Morris tribune., 1921-07-08
MINNESOTA WHEATS IN FRONT
RANK FOR MILLING AND
BAKING

Minnesota wheats and wheat dours
occupy an enviable position in the
markets of the world Climate, good
varieties of wheat, and a fOurishing
milling industry combine to Justify
the we'll earned reputation which the
state enjoys il this regard. Every
producer of wheat in the northwest
ern wheat belt profits by this repu-
tatiOn and should have an intesest in
maintaining it.
Investigations conducted at Uni
Versity Farm, supported by reports
of the U. S. Department of Agricul-
ture, established the superior baking
qualities of northern grown spring
wheat flour. While the color of this
-four may be a shade creamier than
some of the southern soft winter
wheat fiours, it averages as high in
| this regard as any of the wheat
! classes and is superior to most of
them. In baking strength, or ability
to produce Well-risen loaf of good
texture, it again heads the list. These
are the chief considerations which
|
utatiOn of such flours.
There is, however, considerable va
ration in the quality of individual
lots of wheat. The miller, since he
sells his products to a discriminating
patronage, must give attention to
several items in selecting and pur
chasing wheat for wheat -four pro-
iO11 @f I0
obtain in milling is the first item to
be considered. Experiments indicate
that there may easily be 10 per cent
difference in the yield of -four from
shriveled and plump wheat. Mois-
ture content of the wheat also af-
fects the manner in which it grinds,
! and the losses encountered in milling.
Damp, tough" wheat does not mill
properly, and losses by evaporation
may be experienced in grinding.
Quality of flour which the wheat
will yield also affects it value to the
miller. Hard, vitreous, dark colored
kernels are more glutenOus, and yield
a stronger -four than soft, starchy,
yellOW-berry kernels. If the kernels
are damaged or unsOund, as the re-
suits of heating in bins, sprouting,
or frost, their quality for flour max
ing is impaired. Certain impurities
which are difficult of separation are
undesirable, although new and clever
cleaning machinery is being produced
for the separation of many such i'm
purities. The miller would prefer,
however, and can afford to pay high
er prices for clean wheat, free from
such impurities.
Marquis wheat seems to stand out
as the most satisfactory milling
wheat that is now produced in guam
tity in the spring wheat district.
Bluestem and Preston (sometimes
referred to as "Velvet Chaff'') follow
in rank in the order named. Hump
back or Bearded Bluestem is out
standingly inferior from the baking
standpoint. Winter wheat grown
in Minnesota are not equal, on the
average, to the spring sown wheats
so far as baking qualities are con-
cerned. While they may possess ad-
vantages from the standpoint Of
yield of grain per acre, they will
prove less attractive to the miller,
no doubt, because of the somewhat
inferior baking qualities of the -four
which can be produced from them.
which can be produced form them.
Milling and baking tests occupy an
important place in the selection and
breeding of wheat varieties. Each
variety which gives promises of value
from the agronomic standpoint is
subjected to such tests and approved
before it is recommended for quantity
production.-C. H. Bailey, division
of agricultural biochemistry, Univer-
sity Farm, st. Paul.