The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-03-20

secretary OF the meeting, and the
following committee on resolutions
was named: Dan McKechny, w. R..
Henry, Calvin; Hugh Ryan, Grand
Forks; w. C. Macfadden, Fargo and
F. A. Wilson, Palermo.
The following letter was read NV
the secretary in addition to a number
expressing interest in the purposes
Tor which the convention was called:
Department of Agriculture, Once Of
the Secretary, Washington. d. c.,
Sept. %. l907.-Mr. M. c. Bachelor.
Secretary the Commercial Club, Grand
Forks. N. D.-Sir: l have the nono:
to acknowledge receipt of your let
ter OF Sept. 5, concerning the con-
sumption. price, ETC., of durum wheat.
l will say first, that there is no doubt
that, compared with other wheats, du.
rum does not receive the price that it.
should i'll proportion to it's value,
either for bread or other purposes.
There are, of course, no accurate sta
tlstics yet on durum wheat, but from
such advices as we have We can learn
that there has been nearly 10000, 900
bushels consumed in this country
during the past year, aside from that
which has been used for seed. This,
of course. has all been used in our
own flour mills except the compare.
lively very small amount used for
stock food. There is evidence CON-
ing to us constantly of the use of du-
rum wheat for bread -four, but which
is. in majority of instances, blended
with other fours. An interesting
thing about the matter also is that in
no case yet reported has the durum
flour constituent impaired the general
quality of the blend. 1t has been
stated, however, in certain cases, that
| after the failure of the party 10 sup.
! ply the durum constituent, the de.
mand for this flour has at once fallen
very considerably. and he has been
obliged to take lower price. In con-
nection with the present discussion
in price it must be remembered that
a new wheat always has difficulty in
establishing itself and cannot follow
the ups and downs in the prices OF
| other wheats. Northern and fife
! wheats at Minneapolis have become
7, so popular after long use in the large
| mills that they often sell at an in
flated price, that is price consider
ably above the normal, or what they
would bring on an expert basis. It
is sometimes true, therefore, that the
difference in price is because of an
o1,u nj nj q e.
instead of the durum selling below
normal. Even now the price OF No.
l Northern at Duluth would probably
be more nearly 81 on an export basis
than the present price of Sill to
$1.13. AS durum is selling at 80 cents
at that point the actual difference in
value after all would be strictly but
cents, about what it has been on all
| average for the past two or three
| years. There is similar discrimina-
ton against hard winter wheat,
though not to the same degree.
would say in closing that at pres
ent it is the intention that special
investigation should be made in the
next few weeks of the price and con-
sumption of durum wheat with par
ticular reference to the incoming
crop. l have the honor to be, sir, re-
spectfully, Willis L. Moore,
Acting Secretary
At the afternoon session Prof. Ladd
exhibited two loaves of bread made
entirely from durum flour, which
were sampled by the delegates pres
ent with satisfactory results.
Prof. Ladd stated that by bleaching
-four made from low grades the ap-
pearance can be so improved that it
is impossible to tell the difference
from the high grade flour by the ap-
pearance. The bleaching process has
been overdone, however, in order to
market low grade flours, and he could
name one mill that had lost SO per
cent of it's local custom as result.
The millers are, however, as result
of the agitation, not bleaching to
nearly the extent they were year
ago.
If mill that is defrauding its Gus
toners in the character of its prod
ucts can find enough new customers
they can continue the process said
Prof. Ladd, but they ought to go to
jail.There are mighty few big mills
that don't have "back door trade"
Being asked what he meant by this
expression, the speaker said in addi-
ton to the -four they sell under their
fancy names to particular customers,
they sell another kind under a differ
ent name to other trade and then
still another brand which they are
careful not to put their own names
on to sell through INSCRIPTIONS deal
ers.
what difference is there in the
quantity of flour obtained from du-
rum and fife wheat?" was asked.
At the experimental mill Prof. Ladd
stated 70.14 pounds Of -four were OBJ
tanned. from No. i Northern and II
pounds from the durum.
One Of the delegates stated that the
Washburn- Crosby mill people told him