MARKETING GRAIN AT COUNTRY POINTS. 9 



advantage of one-half pound or more in the test. In an effort to 

 offset these losses some elevator operators, where the grade of wheat 

 used as a standard calls for a test weight of 59 pounds, purchase the 

 wheat on the basis of a test weight of 60 pounds. 



VARIATION IN GRADE. 



Deductions are nearly always made when the grain delivered is 

 not equal to the grade contracted, but out of 163 elevators from 

 which data on the subject were obtained only 50 paid a premium to 

 the farmer when the grain delivered was of a higher grade than that 

 commonly purchased. At the remaining 113 elevators the farmer 

 with grain of exceptional quality realized nothing additional for it, 

 any premium which the grain should command being either added to 

 the profits of the buyer or used in equalizing excessive prices paid 

 for inferior grain. 



While some attempt at least is made to buy wheat, oats, and 

 other small grains by grade at nearly all points, until recently almost 

 no effort has been made to purchase corn in this manner, the same 

 price being paid for all corn received, regardless of variation in any 

 of the factors contributing to the grade, including color, moisture 

 content, and the percentage of dirt and damaged grains. This 

 method of paying for grain does not offer many inducements to the 

 farmer to handle his grain properly. 



Yield and other factors being equal the farmer should grow 

 corn of the color commanding the best price in his market; of a 

 variety showing a low moisture content when properly cared for; 

 should harvest and store his crop in a manner insuring a low per- 

 centage of moisture and damaged grain ; and should insist, in return, 

 that the dealer pay him for the superior quality of his grain. Sam- 

 ples of corn taken during the fall of 1915 indicated that the dealers 

 were paying the same price for corn ranging anywhere from 19.4 

 to 25.1 per cent of moisture and containing from a trace to 7 per cent 

 of damaged grain. In one instance a dealer in Ohio paid the regular 

 price for a load containing 23.4 per cent moisture and 6.5 per cent 

 damaged grain, mixing it and other similar loads with other corn of 

 the same color. The carload shipments tested from 21 to 22 per cent 

 moisture at a near-by mill, so it is evident that the shipper was ob- 

 taining some corn testing close to 19 per cent. On the day that this 

 load of corn was bought, the elevator manager was paying 50 cents 

 per bushel. He was offered 60 cents on track for corn guaranteed to 

 arrive cool and sweet at New England points, but because of the high 

 percentage of moisture and damaged grain present, it was sold to a 

 near-by mill at 54 cents. It is apparent that if the corn of good qual- 

 ity had been kept separate it might have been sold on the New Eng- 

 land bid without assuming any great risk. The near-by mill, which 

 93179°— Bull. 558—17^ 2 



