Buckwheat. 



2/5 



unfair to Silver Hull, as apparently the east end of the field was less 

 productive than the west end where the Japanese was grown, though there 

 was nothing to indicate this in the appearance of the soil. 



Comparative tests of the Japanese and Silver Hull varieties have 

 been included in the cooperative experiments conducted among the farmers 

 in various parts of the State. Table No. 3 gives the results secured in a 

 number of these tests : 



Table No. 3. — Yields of Japanese and Siluer Hull Buckwheat in Co- 

 operative Experiments 



EXPERIMENTS. 



Spencer Hatch 



G. H. Chace (frosted). 

 N. J. Hitchcock 



C. H. Libby 



Wm. F. Roe 



Geo. H. Townsend.. . . 



Herbert Green 



H. E. Bunnell 



W. L. McConnell 



T. C. Squires 



R. v. A. Hughes 



D. B. Boomhowei-. . . . 



W. V. Clerrions 



G. R. Schauber 



Average. 



County. 



Washington. . 

 Chautauqua. 



Madison 



Chautauqua. 



Tioga 



Albany 



Dutchess. . . . 



Tioga 



Schuyler 



Jefferson .... 

 Chautauqua.. 



Albany 



St. Lawrence. 

 Saratoga .... 



21.29 



20.05 



Formerly the flouring qualities of the Japanese variety were pro- 

 nounced by many millers to be inferior to the other sorts and not in- 

 frequently the price of Japanese buckwheat was five or ten cents per 

 bushel less than the others. In some localities this condition still prevails ; 

 in others the reverse is true. In parts of Seneca county, N. Y., in recent 

 seasons the millers have offered a bonus of five cents per bushel for the 

 Japanese variety. Whether this change in the estimate of the variety is 

 due to improvement in the quality of the grain due to acclimatization, or 

 to better adaptation of the milling methods to the variety has not been 

 ascertained. 



Cousuiuption. — Formerly a considerable part of the buckwheat was 

 used for animal food, only enough flour being manufactured to meet the 

 requirements of the rural districts during the winter season. Of late the 

 demand for the flour in the cities has been such that most of the grain 

 is ground for flour and less of the flour is consumed in the rural districts. 



Buckwheat flour is whiter than that made from wheat and has a 

 peculiar mealy feel to the hand that enables one readily to distinguish it 

 from wheat flour. The first flour on the market after harvest brings a 

 high price, but the price rapidly declines as the supply increases. The 

 grain must be well dried and the grinding performed in cool, dry weather 

 to secure best results in milling. The yield of flour per bushel of buck- 



