VOLUME-WEIGHT 633 



paring the value of samples of seeds and especially those of the 

 cereals.. It was, no doubt, originally employed to determine 

 relative usefulness so far as grinding for production of meal is 

 concerned, and for this it is with certain restrictions adapted, 

 if the comparison is confined to samples of the same variety of 

 grain. It is obvious that the heavier the bushel-weight the more 

 substance there is present in a bushel of it than in that of a 

 lighter sample, and it would consequently give more whole-meal 

 when ground. Where the amount or the mass of the substance 

 of a seed is of importance, apart from its quahty, bushel- 

 weight is of use in comparing the value of different samples. 

 If, however, two different kinds of grain are compared by 

 this plan, say a coarse red wheat vmth a fine white one, the 

 respective bushel-weights of the samples would not necessarily 

 indicate their comparative value, as a heavy red sample might 

 not be so valuable as a lighter white one, on account of the 

 quality of the contents of the grain not being the same in 

 both cases for the miller and baker. Besides, considerations 

 would arise in respect of variations in the proportion of bran 

 to flour yielded by each of them, which would make the com- 

 parisons of different varieties of grain by this method still more 

 untrustworthy. For the estimation of the relative value or 

 quality of samples of seeds for use in the raising of crops, the 

 volume-weight is in itself of little value. It is generally assumed 

 that the heavier the bushel-weight of a seed, the better it is for 

 all purposes, but this is not absolutely so. 



Volume-weight or weight per bushel depends on a number 

 of different pecuharities of seeds, the chief of them being the 

 following : — 



(i) The kind of seed ; peas, for example, differ from turnip 

 seed J (ii) the nature and specific gravity of the materials 

 composing them. 



The relative proportions and amounts of starch, fat, cellu- 

 lose, and other substances in the seeds have the greatest in- 



