22 QUICK METHOD FOR DETERMINING MOISTURE IN GRAIN. 



Table I. — Moisture in corn samples us detenu iiicd hi/ quick method ami in natcr 



oven. 



From the 28 .samples represented in the foregoing table the average 

 moisture obtained, according to the ({uick method, was 17.40 per cent 

 and the average of the determinations made in a water oven was lT.2f» 

 per cent, a difference of 0.14 per cent. This difference is favorable 

 to the quick method, for the percentage of moisture obtained by dry- 

 ing starchy grains in a water oven is slightly below the actual amount 

 of free water in the grain. 



In the majority of cases the whole kernels were likewise used for 

 making the moisture tests in the Avater oven, the drying being con- 

 tinued from ninety-six to one hundred and twenty hours, and in the 

 case of exceptionally hard kernels the drying was prolonged to one 

 hundred and thirty-six hours or more. 



The Avhole kernels were used in order to obviate the loss of water 

 due to grinding, which in case of samples having a high percentage 

 of moisture is considerable. One sample gave 26.01 per cent from the 

 whole kernels and 24.36 per cent from the ground sample; another, 

 35.68 per cent from the whole kernels and 34.75 from the ground 

 sample. The average of 16 samples gave 20.13 per cent for the whole 

 kernels and 20.05 per cent for the ground sample, the moisture con- 

 tent of the different samples varying from 12.71 per cent to 35.68 

 per cent. 



VARIATIONS IN DUPLICATE TESTS. 



The amount of variation in different tests made at the same time 

 from the same lot of corn will depend largely on the uniformity of 

 the samples and on the care of the operator. 



If the corn being analyzed is of inferior quality, containing a 

 number of rotten kernels, or is a mixture of wet and dry corn, it is 

 almost impossible to get samples of 100 grams each which will 



99 



