MONTANA-GROWN WHEAT. 



21 



MONTANA HARD SPRING WHEAT. 



Montana-grown spring wheat of the common varieties of the Fife 

 and Bluestem groups when received at primary markets is as a rule 

 classified and graded on the same basis as the hard spring wheat 

 grown in the Dakotas and Minnesota; that is, as northern spring 

 wheat. Spring wheat, hke the winter wheat grown within the State 

 of Montana, has a somewhat larger and plumper kernel, but in milling 

 quality and general characteristics it does not seem to differ materi- 

 ally from the general run of the spring wheat of the Dakotas and 

 Minnesota, except that the tendency toward lower baking strength 

 as a corollary to the plumper kernels seems to exist here also. 



The same variations in baking strength of the crops of 1910, 1911, 

 and 1912 are apparent with the spring wheats as were observed with 

 the winter wheats. Drawing conclusions from Tables IV, V, and VI, 

 it appears that the spring wheat of the crops of 1908 to 1910, inclu- 

 sive, was of a quality much superior to that of the two succeeding 

 years, and that the wheat of the 1912 crop^ like that of the northern- 

 grown wheat, was generally low in strength, as shown in figure 4. 

 Complete information in regard to the spring-wheat samples is to be 

 found in Tables IV and V. 



Table V shows some of the characteristics and quafity of each 

 sample and the relationship of these factors to their commercial 

 rating and milling quality. It will be noted that the dry, sound, and 

 plump samples are usually high in milling quality, though no very 

 great range is observed. The classification and grading of these 

 samples were quite uniform. The grade appraised is more nearly 

 dependent upon the external appearance of the samples than upon 

 other factors as would be expected, bleached, sprouted, and "frosted" 

 samples being the only ones grading lower than No. 1 northern. The 

 tendency of throwing into the western red class samples which are 

 not up to the standard is noted in connection with sample No. 1057. 



