2 BULLETIN 412, U^ S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



meet the two important requirements of high yield per acre and a 

 high commercial grade when the grain gets into commerce. 



In order to indicate the comparative values of different lots of 

 grain, the grain-inspection departments of various States and grain 

 exchanges have promulgated and adopted grain grades and rules in 

 which the test weight is one of the principal factors. 



When grain is sold by grade, as most of that which gets into com- 

 merce is at one time or another before it is finally consumed, the 

 price is almost invariably found to be parallel with the grade; that 

 is, the highest grades command the highest prices, while the lowest 

 grades command the lowest prices. 



In these grades a minimum test weight per bushel is usually speci- 

 fied for at least the higher grades of wheat, oats, barley, rye, flaxseed, 

 and buckwheat. 



These conditions illustrate the importance of the weight per 

 bushel test for grain. Mere haphazard testing, however, is of little 

 use and only leads to confusion and disputes among the interested 

 parties. It is needless to state to one familiar with grain testing that 

 in order to obtain uniform results the tests must be made in a uni- 

 form manner. It is surprising how a slight variation in the method 

 will cause a difference in the result, yet we find that there are many 

 methods in everyday use, when the country as a whole is considered. 



VARIATION IN METHODS OF MAKING THE TEST WEIGHT PER 



BUSHEL OF GRAIN. 



Some of the more common methods of testing the weight per bushel 

 are pulling the kettle through the grain until it is full; sinking the 

 kettle part way into the grain and filling it by pulling the grain over 

 the edge by hand, sometimes filling it by a few handfuls and some- 

 times by several small handfuls ; filling the kettle from a bag, pan, or 

 funnel, the bag, pan, or funnel in some cases being held at a height 

 almost even with the top of the test kettle and at other times raised 

 to a height of 10 or 12 inches above the kettle; pouring the grain 

 into the test kettle, sometimes in a thin, small stream, and at other 

 times, in a large, heavy stream; and striking the excess grain off 

 from the kettle with the scalebeam, a sawed-off piece of broomstick, 

 a pencil, or other implement, and occasional^ tapping or jarring the 

 kettle before the surplus is struck off or pressing the grain into the 

 kettle before it is struck off. Each of the methods described will give 

 a result all its own. If a given lot of grain were to be tested accord- 

 ing to each of the methods mentioned, some of the results would no 

 doubt be similar, if not exactly alike, while others would vary con- 

 siderably. With such grains as oats, barley, and rough rice, it is a 

 very simple matter to obtain results which vary as much as H- pounds 



