GRAIN CONSERVATION 117 



from this cause is about 2 J per cent." This may 

 be an underestimate, for in the United States of 

 America, with their cooler climate, the damage to 

 the cereal crops while in storage has been estimated 

 at 5 per cent. In any case it is serious enough, 

 and must probably amount to many millions 

 of pounds sterling per annum throughout the 

 world. 



We come next to our third category of danger 

 to which stored grain is liable, viz. the action of 

 moulds and bacteria. Under normal conditions and 

 with reasonable care in keeping the wheat dry, how- 

 ever, there appears to be little to be feared from 

 this cause, and in any case I have no data to put 

 before you. I mention it merely because I shall 

 be able to show later on that it may be avoided by 

 the same means as those to be recommended in 

 the case of more serious dangers. 



It remains to speak of the danger that arises 

 from heating, which appears to be a more serious 

 matter in the eyes of the grain trade even than the 

 weevilling problem. It is a danger which arises 

 when large quantities of grain are stored with too 

 high a percentage of moisture, and it is of course 

 by no means confined to wheat. It is therefore 

 necessary to take the temperature of stored grain 

 at frequent intervals and to turn over the heap as 

 soon as it becomes dangerously warm. 



A very valuable paper on the subject has recently 



