248 CHAPTER XIV 



The fact must not be overlooked, however, that the seed 

 of some varieties is not as plump as others, and allowances 

 must be made when judging such varieties. In the durum and 

 Polish wheats the kernels are angular. 



(3) Freedom from Foreign Seeds, Dirt, and Broken 

 Seeds. — The presence of weed seeds, dirt, and broken seeds 

 naturally detracts from the value of the sample. In the Union 

 the weed seeds most commonly found in wheat are : Dra- 

 bok or Darnel (Lolium temulentum) , Chess or Cheat (Bromus 

 secalinus), Stinkblaar {Datura stramonium and taiula), Wild 

 Oats {Avena Fatua), and Vetches (Vicia spp.). 



(4) Weight per Bushel. — Good wheat should weigh 60 lbs. 

 Wheat containing a high percentage of moisture gives a low 

 weight per bushel, and is undesirable. 



(5) Purity of Variety. — Seeds of other varieties are indi- 

 cated by differences in colour, sometimes by translucency and, 

 of course, by size and shape. 



(6) Hardness of Grain. — As a class the hard wheats com- 

 mand higher prices than the soft wheats, and moreover the 

 quality of bread made from the former is considered more 

 desirable. Hardness seems to be directly correlated with 

 gluten content, as will be seen from the following results 

 obtained at the Ontario Agricultural College : — 



Pei'centage Weight per 

 Variety. 



Crimean Red 



Banatha 



Buda Pesth 



Genesee Eeliable ... 

 Dawson's G. Chaff . 



Prosperity 



Abundance 



The hardness was obtained by finding the breaking-point 

 of kernels in a specially-contrived apparatus. It can be rela- 

 tively ascertained, after a little experience, with a fair degree 

 of accuracy, simply by chewing a few grains. The more trans- 

 lucent the kernels, moreover, the harder the grains. 



Seed Treatment. — Seed should always be treated for the 

 prevention of " Stinking Smut." A formalin mixture, one 

 pint to 40 gallons is usually employed. The grain should be 

 placed in a heap on a canvas or the floor, sprinkled with the 

 solution then shovelled until thoroughlv wet. It should then 



