Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-12
MACARONl WHEAT.
Overcoming Objections Of Millers to
Grinding 1t.

100000 bushels this year OF an excel
! lent quality of what is known as
| macaroni wheat he has aroused the OPP
| position of many of the millers of the
country, who have as yet not mastered
| the process of milling this hardy
grain. While the Department OF Agri-
| culture is not inclined in any sense to
| adopt an antagonistic policy toward
the millers, the simple record of the de-
velopment of this crop from $1,000
| bushels three years ago, when it was
| first introduced. to 10,000.000 bushels
| this year is believed to be sufficient in
dorsement for the introduction of the
wheat. Especially is this so when the
fact is considered that the land which
produces this enormous wheat crop
was absolutely unproductive previous
to this tine.
| Secretary Wilson is not altogether
| discoura gcd at the protest of the mill
ers but looks at the matter as simply
| a campaign of education, i'll which
| they will have to. be the learners. The
| new wheat has Il much harder kernel
| than that to Which the millers of this
| country have been accustomed, and
| because TIL millerS cannot readily ad-
just their machinery to the new wheat
is believed by the Secretary to be no
adequate reason why the Western
| deserts should not produce II good crop
There is no complaint against the
new wheat after it has once been
ground into flour. Extensive expert
| ments have been conducted by the de-
partment in breadmaking with this
| flour. Two hundred loaveS of bread
| made from the macaroni wheat, and
| properly labelled as such, We're recent
| ly sent out, together with two hum
| dred loaVeS made from the best spring
| wheat from the Northwest. \ loaf OF
| each WAS sent to experts in various
parts of the country. Opinions We're
| asked as to which was the better bread,
and the result WAS entirely in favor of
the new flour, los responding with a
hearty Endorsement of the macarOni
| loaf. while "A answers favored the old
flour.
When the fear of the millers is ana
lyZed. it seems to be simply q dread
that the new grain will eventually be-
come the universal crop of the coun-
try. just why objections should be
made to this condition, if it should
|
fined. Secretary Wilson congratulated
himself three years ago when seed was
brought from Algiers and 10000 bushels
was the resulting crop. He was some
what astonshed the next year 10 find
that the crop was over 1900, 900 bushels.
and he sees anything but dsad-
vantage in the present splendid crop in
sight when he considers that it is all
grown in the aril region which extends
practically one hundred miles on either
side of the Tooth meridian, embracing
the western sections of North and
South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and
Texas and the eastern sections OF
Colorado and Wyoming. The wheat
will grow with an annual rainfall Of
only ten inches. Heretofore it has
been produced only in the arid regions
of Europe. and it's importation into this
country for growth was made as the re-
suit of careful study and comparison Of
the climates of the Western desert with
the conditions prevailing in regions
where the wheat had hourished.
While the millers are protesting
against grinding the macaroni wheat,
the foreign market is not in the least
averse to receiving it A considerable
shipment of the present crop is now be
ing made to Europe. The price at
: Marseilles is at present so cents a bush
ell, as compared with s. cents for bread
WHEAT. While these prices are low.
: they are no lower proportionately for
the macaron than for the bread wheat
and the low price is accounted for by
tn" unusually good Russian crop. 1t is
said that ordinarily the macaroni
wheat in Marseilles brings fully as
good a price as bread wheat, and some
times better.
| Already about twenty mills in this
country have taken up the work of
grinding the new wheat, and with sue
cess. 1t is said that the power required
to grind the harder kernel is somewhat
greater than heretofore necessary
Aside from this and a readiustment Of
machinery, no change is understood to
ON" of the objections at the present
tim" is that to handle two kinds of
wheat in the mill is less profitable
than handling one kind.
| BESIDES being used for flour. the new
crop is encouraging the manufacture of
mac;roni in this country. Several
|
already been established Secretary
| Wilson believes that just as improve
mcntS in milling machinery and opera
| tiOns have heretofore followed the i'm
proNements in crops, the milers will
still have to keep abreast of the times
and prepare to handle the new wheat
| as the size of the pre- sent crop leaves
| 10 reason to doubt that it has come to
stay.
From an agricultural point of view,
there are some problems Indicated by
| the success of the new wheat which
will have to receive the serious con-
| sidcration of the Department of Agri-
! culture. One of these the mil!ers have
| pointed out in their complaint. They
| say that farmers will undoubtedly
| adopt the practice of mixing the new
| wheat with the spring and winter
Wheats now comprising the crops in the
| regular wheat sections of the country.
| In this mixing the millerS see still more
| trouble ahead for themselves, and some
| of them throw up their hands in de-
| Spair at the disastrous result which
they predict will follow such Il course.