No. 6. Report of ExpeHments on Wheat in the State of JV. York. 171 



twenty to twenty-five bushels; it frequently 

 exceeds that on strong soils, and in some in- 

 stances has reached thirty, thirt^^-five and 

 forty bushels per acre. In one instance in 

 this town, twelve acres produced 648 bush- 

 els, being fitly-four bushels to the acre ; and 

 the greatest yield ever known in this coun- 

 ty, 68 bushels 43 lbs. per o.cre, was from seed 

 one half White Flint, the other half of Red- 

 Chafl" Bald. 



Its quality. — This variety is held in high 

 estimation wherever it has been introduced. 

 The millers give it the preference over all 

 others. Its white flinty character and heavy 

 berry make it tell in the half bushel — the 

 pure wheat weighing from 6.3 to 67 pounds 

 to the bushel. When cut before fully ripe, 

 it is from one to three pounds heavier per 

 bushel, than when fully ripe. 



The following appeared in the Monroe 

 Democrat, of November 28th, 1843 : 



"superior wheat. 



" Messrs. Strong ^ Dawson : 



"Gentlemen, — We do not recollect no- 

 ticing in any of the newspapers in this sec^ 

 lion of the country, a word about the supe- 

 rior quality of wheat raised last season. 



"We received at our mill, yesterday, a 

 parcel of wheat raised by Moses Smith, of 

 the town of Brighton, which was of so nice 

 a quality that we were induced to weigh it, 

 and found that a sealed bushel weighed 67 

 poundsi It was of the pure white flint spe 

 cies. We have, in a number of cases daring 

 the fall, received parcels which weighed 63, 

 64 and 65 pounds; but the parcel above 

 named, was decidedly the best we have 

 seen. We are well convinced, that in order 

 to secure a plump and heavy berry, there is 

 a particular time to cut wheat, which point 

 is well deserving the attention of wheat- 

 growers. We send you a sample of the 

 wheat, which is well worthy of inspection. 

 "Smith & Allcott. 



"Rochester, Nov. 23rd, 18-13." 



The time of culling. — To be the most 

 valuable for the millers, wheat should be 

 cut as soon as the berry has passed from its 

 milky to its doughy state. W^heat cut then, 

 contains more of the gluten and less starch; 

 if suflfered to stand till the berry becomes 

 hard, the gluten is diminished, and the starch 

 is increased, which reduces the quantity and 

 quality of the flour; but for seed', it should 

 never be cut till fully ripe. Starch is more 

 valuable in its early vegetation than the 

 gluten. One cause of the increase of smut, 

 of late years, is the cutting of wheat intended 

 for seed too green. Wheat cut before it is 

 fully ripe, should not be sown. 



If wheat-growers would adhere strictly 

 to the sowing of no seed that is cut before 

 it is fully ripe, they would find smut disap- 

 pearing without the preparation of brine and 

 lime. The farmer that neglects to brine 

 and lime his seed wheat, does not look to 

 his best interest. Smutty wheat is much 

 improved by not cutting until fully ripe. 



Quantity and quality of Jiour. — The 

 White Flint wheat is the most valuable va- 

 riety that has been introduced into Western 

 New \-ork, for the quantity and quality of 

 its flour. Its soft mellow feel, and its rich- 

 ness, give it the preference over flour made 

 from any other variety. Several of tlie New 

 York papers have noticed the fancy brands 

 in the seasons past. The Journal of Com- 

 merce, of Nov. 3rd, 1843, gives the follow- 

 ing description of fancy brands: 



" Choice Brands. — A few years ago there 

 were several of the Genesee millers, whose 

 flour, running a little above the inspection 

 standard, was termed Fancy Brands, and 

 sold at a York shilling above standard 

 brands; but more recently that distinction 

 has been surpassed by one much wider, and 

 has ceased to be regarded. There are now 

 several mills in the Genesee countrj'-, and 

 in Ohio, which make flour quite above the 

 standard brands. It commands four, and 

 even six shillings, more in the market. 



"This fancy flour is not often quoted in 

 the price current, but is eagerly sought for 

 by those acquainted with it, and ought to be 

 by all Americans who would like to be con- 

 scious that their bread and pastry are rather 

 better than any of the princes of the Old 

 World can command. We have used seve- 

 ral of these fancy brands,, the best of which 

 we see is marked on the head, Hiram Smith, 

 Wheatland, Genesee.. This brand took the 

 first premium at the late fair, and the biscuit 

 made of it testify that the committee made 

 no mistake. The standard brands of Gene- 

 see, Ohio, and Michigan, are all excellent; 

 but these fancies, for domestic use, we must 

 think, surpass them more in quality than in 

 price." 



The New York Tribune of November 

 13th, 1843, in noticing the market, says: — 

 "the first premium of the American Insti- 

 tute has been awarded to the sample of Hi- 

 ram Smith's flour, exhibited at the late fair; 

 and it well deserved it tor its excellence in 

 the two best characteristics of flour — colour 

 and .strength. It is manufactured with great 

 care, in one of the best mills in the country, 

 with a determination that it shall stand as 

 well as the best in the consideration of the 

 buyers of fine flour." Mr. Smith being a 

 practical miller, having one of the best 

 mills in the country, w^ith a new and supe- 



