138 PHYSIOLOGY AND NATIONAL NEEDS 



in the country of origin would be the regulation of 

 shipments thereby rendered possible — there would 

 be no need for a rush to get the grain away as soon 

 as possible after it was harvested. 



If it should be decided to store large reserves of 

 wheat in case of war, the air-tight method certainly 

 seems to be indicated — both historically and scien- 

 tifically — as the safest and probably the most 

 economical in the long run — for there can be 

 little doubt that if this method was properly 

 carried out the wheat could be kept for many 

 years with a minimum of inspection and 

 attention. 



I have, however, heard it suggested that the 

 proper policy for this country is to encourage the 

 farmers to grow more wheat, and thus render our- 

 selves more or less independent of overseas supplies 

 and large reserves. It may be so, but there is 

 always the risk of failure of the harvest, as well as 

 of shortage of labour, due to war or other causes, and 

 a sufficient reserve at any rate to equalise supplies 

 would seem to be only a reasonable precaution. 

 That, however, is hardly our business. All we can 

 claim is to have demonstrated the value of air-tight 

 storage as a means of preventing most if not all of 

 the damage to which stored grain is at present liable. 



Experiments similar to ours ought, of course, 

 to be carried out on a much larger scale than is 

 possible in a university laboratory. I have no 



