Pullman herald. [volume], May 20, 1910, Image 5

About Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989

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pclMiHing Quality of Washington Wheats
It, It W. THATCHER, Chemist
!The department of chemistry of this Station has in progress a five
np ■_ study of the chemical composition and milling quality of Washington
*_.*■ The results of this series of analytical and milling tests are
■ Tied to serve a three-fold purpose. First, they should give an acurate
.•ledge of the comparative value of the different varieties of wheat
Mrh are generally grown for flour making purposes and as such should
p as a guide to growers and millers in their choice of varieties, and
a basis for systematic grading of grain with reference to its use for
mine purposes. In the second place, these results are expected to show
k- nature an 1 degree of variations in quality of the same variety when
Ln under different conditions in different parts of the state. Attemps
rl' being made to discover or determine the causes for observed
'nations, but whether these are successful or not, a knowldge of
R „r character and their general field relationships will serve as a guide for
hp adaptation of varieties to any given section and as a basis for selection
J seed for breeding strains of Improved quality. Finally, it is hoped
hat these Investigations' will afford a sufficient basis for a thorough
ti.iiv of the relation between the chemical composition of wheat and
hp baking or bread-making quality of the flour made from it. Careful
Mention Is being Riven to the variations in the bread-making quality
5 the different flours which are milled, with special reference to the
mount and quality of gluten prison' and the Influences which appear to
ause changes in this, and to variations In the action of yeast upon the
liferent flours. ; • - -^.
In such a study, ii would be impossible to draw conclusions from the
•cults of a single season's work, The Influence of unusual climatic con
litions such as hot winds, or insufficient rainfall on the one hand or of
'.usually moist cool harvest weather on th. other, might easily make one
...ason's crop quite unlike the average crop in composition. Or some
musual local condition might give to the wheat of that locality some
...vantage or disadvantage over that of oilier sections in some one season
n-lii'ch it might not possess in other seasons. For this reason the study
must extend over several successive seasons, and it would not be fair to
draw Anal conclusions before the full five years work is completed
However, the results of the different season's work are of Interest as
throwing much light upon the general problems involved, and are pre
sented as reports of progress of the general study.
The results of the first year's work on this investigation, covering
the samples representing the crop of 1905 were published in detail in
General Bulletin No. 84 and a brief summary of them in Popular Bulletin
No 6. The analytical work on the samples of the crops of 1906 and 1907
has been published in full in General Bulletin No. 91. This Popular
Bulletin contains a summarized statement of most of the results which
are given in full in the Bulletin No. 91; and of the average results for
some, of the leading varieties of wheat for the three crops of 1905 to 1907
inclusive.
i./ The samples were secured from farmers, millers and warehousemen,
yn response to requests for samples which would accurately represent
Ntae wheat of each variety commonly grown in the locality in question,
?|h some instances, in response to special request, samples representing
the different market grades of the same variety were sent in, but usually
only samples representing No. 1 wheat were obtained. Special attention
will he given in the final report on these Investigations to differences in
t>3omposition and milling quality between different varieties grown in the
same locality or the same variety grown in different localities.
The total number of samples of the crop of 1906 which were received
at the Station laboratory was ninety-two, representing sixteen different
varieties and coming from twenty-one different shipping points. Of the
crop of 1907, there were received eighty samples coming from twenty
four different shipping points, and representing sixteen different varieties.
There was an easily noticeable disposition on the part of the persons who
sent in'the samples to select those varieties which are commonly considered
to be of higher market grade or better milling quality as the typical wheats
of their locality, so that the total number of samples from such varieties
is usually larger than that from some of the other varieties which are
of lower market grade, which may be nearly as commonly grown. it is
.believed that the number of samples representing the different varieties
shown in th tables below was sufficient to justify the assumption that
: the averages given represent very closely the average composition or
i quality of those particular varieties as grown in the state for thai particu
;lar year. For analyses or tests of sample's of other varieties, as well as
\ for data concerning the origin, and results of tests on Individual samples,
I interested readers are referred to the General Bulletins in which complete
I reports are given.
