The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-12-11
elevator in North Dakota if something
is not done"
Hard to Prove.

elevator in North Dakota if something
is not done"
Hard to Prove.
Representative Norton, who came
from Washington for this hearing, call
ed attention to the fact that an anti
discrimination law which has been on
our statute books for several years
supplies remedy for such unfair COM
petition. d. E. Shipley, secretary OF
the Farmers union, declared it i'm.
possible to prove unlawful discrimina-
ton. Not three Independent elevators
in North Dakota. he declared, are
supplied with the equipment which
the federal bureau regards necessary
for proper grading.
Every Phase Gone Into.
Every phase of North Dakota s grai1.
grading problems was gone into and
thoroughly discussed Representative
A. A. Leiderbach, of Mercer county,
brought up the mixing of durum
wheat with hard wheat, pleading for
the allowance of larger percentage
of durum, arguing that it is practically
impossible for farmers in dry terri
tory to prevent the mixing of wheat.
Senator King, of Menoken, told of
having wheat graded down because it
contained heavy percentage of blue
stem. Dr. Duvall, of the federal bur-
eau, advised that this was improper
grading; that mixture of blue stem.
marquis and velvet chaff wheat did
not come under the head of mixed
wheat, which consisted of mixtures of
durum and red winter or red spring
wheat.
Commissioner Hagan pleaded for
more liberal rules relative to the mix
ture Of durum, approving of the main
tenance of high standard for No !
northern, but objecting to the "split-
ting of hairs"
Mr. Brant noted that of $4,000 cars
of North Dakota wheat received in
Minneapolis during the, last four
months, but 465 were graded down to
No. 2 because of an admixture. Con-
gresham Norton confirmed his state
ment that the government price-fixing
committee had attended the Saint Paul
conference and had there thoroughly
convinced wheat-farmers of it's desire
to be fair. Norton stated the spread
between grades under this years
grades is but II cents, while last year
he sold wheat in which here was a
spread of 70 cents. The Equity eX-
change, he stated, favored competitive
buying under No. 2 grade.
Damaged Kernels.
The presence of split kernels does
not reduce the grade under the new
federal regulations. Mr.. Brand stated
this fact very emphatically, and Com
representatives present give it the
missioner Hagan urged that news
pepper representative present give 1t
the widest publicity. The grain grow
ers present favored increasing the al
lowable percentage of damaged ker-
nels in No. to five; in No. to 10,
and in No. to Is percent. Mr.. Brand
suggested that compromise should
be agreed to, as very few North Da-
have such a percentage
OF damage. Itt
= DR.. Duvall defined as damaged
kernels" those afflicted with scab,
tombstone" fungus, frost or sprouts.
Hagan told of selling in 1915 wheat
which ran 81 bushels to the acre and
which sprouted before it could be
threshold The elevator first offered to
buy it as No. because it had sprout.
ed and two weeks later paid No. !
price for 1t. s.
The matter of cracked kernels was
brought up by Mr.. Sorber, of Glad.
stone, who spoke of elevator men
grading wheat down because of the
presence of these split grains. Com.
missioner Hagan thought it impossible
tonsset cylinders closely enough to
,kliof]N the kernels from dry heads,
Without some splitting, and said It
was very hard to persuade elevator
men to put back cracked wheat. Ele'
vator men present did not see how
cracked wheat that went through the
sieves in cleaning could be restored.
They admitted this cracked wheat
now was being sold for feed at prof.
it, but stated that under ordinary con-
ditions it did not pay the cost of clean
ing. It was admitted that in either
event the farmer received nothing for
this cracked wheat that went into
dockage and that in some instances
his wheat was graded down to boot.
The discussion of rye came in under
the head in inseparables, and the
grain growers present were almost un'
animous in believing that the percent
permissible should be increased from
two to three One voice was raised in
protest. the director arguing that so
long as rye is less valuable than wheat
permission to include as much as
three percent rye in wheat always
will lie a temptation to the grain
grower to do little mixing on his
own behalf.
Purely Farmers Meeting.
It was purely meeting of farmers
and elevator men and their represent
tatiycs, and Mr.. Brand insisted that