n8 FARM AND SCHOOL PROBLEMS. 



The Moisture Test. 



The Brown-Duvel moisture test is made as follows : 

 A quantity of 100 grams of shelled corn is placed in a glass 

 distillation flask and covered with heavy cylinder oil. The flask 

 is stoppered and connected to a conductor; a flame is placed 

 under the flask and the oil is heated to 190 degrees Centigrade. 

 The high temperature drives off the water in the form of steam, 

 which is condensed and collected in a graduated tube in which 

 i cubic centimeter corresponds to I per cent moisture in the 100 

 grams of shelled corn. 



The time required to make this test is 30 minutes. 



PROBLEMS. 



1. Cribs of corn have been tested showing a moisture test as high 

 as 25 per cent; when 12 per cent corn is selling for the present market 

 price, what should be the price of corn that tests 25 per cent moisture? 



2. What would be gained by buying corn that tested 9 per cent for 

 the same price commanded by 14 per cent corn? 



3. A grain dealer buys two cribs of corn, each containing 1,000 

 bushels of corn; the moisture test shows that one crib is 15 per cent 

 moisture, and that the other crib is 20 per cent moisture; what should be 

 the difference in price if 12 per cent corn is selling for 50c per bushel? 



44. A farmer wishes to buy 2,000 bushels of corn for feeding stock; 

 at the elevator he can get the corn that tests 12 per cent moisture at three 

 cents above market price ; and he can purchase the same number of 

 bushels with a moisture test of 18 per cent at 3 per cent below market 

 price; the difference in the cost of hauling is 2 cents greater per bushel 

 from the elevator, which is the better bargain? 



5. The Kansas State Board of Agriculture gives an account of an 

 experiment made to determine the loss of weight in corn by drying in 

 cribs. The quantity put in footed exactly 16,155 bushels of 70 Ibs., each; 

 this corn was cribbed from Oct. 22 to Dec. 17 ; it was weighed and sold 

 June 1, and the total weight of the corn when taken out was 14,896 

 bushels; what was the shrinkage in bushels? What was the loss in weight 

 per cent? 



The loss in shrinkage is not due to loss of water alone, for it 

 has been pointed out that there is a decrease in the weight of dry 

 matter, probably due to oxidation. 



