164 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



acidity of the flours, and baking tests made immediately after grinding and after 

 storing the flour for ten weeks. Data regarding tests of the baking quality and 

 grade of some of the samples which were sent to the Columbus Laboratories of Chi- 

 cago for examination are also reported. 



In the author's opinion it is evident that there is not much difference in the real 

 value of the different grades of wheat tested. No regular variation was noted in the 

 quantity of total proteids and gluten or in the quality of the gluten of the highest 

 and lowest grades. All the samples gave fairly satisfactory bread as judged by 

 quality and yield. In the majority of cases the yield of bread was practically the 

 same. As regards the amount of bread obtained from new and stored flour, the 

 agreement was fairly close except with two samples. The flours were all straight 

 grade and the gluten content and consequently the loaf volume was small. 



"It must be remembered that . . . [the results were] obtained from a very few 

 samples of wheat. The nature of the soil, the number of crops grown in it since 

 'breaking,' the weather at the time of ripening, etc., all have an influence on 

 the quality of the wheat. Therefore, these results, while accurate for the samples 

 submitted, should not be given too much importance until they are confirmed by 

 further work." 



Three varieties of wheats received from the Northwest Territory government were 

 also examined. They were found to contain "a fairly high percentage of proteids, 

 fully as high as the samples of the various grades previously mentioned. They also 

 contain as much alcohol soluble proteids, or gliadin, as the wheats referred to, and, 

 so far as can be judged from these results, ought to be equal to them for flour 

 purposes." 



In a study of the quality of flour from wheats grown in Manitoba in the North- 

 west Territories in 1904, it was found that the gliadin content was uniformly low. 



"The effect of low gliadin content would be that the gluten would be weak, the 

 acids developed during fermentation would more quickly dissolve or ' rot ' the tena- 

 cious part of the gluten and allow the gases to escape. As a result the bread would 

 be heavy. Just what causes this low gliadin content in the wheat is not known. It 

 apparently is not caused by the soil, for these variations in strength come from year 

 to year in wheat grown on the same soils. It is more likely due to weather condi- 

 tions at the time the nitrogenous substances are being transferred from stem to seed, 

 or during the ripening process." 



In connection with the studies of flour, determinations have been made of the 

 acidity of a large number of samples, with a view to learning the limits of acidity and 

 devising a method for judging of the soundness of flour by the amount of acid 

 present. Definite conclusions were not drawn. According to the author, "The 

 better grades of flour show a very small acid content, but the amount increases with 

 the lower grades. Flours which have taken up an undue amount of moisture, or 

 which have been made from damp wheat, also show high acid content," 



Inspection of foreign food products, H. W. Wiley ( U. S. Dept. Agr. Year- 

 book, 1904, }>}>■ l- r >l-160). — The scope of the law regarding the inspection of imported 

 food products, the extent of the work, and some of the results obtained and related 

 topics are spoken of. It is pointed out that under the law the inspection work 

 includes foods, drugs, beverages, condiments, and the ingredients of such articles. 



An idea of the extent of the work and the character of the goods imported may be 

 gathered from the fact that of 1,880 samples of wine, meat, olive oil, and miscellaneous 

 products, 223 were found to be contrary to the law, while the remaining 1,657 were 

 found to comply with the law. In the author's opinion the inspection of imported 

 food products, although it has been in force less than two years, has already given 

 beneficial results. 



" It is gratifying also to know that the exporters in foreign countries, as a rule, have 

 been eager to learn of the exact character of the requirements of the law, and in many 



