The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-04
TIE GRADING OF WHEAT.


The controversy over the grading
OF wheat cannot be determined By lay
men. Only the Judgment OF men ia
mlliar with the qualities OF wheat and
with the standards adopted In the East
err states and in foreign markets is of
value. With all respect TO the farmers,
they cannot be regarded as the best
Judges. however conscientious and
competent they may be. Ii is 10 their
interest-and none will find fault with
them for maintaining ito get the
highest price for the wheat by per-
suading the buyer that IL is of the finest
quality. Nor is the buyer fitted to be
the sole Judge: his interest is to decry
the quality Of the wheat, In order that
he may buy at the lowest price.
The case Is stated very fairly by a
man who is interviewed in yesterdays
Post-IntelIigencer, although he pro-
fesses to agree with the farmers that
the standard is too high.
He says that the crops of Eastern
Washington suffered serious damage
By the rains which came just before
harvest time, and that So per cent. OF
the wheat just harvested will be NO. 2.
under the existing weight test. The
early wheat did not suffer. and that
passes at No. /. The percentage of in
jury Is put at 5 per cent. Now il is
evident that wheat which is damaged
by rain-not 10 say seriously damaged,
as II Is said TO have been-cannot be a
No. wheat. II IL is 10 be exported. 1t
must be mixed with a wheat which has
not been damaged by rain. The high
price offered for Eastern Washington
wheat is not for grain which has been
damaged By rain, but which is sound in
every respect. perfect In grain. and sub
stantial In bulk. II does not matter
whether the No. wheat is called No.
: or No. ]. If il be not of the first
standard. Shippers who send forward
q quality OF wheat damaged by rain
and enter Il as No. /, are either ineom-
petent or are seeking to deceive the Ill
innate buyers.
The only way for Eastern Washing
ton wheat TO have good name in the
markets and 20 insure high price is
TO take every precaution to so grade il
that when il is bought as No. /. il
means that IL Is No. in all the essen
tails which go to make one cop better
than another. The man who is inter-
viewed and who said that the late crops
had been damaged by rairs exclaims:
"Wha, loss 10 the farmer by grading
Il rs No. ." The loss was occasioned
by the deterioration resulting from The
rains, not from the dictum of the in
speetor.
u never does any business a perma-
nent good to palm OF as No. / quality
any article which is not OF the best.
Wheat which has been in the rain suf-
fers very little If used for home con-
@tt~t pawn Sbe "a 2tfREtA NhlRstA II II
liable 10 very serious damage. and
might become positively dangerous in
ships hold unless II were well mixed
with thoroughly dry wheat That mix
iEE costs money. and adds to the ex-
peRso OF marketing so that Il cannot
be considered No. l wheat in a com
merclal scuse. even though 1t might 10
all appearances be OF the same quality.
Il IL So important that this matter
should be settled wisely and to the sat
isfaetion Of the farmers. as well as OF
the exporters. that any communication
of \ reasonable length and dealing
solely with the merits of the question
will Be gladly given space in these col
umms