BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 419 



Grain-handling experiments. — Supplementino; the investigations 

 on the natural shrinkage of grain in transit and storage, extensive 

 experiments were made to determine the shrinkage resulting from 

 the handling of different grades of grain under commercial condi- 

 tions in large elevators. Good progress has been made with the 

 experiments on the handling and storing of artificially dried corn, 

 extensive tests having been made both at Baltimore and New Or- 

 leans, where the corn was necessarily dried under very different 

 weather conditions. 



Deterioration of corn in storage. — Additional tests have been 

 made to determine the rate and degree of deterioration of various 

 grades of corn under different conditions of storage. It has been 

 shown that excessive moisture is the factor of most importance and 

 that corn containing 19 per cent of moisture is not safe for storage, 

 except during a very limited period in the winter months. Acidity 

 determinations have been made on approximately 5,000 samples of 

 corn, representing all commercial grades and every degree of un- 

 soundness. Chemical analyses show that important changes take 

 place in the composition of corn which has been allowed to become 

 musty, hot, and sour. Indications are that the losses resulting from 

 the deterioration of corn after it is harvested amount to several 

 millions of dollars annually. Arrangements have been made for a 

 series of cooperative tests to determine the relative feeding value 

 of sound and of damaged corn. 



American export grain.— The investigations being carried on for 

 the purpose of improving the quality and condition of American 

 export grain, which is now in bad repute in many European markets, 

 have been continued. The results are very interesting, and some of 

 the more important are about ready for publication. 



Rice standardization. — Investigations relating to the methods of 

 harvesting, marketing, handling, storing, and grading of rice Avere 

 begun during the earh^ part of the year. Cooperation on the part of 

 rice growers, dealers, and millers has enabled much progress to be 

 made. It has been shown that as a result of excessive moisture a 

 very large percentage of our commercial rices undergo marked dete- 

 rioration after they are harvested. 



Dockage. — Investigations relating to " dockage," involving the 

 proportion of weed seeds and other screenings in grain, shov,- that a 

 considerable percentage of our small grains would be entitled to a 

 better grade if more attention were paid to proper cleaning at the 

 time of thrashing. 



Plans for futi're work. — Plans are being made for a continua- 

 tion of tiie Avork along the same general lines now in progress. The 

 results relating to corn, intended to estal)lish standards for the com- 

 mercial grades, may be assembled during the ensuing year. Work 

 with the other grains will be pushed as ra])idly as possible and 

 definite standards established in cooperation with the grain trade as 

 soon as the results of the investigations are sufKcientlj' complete to 

 warrant. 



The opening of the Panama Canal is certain to result in marked 

 changes in the methods of handling grain on the Pacific coait, and 



