388 



FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



this reason is in many of the markets being replaced by 

 " office inspection." In office inspection samples of grain 

 to be inspected are collected from the cars, boats, or ware- 

 houses and taken to the office, where a corps of inspectors, 

 working under uniform conditions, determine the grade. 

 In this system of inspection, the collectors are divided 

 into groups, the number of the collectors in each group 



FIG. 133. Inspecting grain in the room of the Illinois State Grain In- 

 spection Department at Chicago. 



being in proportion to the grain received by the railroad 

 or dock to which they are assigned. Each group is usually 

 placed in charge of a chief sampler, who is held responsible 

 for the performance of the men in his charge. Usually 

 two-quart samples are taken from several parts of the car ; 

 the sample is then bagged and together with the name of 

 the railroad, the number of the car and the person to 

 whom it is consigned, it is sent to the office for inspection. 

 If the car is " plugged," that is, contains grain of inferior 

 quality in the bottom or in one end of the car and which 



