GARLICKY WHEAT. 



29 



however, is not fit for milling until it has absorbed water from the 

 atmosphere, or has been mixed with damp grain, or steamed, in order 

 to toughen the bran. If the milling is attempted while the wheat 

 is exceptionally dr}^, the bran will be easily broken, resulting in the 

 production of coarse, dark flour. 



THE EFFECT OF THE DRYING ON THE VITALITY OF THE WHEAT. 



The objection has frequently been made that the high temperature 

 ordinarily used in the commercial drying of grain will destroy the 

 germinating power. In the majority of cases the vitality of the grain 

 after drying is of little importance, as such grain is seldom used for 

 sowing or planting. The foregoing objections, however, are not well 

 established, as the vitality of grain is not injured by drying in com- 

 mercial grain driers at the temperatures commonly employed. 



The grounds for the belief that temperatures as high as 140° to 175° 

 F. for periods of short duration will destroy the vitality of grains are 

 based on laboratory tests in which no provision was made for thp. cir- 

 culation of air. Under such conditions the life-giving principles are 

 readily destroyed, especially when considerable moisture is present. 

 But when the drying is done in such a way that the moisture liborated 

 will be readily carried away, as in commercial grain driers, there is 

 little danger of destroying the vitality of the grains, even though the 

 duration of drying be several times greater than that given for the 

 foregoing experiments. 



The following table shows the effect of the drying on the germinat- 

 ing capacity of the samples of garlicky wheat from lots B and C, 

 already discussed: 



Percentages of germination of wheat from lots B and C before and after drying. 



Sample mark. 



Original sample... 

 Experiment No. 3 . 

 Experiment No. 4. 

 Experiment No. 5. 

 Original sample. . . 

 Experiment No. 6. 

 Experiment No. 7. 



Dura- 

 tion of 

 drying. 



Hours. 



Tempera- 

 ture of air 

 current in 

 drying. 



Maximum j .yater 1 

 tempera- content ^^^^"i" 



ture of o^wheTt I °a^-°^- 



wheat, i °^ wneat.l 



Degrees F. Degrees F. I Per cent. Per cent. 



153-158 

 153-158 

 155-108 



1.55 

 145 

 138 



1 13-154 

 146-122 



149 

 131 



15.08 

 7.92 

 6.88 

 8.48 



16.20 

 8.20 

 8.83 



80 

 83.5 

 85 

 79.5 



82 

 83 



85 



With but a single exception the percentages of germination were 

 higher after the drying than before, and such is generally true. In 

 all cases the germination was low, due to the damaged condition of the 

 grain when received. 



While the tests made are few in number, the results given in the 

 foregoing table are sufficient to show that a good quality of garlicky 

 wheat can be dried and afterwards cleaned and used for sowing with 

 entirely satisfactory results. The garlic bulblets, as found in wheat, 



100— III 



