MONTANA-GROWN WHEAT. 7 
It is possible that still another definition of a good milling wheat 
might be offered by a miller producing semolina for the manufacture 
of macaroni and other edible pastes. He desires a wheat which will 
produce a hard granular semolina contaiing a high percentage of 
gluten or gluten proteids, which are responsible for the peculiar quali- 
ties necessary in the manufacture of such products. He also desires 
a rich creamy or yellow product. Durum wheat offers a combina- 
tion of qualities that make it especially desirable for such purposes. 
COLOR OF FLOUR AND BREAD. 
The importance attached to color of flour is dependent upon the 
natural demand of the consumer of white bread. The factors of 
color and flour yield bear a direct relationship to each other, the 
former being im a sense a limiting factor of the.second. Were it 
not for the sacrifice of color, wheat could be ground much closer and 
the flour yield considerably increased without the flour suffering a 
marked deterioration of other qualities. In a study of the tables 
that follow, the color score of the bread and the flour yield or per- 
centage of flour should be considered together. 
WATER ABSORPTION. 
The importance of the water absorption of a unit quantity. of 
flour and its direct relationship to yield of bread have been discussed 
in the consideration of milling quality. It suffices to say that this 
factor is of considerable commercial importance. It is generally 
highest in the more glutinous flours and lowest in the soft, starchy 
types. In the followmg tables water absorption is expressed as the 
percentage of water used. A brief statement will explain the mean- 
ing of this term. In the baking tests 340 grams of flour are used in 
each loaf. If, in mixing, the equivalent of 170 grams of water were 
used, the absorption would be expressed as 50 per cent. 
LOAF VOLUME AND TEXTURE. 
In the baking tests which are reported herein, 340 grams of flour 
were used in each instance and the measured volume of the resultant 
loaf is expressed in cubic centimeters. Loaf volume, more than any 
other one factor, is considered indicative of strength in flour, but 
it should always be considered in connection with the texture score, 
which is based upon the size and number of air cells and the char- 
acter of the cell walls. 
HARD WINTER WHEAT. 
As has been said, the wheat most extensively grown in Montana 
is hard winter wheat of the type known as Turkey. Although the 
production of spring wheat of the harder varieties has increased 
very rapidly during the past few years, the production of winter 