I ,In the analyses of the wheat to show its chemical composition, the
; percentages of moisture, ash and crude protein in each sample were
i determined, and the remainder calculated and reported as carbohydrates
i and nil. - For many purposes, each of these classes of constitutents is
: of importance and the percentage of each as reported in detail in the
] General Bulletins is of interest. But the constituted of chief Importance
in judging of the food value and bread-making quality of wheat, or flour,
14 the protein, since it is this portion of the grain of flour which is the
most- important nutritive principle and which yields the gluten in the
flour upon which its bread-making quality depends. The percentages of
protein alone are, therefore, given in the following table, as affording the
best basis of comparison of the value of the different varieties in the
different seasons represented.
Table I. Protein Content of Wheats.
Per Cent of Protein
„ . . _ , No. of
• Variety Crop of siimolcs
v ' Maximum Minimum Average
Bluest em ~ ~ 7. 1906 ~~24 18.43 10.31 13.75
Bluestem 1907 30 14.43 8.87 11.56
Chfb* 1906 11 13.88 8.37 10.94
Club* 1907 14 13.52 8.26 10.43
Hones* Fife 1906 15 15.06 9.60 12.34
.Jones' Fife 1907 7 12.60 9.22 11.69
Turkey Red 1906 11 15.33 10.70 12.69
Turkey Red 1907 10 12.43 8.40 10.38
,Fortyfold 1906 6 13.09 10.03 11.90
Poorly fold 1907 3 18.25 8.52 10.79
* Includes Little Club, Red Chaff, and Jenkin's Club.
It will be observed that in each variety the protein content was
higher in the crop of 1906 than in thai of 1907. The weather of the
harvest season was unusually hot and dry, and the wheal matured much
more rapidly than normally. We have learned, as a result of repeated
observations, that short ripening periods or rapid ripening of the grain
always results in Increased percentages of protein, while reverse conditions
resulting in long slow maturing of the grain yields wheat, with high per
centage of starch and correspondingly low percentage of protein. The
Mgh-protein wheats are generally harder and more "horny" in appearance,
-while the low-protein grain are softer and more starchy. The difference
between "hard" and "soft" wheat (with the exception of differences due
»te.certain variety characteristics I is due almost if not quite entirely to
'difference in the length of the ripening period of the grain where It
;,was grown.
r •- It will be noticed further, that certain' varieties were higher than
others in average protein content in each season, the relative rank in
Percentage of protein being very similar in the two years. But the more
significant fact which appears from these results is that while the average
;. Protein content of any one variety in either season may be greater or
less than that of some other variety, there are individual samples In the
one variety both higher and lower than the average for the other. This
;■ fact shows the importance of study to determine the reasons for these
variations, and also indicates the possibility of improvement in protein
content of the different varieties by the selection of high-protein grain for
,'Beed purposes.
... Yield of Mill Products.
• Table 11. shows the average percentage yield of bran, shorts and
flour (total or "straight" flour) obtained from the samples which were
included in Table 1, when they were milled in the experimental roller mill.
.((This experimental mill is described in detail and illustrated by figure
?» Bulletin No. 84.
ff ' ' Table 11. yield of Mill Products.
%• r>i I Average Yield of
' i> ** - , t . . , No. of | ,
'r V" r,ety °pof Bsmptes Bran | Shorts I Flcur
ljuestem I-: n —; —rTjTjTj _1 : TO 13.4 70.3
western . . 1907 30 15.2 12.2 72.6
! £"b» 1906 11 ; 61.1 12.8 71.1
, ?' Ub * 1907 14 15.1 12.3 72.6
Jones' Fife.. .. 1906 15 15.5 12.7 71.9
'Jones' Fife 1907 7 15.6 12.5 71.9
-iUr ,ke y Red 1906 11 15.3 14.1 70.6
Turkey Re d 1907 10 16.3 12.4 71.2
S orWold 1906 6 15.5 12.4 72.1
. *_£tyfold_ 1 _ 1 1907 3 15.5 13.1 71.4
' v-;„ * Includes Little Club, Red Chaff, and Jenkin's Club.
