The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-10-31
FIFE WHEAT.

Our attention has been called by Mr..
Paris Gibson to the following extract
from the Pioneer Press touching on the
relative merits of hard and soft wheat
for making flour:
'tSome speculation has been INDUCED
in as to whether the wheat in Washing
ton territory could be used to make good
flour by the mills here, but the question
has been practically settled. The Mill
lers' association made arrangements for a
train load of this wheat, and it left Wal
la Walla some two weeks ago on it's way
east. The wheat was handled by the
Northern Pacific Elevator Co., and sam
pies were sent to the millers here. Up
on examination they decided that 1t
was not suited to their use, and declined
to receive it. Accordingly the train was
sent east via Duluth, and disposed OF IN
the eastern markets. Samples OF the
wheat were shown to a Pioneer Press
reporter by MI. r. M. Hubbard, general
agent Of the Millers' association, who
thought the wheat, if no better than the
samples, would never be used to any
extent by the millers here. The grain
is plump and white, but very soft. 1t
contains a large amount Of starch and
but very little gluten, and will not make
a high grade of flour. In appearance it
resembles very much California wheat,
and is not unlike the second grade OF
Michigan wheat. A gentleman, who
has just arrived from Liverpool, said
yesterday that he found the markets of
Liverpool glutted with flour made from
this wheat, which had been shipped
from the Pacific coast. The flour is of
low grade, and does not command good
prices, and cannot easily be disposed of.
AS this news comes from the very
heart of the wheat and flour belt, where
nothing is thought about turning out of
one mill 1000 barrels of A No. / flour
in twenty-four hours, our prospective
| wheat growers should give it their seri-
| Gus consideration. What the Minneap-
oils millers do not know about wheat
| and flour is not worth mentioning and
we will do we'll to profit by their advice.
Those who are going to SOW wheatnext
| spring should form combination and
raise enough money to procure for seed
this hard Fife wheat that is altogether
used to make the first class flour in the
eastern mills. A mill at Fort Benton
can never be made a success If we have
only the soft, second class Wheatt to grind.
The flour made from it would not grade
up to what we have been using and in
consequence there will be no market
for it, except for Indian flour at a ruin
ously small price.
We understand Murphy, Maclay &
Co. have agreed to procure this hard
Fife wheat for next springs seeding and
not charge anything for the trouble, SO
the ranchers will get it at actual cost in
the east with freight added, each one
to advance the amount their seed wheat
will cost. As soon as a car load (25,0OC
pounds) has been ordered it will be sent
for at once. 1t is estimated that this
hard Fife wheat can be procured at Far
go for two cents a pound and Col. Rice
has written to Hannaford, general
freight agent of the Northern Pacific, as
to getting special freight rates to either
Helena, Billings or Livingston. The
rates will be given to the readers OF the
RIVER PRESS as soon as received.