Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-07-13
wheat THE miller NEEDS
BY EMMETT v. HOFFMAN.
c. B. Hoffman Milling Company.
Enterprise, Kan.

8 wrong and has resulted In the pro-
iuction OF mongrel wheats in Kan
sas, reducing the selling value Of
every bushel of wheat grown In GER
tain parts Of the state from to s
cents. Simply because its wheat is
not standard has cost Kansas enough
money each year to reseed the state.
Attempts have been made and are
being made to direct the selection of
seed wheat for planting In all parts
Of Kansas. The wheat growers are
ready to cooperate with the users
of wheat, the miller and the elevator
man are ready and our experts are
anxious to give aid, but this improve
ment can only be brought about by
Intelligent effort in wheat breeding
In order to develop variety that
will produce flours containing the
qualities which have given Kansas
flour its reputation. 1t is hoped the
next legislature will see the import
ance of this problem and appropriate
a sufficient amount to establish a
revolving fund of ample size to fur
nish the wheat growers of Kansas
at reasonable price with seed of
known quality in sufficient quantity
to reseed the wheat area of Kansas
at least once in five years. The pro-
per source of direction for this effort
is our state Agricultural College. The
plans that have already been made
are deserving Of the hearty support
of the wheat growers and millers Of
Kansas, and II carried out along the
lines indicated will enable Kansas
with little effort to increase her year
Ily production from 10 million BUSH
els to at least 1875 million bushels.
AS a result of this demand for
a better grade of wheat and for q
better grade of flour 1t has been nee
essary to adopt some system where
by the different varieties could be
scientifically Judged for their milling
value. The manner of grading wheat
has necessarily become more COM
plicated, as the wheat area has been
increased, causing a larger variation
in climatic and soil conditions. The
millers methors of determining the
qualities of the wheat which he is
offered now covers quite range of
experiment.
Gluten tests are made by taking
small sample Of wheat, grinding It,
on an experimental mill and separat-
ing from the middlings, or white
portion Of the berry, the bran and
shorts. After these separations are
made the gluten is washed out of
the wheat middlings, by passing wa
ter through the stock. The starch
being soluble is washed away and the
gluten being insoluble remains and
is weighed, thus determining the
amount Of gluten in the sample.
Then after the gluten is obtained
| 1t must be examined to determine
its character, there being wide var
iation In the values of gluten con-
tanned in several wheats. One sam
pie may contain large percentage
of gluten and still not be Of as great
value as a sample which contains
smaller percentage. Some wheats
contain coarse, fibrous gluten which
Is invaluable for baking purposes
in the usually short periods of fer
mentation used by both the baker
and the housewife in preparing their
dough. This difference in quality OF
gluten may be illustrated by the
comparison OF piece of cotton and
silk cloth, both weighing the same,
both possessing the same strength
but still being of entirely different
quality.
The next test Is the moisture test.
A sample is placed in retort and
carefully weighed before and after,
to determine the loss in drying. No
wheat of good milling value should
contain more than IL to IL per cent
of moisture, the government standard
being not more than II per cent.
The percentage Of screenings, for
eign seeds and dirt contained in the
sample, is found by means Of sleeves
OF varying mesh and by carefully
weighing the amount of screenings
and dirt obtained. |
To determine the number of pounds
of flour that can be produced from
a bushel of wheat. the miller again
has recourse to his experimental mill.
The sample is ground, the middllngs
separated from the bran and shorts
and the flour carefully weighed.
There is a great variation in the
amount OF flour produced from DIFF