66 



Baking Qualities of Flour. 





Irrigated. 



Non-irrigated. 





Per cent. 



Per cent. 



May 14, 1908 ... ... 



16-56 



I5-6l 



July 15, 1908 • ... 



878 



8-u 



August 17, 1908 



IO-37 



6-38 



From the beginning of the season until the middle of July, 

 during which time there had been no irrigation, the soils on both 

 plots were very similar in water content, the figures showing a 

 steady decline. Subsequent to that date the percentage of water 

 continued to fall off in the non-irrigated plot, while in the adjacent 

 irrigated area, as might be expected, it increased. 



In these results we again have satisfactory evidence that the 

 composition of wheat is markedly influenced by the amount of soil 

 moisture present during the development' of the kernel. 



To sum up, climatic conditions influence the quality of the 

 wheat through the vegetative processes by shortening or lengthen- 

 ing the time which elapses between the formation of the kernel 

 and its maturity — the shorter the period, the higher the protein 

 content within certain limits. High temperatures, long days, and 

 absence of excessive moisture during the later weeks of develop- 

 ment, we have evidence, hasten the maturation of the grain and 

 increase its percentage of gluten. These are the conditions that 

 prevail in the North-Western wheat areas in those seasons which 

 give the largest proportion of first-quality wheat, and we may 

 therefore argue that in them we have an asset fully equal in 

 importance towards the production of the finest grain to that 

 which we possess in our fertile prairie soils. 



XI. 



A COMPARISON OF THE BAKING QUALITIES OF THE FLOUR 

 FROM SOME OF THE GRADES OF WHEAT PRODUCED IN THE 

 WESTERN PROVINCES OF CANADA. 



By Professor R. HARCOURT. 



The object of the investigation was to learn something about 

 the relative bread-making value of leading grades of wheat 

 now produced in Canada. The work included a study of three 

 grades of spring wheat, i.e., Nos. I., II., and III. Northern, and 

 of the most important grades of winter wheat grown in Alberta — 

 Nos. I., II., and III. Alberta Red and Nos. I., II., and III. White 

 winter wheat. The spring wheat is the most important, as it 

 forms a very large proportion of the wheat exported, whilst only 

 a comparatively small amount of the Alberta Red and very little 



