what
I've been doing to combat loss of ID when the tag disappears. It's
also a good way to indicate bee pods I've already spotted.
>
>
>
> After bloom season, when I'm going through the withdrawls,
I start collecting the tags from the failed crosses. As I'm doing
that I make a notation right in the cross notes that a pod has
formed, and "etch" the cross number onto the pod itself with a pen.
>
>
>
> The idea is to scar the flesh of the pod so that you have a
clearly legible number even. In order to do this you have to break
the "onion skin" outter layer of the pod and cut the "juicy" inner
part. You want the mark to "bleed" a little water.
>
>
>
> So far the best pen is a "fine" point- like an RSVP. I've
also used, a fine point Sharpie, a medium point ball pen, the corner
of one of the cross tags I picked up that day, and a fingernail.
Obviously, the fingernail is tricky. The medium point pen tends to
bunch the flesh which leads to a less crisp marking. The fine point
sharpie was easier to use, but didn't damage the skin enough to
create scarring- it still leaves a nice impression.
>
>
>
> Naturally, you want to have a second pen on hand if you
intend to do any writing- that or plenty of paper and patience- since
the pod flesh will clog the pen point.
>
>
>
> The first shot is a freshly marked "bee" pod on Returning
Chameleon- this one all I had was a fingernail. The second shot is
the goal, a highly legible mark that isn't going to get seperated
from the pod.
>
>
>
> I know I've mentioned this before... but visuals are always
nice.
>
>
>
> Christian
>
