Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-12
CLEAN THE WHEAT.


of California wheat both at home and abroad
by putting that wheat into market in an I'M
marketable condition. A short time since
we called special attention to the presence OF
grit and gravel in much Of the wheat from
those sections of the State where the custom
is to cut the wheat with headers, dumping
the headed grain in low piles on the ground
till convenient time for thrashing, and then
moving the same to the mouth of the ma
chine by the use of the horse fork and self
feeder. This mode of harvesting and thrash
ing has become popular, from the fact that
SO large part of the work is done with ma
ctinery so rapidly and so cheaply, and the
annoyance of uncertainty and unreliability of
harvest hands is in a measure at the same
time removed. But farmers must remember
that they are producing wheat to sell, and
that unless they put upon the market mar
ketable article there will soon cease to be a
paying demand for their product. There is
no economy in reducing the cost of produc-
tion at the expense of quality, followed by a
consequent greater reduction in the market
value. There is no profit in saving one cent
bushel in the harvesting of wheat, and
losing two cents bushel on the sale of it in
Consequence of the greater amount of grit,
gravel and other foul stuff being introduced
into and left in the grain by the cheaper
mode of harvesting. Farmers must realize
that the only wheat buyers in this State are
the millers, who buy wheat to grind and
make into flour for home consumption and
for consumption abroad, and dealers who buy
wheat to export to be converted into -four by
foreign millers for foreign consumption
That all the wheat sold comes at last TO the
critical inspection and rejection or approval of
the practical, interested and close-calculating
miller who has to make it into -four for the
profit there is to be made in the operation.
That whatever damage the miller thinks will
be done to his bur-stones by the grit and
gravel in the wheat whatever shrinkage he
estimates will be caused by cleaning out the
foul stuff, and, in addition, the expense of
cleaning, must be deducted from the price to
be paid by him for the wheat. Farmers
should realize also that for self-protection |
every miller is bound to leave wide margin |
in his own favor and against the seller in
making these calculations. Sound and safe |
business principles not only justify but make
It necessary for him to do SO. Farmers have
Of late had considerable to say against COM
mission merchants or midGlemen, but all the
wheat exported necessarily goes through q
number of hands before it leaves the Golden
Gate, and number more before it reaches
the mill of the foreign miller, and each one,
to save himself. in addition to his legitimate
profits for ordinary risks, etc, must keep
special margin for the damage and shrinkage
in the hands of the miller, in consequence Of
foreign material in the wheat This margin
all comes out of the producer, and the origi-
nal purchaser of him is bound to see that it
is large enough to protect not only himself, |
but all who stand between the producer and !!
the miller. Hence it is that we appeal to the
wheat farmers to clean their wheat, for their
own protection, for their own interest, to
enlarge their own legitimate profits that we
ask them to see to it that no stones, OF clods,
or grit of any kind is introduced into the
wheat by their derrick-fork, in gathering up
and carrying the straw to the thrasher, or by
the shovel, rake, pitchfork or anything else
used in cleaning up and running through the
bottom OF the stack; and that all oats, bar
ley, cheat chaff, weed-seed and everything
else that will damage the looks of or lessen
the real hour-making value of the wheat, is
removed from it before it is offered for sale
Such wheat will be in demand and will COM
mand its full value Every buyer who sees it
will want it. because he knows it's as good
rs gold.n There are no discounts, no mar
gins to come out of it for damage to stones or
shrinkage from any other cause. hlillers at
home and abroad viii prefer to pay premi-
grit and foul with weed seed given to them
for the grinding. The time was, before it
became fashionable to fill our wheat with
stones and to put it on the market with from
ten to twenty per cent. of foul stuff in it,
that California wheat commanded in the Eu-
ropean markets higher price than any other
wheat in the world but Of late years we
have been gradually losing ground in those
markets till now our wheat is quoted below
that of most any other wheat growing State
in the Union, and this is not because the
wheat itself has deteriorated in any respect,
but because, and only because, we have
adopted different modes and careless prac-
tees in harvesting and cleaning. Our white
and dry California was, and still Is, almost a
necessity TO mix with the dark and damp
English wheat and dark wheat from the
Eastern States and Russia, but notwithstand.
iug this natural advantage, we are allowing
wheat from those countries to take preced-
ence over ours simply from our negligence j
and carelessness in preparing ours for the
market. One miller in Colusa county writes
To millers On this coast clean wheat has be-
come almost a curiosity The leading millers {
in Sacramento say they are compelled to ex- I
anime singly and closely every sack of wheat [
before they decide to grind, or sell it as chick
en- feed, and the amount they are compelled |
TO sell at a low figure for the latter purpose is
80 great that they have to figure prices down
below a paying rate to the producers |
Has it come to this, that California wheat, t
even in our own State, has so poor a reputa- 1
ton that the producers have to accept
chicken feed prices for its And this because
when they can as well as not keep the gravel '
and take the ehicllen-feed out of it? A i
prominent grain dealer and wheat exporter S
OF Stockton, San Joaquin county, has just $
returned from an extended trip of observa-
ton through Europe. He went there to
study the grain markets and milling business,
with especial reference to California wheat. ;
He met the inquiry everywhere: what is |
the matter with your California wheat ," A i
French miller and grain-merchant who con- G
trolls large number of Aouriug-mills at :!
Havre and other places in France, said to
him d" Mr.. Bostwick, your California wheat }
is becoming very dirty it is full of foul stuff !