56 AMERICAN WHEAT AND CORN. 



The coarser products absorbed less moisture than the finer, at least 

 where there was a marked change, and among the fine material there 

 was less difference than might be expected. The germ after more than* 

 two months' exposure seemed to have accumulated more water than 

 any other, but a rather dry atmosphere, with the thermometer at 73 F. 

 on the 27th of June, brought the whole series below their original de- 

 gree of moisture. A fresh portion of the germ exposed for a few day& 

 for comparison with that which had been weighed out longer, rapidly 

 reached a point even in excess of the latter, it being fresher and not 

 caked so much together. The gains and losses were as follows : 



No. 2072. 



May 24, 1.30 p. m 102. 8$ 



May 24, 2.30 p. m 103. 1 



May 26, 10 a. m 103.93 



May 28, 10 a. m 104.83 



May 29, 10 a. m 99.28 



June 5, 10 a. m 100. 83- 



June 9, 10 a. m 106.13 



June 10, 10 a. m 107.69- 



and then left in the balance case with a dish of sulphuric acid for forty- 

 eight hours : 



June 12 104. OS 



and over chloride of Calcium in a desiccator forty-eight hours : 



June 14 96. 3$ 



or nearly dry. 



The results are instructive, and show how susceptible all portions of 

 the wheat grain, in whatever state of comminution, are to hygroscopic 

 conditions, and it will be noticed, as was found by Brewer, that in sum- 

 mer the amount of moisture held by grain is larger than in winter. 



FLOUES. 



The analyses of flours given in a previous bulletin having proved un- 

 satisfactory to the millers of the Northwest, they furnished the Depart- 

 ment with a series of selected samples of the best Minnesota and Da- 

 kota "patents." These, together with an Ohio, and a District of Co- 

 lumbia u patent flour," obtained directly from the millers, have been an- 

 alyzed. 



