Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-08-23
SHOULD MAKE MOISTURE TEST
BEFORE COMBINING WHEAT

than IA per cent moisture before going
into the field with the combine.
The bulletin states further: NO one
can tell the moisture content of wheat
without having it tested. Samples must
be taken from the field as a guide to sue
cessful combining. A part of the sample
so obtained may be sent to the laboratory
kept in air-tight containers from the
moment thev are collected"
To secure accurate samples tor a mois-
ture test it is necessary to walk through
the field along each of the diagonals and
across the ends. pulling up plants every
10 or 90 steps and collecting all of the
heads from these plants. The heads may
be threshed in the combine or small. in
expensive samnle threshers may be used
for this purpose. Directions for making
the sample threshers may be obtained
from the Montana grain inspection lab
oratory at Bozeman. Hand threshing is
not satisfactory because much Of the I'M
ripened grain which contains much mois-
ture will remain in the heads and the
resultant test will be inaccurate.
After the sample has been threshed it
must be carefully mixed by rolling in a
blanket or other cloth. When thoroughly
mixed a portion OF the threshed grain
should be put in an alright container
for testing.
If the heads cannot be threshed imme-
diately after they have been collected
they must be placed in a milk Ear or
other large alright container. The
threshed sample to be used for testing
must be placed in an air-tight glass lar
or in q screw-top or ~friction-top tin can.
Cardboard containers are to be avoided
as they permit the loss of moisture. Glass
containers cannot be shipped through the
rpoi1c Tho tin containers NAV he mailed
when placed in q small cloth sack.
The moisture test is quite simple and
may be made by the farmer. by elevator
operators or county agricultural agents.
Apparatus for making the test may be
purchased at q low cost and county
agricultural agents. Apparatus for maxi
ing the test may be purchased at low
cost and county agents can give infor-
nation as to where such testers may be
purchased. At the outset the operator OF
a moisture tester should check his results
with those obtained by a reliable labora-
tory.
The bulletin points out that part OF
the sample used for the moisture test
also may be sent to a laboratory for a
protein test. The pre-harvest protein
| test will not serve as a basis for the sale
of the wheat but it will give a fairly
accurate indication OF the protein con-
tent of the wheat from different fields
and parts Of the same fields, thus giving
the farmer an idea of VIA to expect
when the wheat is harvested and sold.
Since it is usually to the farmer's adj
vantage to keep wheat Of high and low
protein content separate, the pre-harvest
protein test is Of real value to the pro-
Queer.
Grade as well as protein content Of
wheat is a determining factor in the
price paid" says the bulletin. There
fore. producers are advised TO obtain
grade determination on their threshed
wheat at the same time that the pro-
tein test is made. Grade. moisture and
protein tests can be made from the same
sample II two quarts are sent to the
laboratory. AT least one pint of the
sample should be in an alright con-
tainer for the moisture and protein tests.
Tests for grade, and moisture and pro-
I tein content are made at the three state
laboratories located at Bozeman, Great
Falls and HarloWton."