The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-10-24
Tests Are Applied From Country
Elevators to Holds Of Trans
atlantic Liners. et'a
MsT WHEAT GIVEN PREMIUM
Department Of Agriculture Has Made
study Of Marketing and Grading
Praetices-War Neesssltatsd
oeme Changes.

From country elevators to the hold
of transatlantic liner wheat and
corn destined for the army and the al
lies and almost all Of that arriving at
mills and terminal markets IL handled
on grades hxed and applied under
federal supervision. The inspection Of
wheat and shelled corn IL under the
direction Of the United States depart
ment Of agriculture, with licensed In
spectors located at small markets, ter
minals or at the seaboard and the
standards In use, are the same at all in
spectiou points. Before federal grades
were in effect there was little uni
formity in grain standards at the diff
ferent markets such as now exists
throughout the United States.
In the past grain was often graded
at country points on the basis Of an
average for the crop which placed the
best grain in lower grades than 1t de-
served. Now grower of the best
wheat receives q premium. even under
fixed prices. for his extra care in pro-
ducing 1t. Thus federal standards pro-
vide premium grades for grain OF su-
perior quality.
How 0rA0eo were MACE.
Before the passage of the United
Suites grain standards act complaints
were received from foreign buyers and
buyers of grim located outside the
grain-producing sections Of the United
States, stating that grain purchased
frequently did not conform to the
grade specifications for which their
contracts called. For over ten years
the department of agriculture has
made study Of grain marketing and
grain grading practices throughout
the United States and in foreign trade.
obtained samples Of many shipments.
and devised apparatus for the me-
chanical determination Of grading fac
tors. Before. the ofiicial grain stand
ards were adopted they were submitted
to representatives. of producers and to
the grain trade for suggestions and
criticisms, and the standards were de-
cided upon after all phases Of market
ing were considered so that no single
interest would be favored at the ex-
pense Of any other interest.
Grades Revised for Wheat.
pecause of the abnormal conditions
IN Inc ktUIu tTducs uuc " thc ""A hHN
the resulting fixed prices for wheat,
certain changes in wheat grades were
suggested A series Of f1ve hearings
were held during March OF this year
to receive suggestions from interested
persons on the proposed revision Of
the ofFicial standards for wheat. Out
of these hearings and the practical
experience in supervising the npplica-
tion of the standards the grades were
revised to have effect July 15. 1918.
The changes were all In the nature Of
percentage Of grains other than wheat,
increase In the amount OF foreign
material. present within each grade,
md minor changes in definitions OF
classes and grades. Increased percent
ages Of moisture were allowed In sew
eral grades, reduction in test weight
per bushei was made in some In
stances, and more damaged and heat
{lamaeed kernels allowed in some
grades.
How Grades Arc Applied.
The bureau of markets of the de-
uartment Of Agriculture now main
tsIns s5 local sl3ces at the principal
synfn msrkets to supervise the grad
81