St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1920-11-20

the Wheat
factor in the grade and definite per-
centages are permitted in each numer-
ical grade.
Dockage Easily Removed.
Ordinary dockage can be removed
from quantities of wheat with compar-
atively simple cleaning machinery,
such as is installed in many grain ele-
vatOrs and mills, or it can be removed
on the farm with an ordinary portable
tanning mill equipped with a screen
having perforations like those speci-
fed for the dockage sleeves.
Dockage found in wheat In many
cases is Of real value, while in other
cases it not only may have no value,
but may contain ingredients positively
harmful If ground with the wheat.
Dockage frequently contains quanti-
ties of other grains and weed seeds,
such as mustard, fiaxseed, oats or
other cereal grain. Much of this can
be used to good advantage as poultry
or stock feed.
Importance OF Dockage System.
1t should be understood that it is op-
tional with a farmer whether he re-
move dockage or not. The point which
United States department of agricul-
ture officials emphasize is that 1t is to
hfs advantage to understand dockage
and, in many cases, to remove 1t him
self. % If the dockage system is not
employed, the foreign material In the
grade. If no grading system is en-
ployed (grading usually is not COM
pulsory for the farmer In selling wheat
at country points, though all shipments
to terminal markets are graded), and
the country miller or grain dealer buys
wheat as delivered at fiat rate, or on
the basis Of the average quality deliv-
cred, the price paid usually is suffi-
GENTLY low to protect the buyer
against loss caused by Objectionable
foreign material delivered with the
general run of the grain.
Under the dockage system of the
federal standards, however, the
amount of such foreign material sep
arated and considered as dockage Is
deducted from the weight of the wheat
purchased and, in any event, does not
affect the grade Of the wheat after 1t
has been cleaned. This results in
higher grade. and the price paid Is on
the basis Of this grade.
After the dockage Is removed from
the original sample and the test weight
per bushel has been determined, the
sample is then examined to ascertain
whether an analysis is to be made for
any other factors which determine the
grade.
Methods Of Handling Dockage.
Various satisfactory methods of
handling dockage may be employed in
normal times. Where wheat is cleaned
on the farm or at the country elevator
and only the screened wheat Is deliv-
cred to the local buyer there Is less
possibility of difference of opinion re-
garding the grade of wheat delivered.
Such an arrangement tends to estab-
lish greater confidence In the grades
given by the local buyer. When nox-
ious weed seeds are present 1t Is adj
ground before feeding to prevent the
further spread of these weeds on the
farm. In many cases such material
has q relatively high feed value and
often farmers will find it to their ad-
vantage to remove the dockage them
selves or have their local buyers do 1t
for them. The bulletin describes
other methods of handling dockage
and making allowance therefor.
Further information as to the cor
rect method of determining dockage in
wheat may be obtained by writing the
United States department Of agricul-
ture, Washington, or by writing to or
visiting the nearest Office of federal
grain supervision. Such offices are 10
Gated in the large grain markets. A
farmer or country grain dealer may
also mail a sample to the nearest
grain inspector and receive for small
fee an official certificate showing the
grade and dockage on that particular
sample This sample should be two
quarts in size, of which at least 11A
pints is inclosed in clean. alright
container. The remainder, If any, with
the container, should be placed in a
cleanacloth sack. The address of the
nearest licensed grain inspector can be
secured by writing the department or
any supervision office.