AMERICAN WHEAT AND CORN. 25 



appearance of the grain was fair and large ; and it was surmised that 

 grain from the whole Pacific slope might possess the same peculiarity. 

 Surprise having been expressed at this statement, it was suggested that 

 an analysis should be made of a selected sample of Oregon wheat, of 

 the crop of 1883. For this purpose a specimen was chosen which the 

 Northern Pacific Kailroad presented to its guests at a dinner in Walla 

 Walla, during the excursion given by the road in the autumn of 1883. 

 The result (serial No. 1854) was a complete confirmation of previous 

 analyses. The percentage of albuminoids found was 7.70, and this de- 

 termination having been confirmed by duplication, the wheat was proved 

 to be the lowest in albuminoids of any that have been examined in this 

 country. Its appearance was fine, but the size of the grain smaller 

 than one usually expects in Oregon wheats. Further on it will be seen 

 that this peculiarity of poverty in albuminoids among Oregon wheats is 

 confirmed by the analysis of a new process flour made in thatState which 

 was found to contain only 7.18 per cent. 



All attempts to obtain typical samples of the crops of 1883 from Cali- 

 fornia having failed it was necessary to fall back upon a series of wheats 

 from that {State in the Museum of this Department, which were of the 

 crops of 1875 and were exhibited at the Exhibition at Philadelphia. 

 While more recent specimens would be more desirable, there can have 

 been no changes in the amount of nitrogenous constituents, the chief 

 alteration of the grain being in the amount of water which it would 

 contain. 



The average derived from the ten analyses follows : 



Average composition of California wheat from San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and El Paso 



Conn ties. 



Wheat of 100 grains grams. . 3. 8924 



Water percent.. 10.73 



Ash do 1. 86 



Undetermined . do 76. 47 



Albuminoids.. ...do... 10.94 



Total.. 100.00 



Nitrogen per cent.. 1.75 



This average is not as low as that for Oregon, but is far below (1 per 

 cent.) the average of the country. It represents but a limited portion 

 of the State, and while it points to the correctness of the assumption of 

 the poverty of the wheats of the Pacific slope in albuminoids it does 

 not render it positive, as several of the specimens contain over 12 per 

 cent. 



In the report of the Census for 1880, Professor Brewer, in his collec- 

 tion of analyses of cereals, gives four of California wheat, two of which, 

 described as hard, are the celebrated Macaroni wheats and contain 



