UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
=, BULLETIN No. 472 
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry 
WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief 
\ Sis 
A =i N= 
NC wae 
Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER October 30, 1916 
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE TEST 
WEIGHT OF GRAIN, WITH A STANDARD METHOD OF 
MAKING THE TEST. 
By E. G. Boerner, Assistant in Grain Standardization. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. | j Page 
MaGROdU Gh Ome sss ee ea Se 1 | Description of the device......-.. cS ee EM kee 9 
Variation in methods of making the test Operating the:testers: 222 = a2 a eee 14 
weight per bushel of grain..............--. 2 | Standard method of making the test........ 15 
Proper method of filling the test kettle...... 5 
INTRODUCTION. 
The improved testing apparatus for obtaining the weight per 
bushel described in this bulletin was designed to reduce to a mini- 
mum the personal error in making the test and to standardize the 
method of determining the test weight of grain. 
The importance of “ weight per bushel ” is well known to the grain 
trade. It is a recognized fact that, other things being equal, the 
heavier a sample of grain, the better it is; and consequently we find 
grain dealers, grain judges, and grain inspectors referring to and 
relying on this test almost more than on any other. The grain deal- 
ers know that a heavy, plump sample has the highest commercial 
value or will change hands most readily at a given price, and the 
miller knows that the heavy sample will produce the most flour. 
Judges at shows and competitions, especially when the competition 
is close, often select the best samples from among the competing lots 
of grain and then award the prizes according to the weight per 
bushel. 
Investigators endeavor, by comparing different varieties of grain 
tested during a series of years, to determine which varieties in a 
given district produce on the whole the heaviest grain, in order to 
62225°—Bull. 472—16 
