The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-05-19
EXPERIMENTAL
FLOUR Mill
THE MILL AT THE A.. c. HAS
PROVED A VERY USEFUL ADJ
JUNcT TO THE WoRkERs-Is
FOR PURPOSE OF GETTING AT
MILLING VALUE OF WHEAT.

The experimental flour mill at the
agricultural college is for getting at
the milling qualities of wheat. The
relative values Of different varieties.
The effects of weed seed. The effect
of different ways of handling the grain
both before inc after threshing.
The mill, though a small one, is very
complete; all operations of the larg-
est mills can be carried on. When
the wheat comes to the mill the first
operation is to run it through a clean
er to remove weed seed and any other
foreign matter. The next step is to
run the wheat through a screen, which
throws the kernels against a drum,
thus knocks off my dust or smut, and
the small hairs on the kernel. Next
the wheat is moiStened. This tough
ems the bran SO that it does not grind
up but flattens in large flakes.
The wheat is then run through roll
ers. lie first ones are corrugated
and the others smooth. There are six
sets Of these and when desired the
grist can be run through these several
times. These rollers have taken the
place Of the old fashioned mill stones
These rollers do not revolve
at the same rate of speed. One goes
about twice as fast as the other so that
lllSI6 Ii d SIIllOtilS dltIOu DIS well do
the crushing.
The sitting out of the bran and
shorts is done by sieves. The coarser
mes made of wire screen AND the finer
ones of silk. The flour particles will
stick in the finer screens Locust seed
are used to clear the silk sleeves. The
locust seed in passing over the boiling
cloth jars loose the -four particles. BY
an ingenious arrangement these locust
rNJ 1,,I,~,, fINr, xrN& IN A. fn4fNro 1f
the sleeves elevate themselves onto the
top sieve and start on another trip.
The real test of flour is the bread
that can be made from it. So the
next step is to make this, -four into
bread. II these baking tests the am
amount of flour n yeast is taken. 1t
is mixed the same length of time and
baked the same. What difference there
is in the baked loaf can only be due
to differences in the flour. Accurate
measurements and descriptions are
made as to how much the bread rises,
as to it's color and water absorbed.
Photographs are also made of the fin
ished loaf.
The United States department. of
agriculture is cooperating with the
North Dakota Agricultural college in
running the MILL. 1t is. the most COM
,plete experimental mill 1t any of the
tApSl IlI1SI1l o. SllItcllS. Il JGSoou @Ft tttctlty
samples Of wheat from other states
and foreign countries are sent here by
the department of agriculture for mill
ing. One instance that shows what
the mill means to the farmer is that
of the velvet chafT wheat. This used
to sell for several cents per bushel
less than the other hard spring Wheats.
Milling and baking tests in the mill
brought out the fact that velvet chaff
wheat gave as much and as good -four
as the other spring wheats. This left
only one thing to do; raise the price to
the same as for the other wheats.
This has meant millions of dollars to
the North Dakota farmers. At pres
emit the work is. much hampered
through the fact that no appropria-
ton was made for carrying on the
work.
One of the interesting problems that
are being worked On now is the effect