The Washington herald., 1908-07-19

No. Northern This discount IS equal TO
about Il cents Per bushel in the one case
and about p cents ger busheI in the other.
With DuTum so much lower IN value in
the United States than standard spring
wheat the -four dealers here are fearful
that American millers viii be tempted TO
mix in a very considerable per cent OF
Dgrum. which. they say. would be fatal
to the quality Of the flour. They know
that English miilers actually do buy
largely OF this Durum wheat. and without
special injury. for every one knows that
the coast miller in the United Kingdom
always blends his wheat.
What Is custom for the British miller
would be suicidal for the American miller
20 attempt The latter would lose t'.s
hold on the trade that certain Well-knCwn
characteristics Of his wheat impart 70 his
-four. His -four must be distinctive as in
previous years or i VIII not be wanted.
Approximation About blending.
But the fear that American -four viii
be blended with the -four Of inferior
wheat is perhaps. not the worst result of
the production Of Durum wheat in Amer
/ lea As stated. the British miller is a
blender Of many varieties Of wheat, and
necessarily so. Hence he Is prepared by
/ experience and scientific knowledge TO use
! Durum wheat TO good advantage TO him
self. He can buy it at so great a dis
count in price as 10 materially reduce his
I cost and generally 10 strengthen his post
tion with the h0ur-buying trade
More than 6,00o.000 bushels Of Durum is
/ known to have been marketed in Great
/ Britain since last harvest. and some au-
/ thOrities place that quantity at even
greater figures. At that II is sufficient to
I furnish the coast mills with 10 to : per
7 cent OF their requirements Of foreign
wheat and at a cost close 10 % cents per
/ bushel below high-class varieties of hard
I spring. The American farmer is thus un-
Willingly factor in the possible lower
I ing Of the standard Of -four made in his
I own country. which has given his wheat q
standing in all the markets Of the world
/ and made it more valuable by many cents
per bushei than il could otherwise be. but
/ he also makes il possible for the foreign
1 competitor Of the American mill 70 gresr Z
( " undersell II and to disrupt the trade
[ that has taken years Of effort 10 establish.
Restriction Measures Suggested.
Since Durum wheat is now doubtless a
weli-established factor in the grain situa-
tion in the American Northwest. and may
become more generally grOwn and ex-
J tended % other sections it would be well
! lDE tffr sfllaLlon OF American hour II
some rs-trjctive measures could be taken
[ regarding It's use for mixing with other
and bette. varieties Of wheat Discount
/ ing the D--~s % cents per busheI may not
T discourage its production. while IL GER
tainiy does help the foreign miller
[ The presence OF Durum wheat Is 50
much Of "A reflection IL the American
miller that II he can irf oNu public sen
timsnt against its ,}roGu-tS~ he ought tC
do H. Failing in that. or pending its &C
cOmplishment. he shOuld -igidiy abstain
from its use in the maSing of -four re
Z pIted 20 be Of hiEh-class quality 1 woulc
go so far as TO recommend toe formation
Of a commercial league Of sprinE-whea'
millers. who should bind themselves or
the question Of the character of whea'
they used and publish the fact in mos
/ convincing manner 10 their customers Il
London and elsewhere where hard spring
wheat -four has obtained a substantial
foothold-