K^!i These results show but very slight differences between the average
_ v.* . of Inill Products from the different varieties or from the same
1 ■-<»«. ety in the same season. The average percentage of bran and shorts
;' >".usually slightly higher in 1906 than in 1907. doubtless because the
v th. }„. of 1907 was Plumper and better matured than that, of 1906, but
', „ ,rence was very slight. This fact together with the comparisons
1 samples of plump and shrivelled grain of the same variety grown in
total .c locality during the same season, leads us to believe that the
(I that / d of flour from "shrivelled" grain while somewhat less than
"at-lrom "plump" grain of the same variety, is not so much so as is
Composition of the Wheat.
generally supposed. The difference in favor of th" plumper grain in yield
of flour is, in part at least, offset by the higher gluten content of the flour
truiiil the lighter grain as shown in the next table, and still better shown
n the results on individual samples in the complete tables In other
bulletins,
I Gluten Tests of Flours.
Table 111. shows the results of the gluten tests of the flours made
from these wheats, the tests being carried on in the same way as Is done
in ordinary commercial testing, the results being expressed as percentage*
of moist gluten found in a given weight of flour. ("the Chinese test" is the
same test, but the results are calculated as percent of dough instead of
percent of flour. The "Chinese test" would, therefore, be just about two
thirds of the percent of moist gluten as here reported.)
Table 111. Gluten Test, of Flours.
„ , Per Cent of Wet Gluten
Variety Crop of *_„,',,,„ ~— . "—; [—-
Maximum | Minimum Average
Bluestem . . . . ~~\ 1906 24 46.92 | 14..7 35750
Biuestem I 1907 30 37.86 20.27 1 29.21
Clvb * I 1906 11 88.99 16.74 1 26.56
clvb * j 1907 14 88.16 | 19.59 I 26.74
Jones' Fife .- I 1906 15 37.42 18.27 1 27.74
Jones' Fife I 1907 7 35.33 | 20.32 | 29.48
Turkey Hed | 190. 11 45.26 26.22 1 35.03
Turkey Red | 1907 | 10 84.26 14.70 1 26.28
Fortyfold j 1906 6 28.01 19.52 24.29
Fortyfold I [907 3 | 35. 18.57 | 25.48
* Includes Little Club. Red Chaff, and Jenkln's Club,
These percentages show the same general relations between varieties
and between the samples of the same variety for different seasons as is
shown by the protein content as recorded in Table 1, thus confirming the
statements already made with reference to the relation of protein in the
wheat to gluten content of the flour. In general, it may he said that a
high percentage of gluten indicates good bread-making quality, although
it is just as necessary that the gluten be of good physieial quality as that
it shall be present in comparatively large quantity. Exhaustive studies
of the quality of gluten from different types of flour and of methods
whereby the baking quality of flour containing an insufficient amount or
poor quality of gluten may be improved are now being conducted in the
Station laboratory, and it is hoped that feasible methods for improving
the quality of "weak" flours may be discovered.
Averages of Three Years Tests of Washington Wheats.
The danger from drawing final conclusions from analyses or tests
covering an insufficient number of seasons has been pointed out. But it is
believed that the average of certain percentages found in the samples re
presenting the three crops of 1905, 1906, and 1907, may afford some In
teresting and instructive data, and they are presented in Table IV.
Table IV.
vinery [25£ ss SiT~liSr"»>to^
VARiKiy sample, ™?H FroteiD Flout W£ r °_e_ t
■■ ■■ I _I__ ____________ ''er Cent Per Cent rer LfUt
Macaroni .... f. . 9 9.94 " 12.41 72.0 32.77
Bluestem 76 10.88 12.34 71.7 30.98
Turkey Red .... 28 10.40 11.96 71.2 30.68
Sonora 7 12.00 11.78 72.2 30.29
Jones' Fife 30 10.07 11.67 71.8 26.25
Red Allen 12 11.75 11.56 72.7 30.29
White Amber ... . 6 12.10 11.01 71.1 26.97
Fortyfold 15 11.06 10.96 72.5 23.11
Club 43 10.93 10.68 72.5 25.82
Red Russian .... 12 10.67 9.77 71.2 22.86
This table shows the average percentage of moisture ami crude
protein in the wheat, the average yield of flour, and the average wet
gluten test of the tin varieties which are most commonly grown in this
state. In some cases the number of samples tested is not as many as
might be desired, but it is believed that there is sufficient data to Indicate
the probable relative composition of the different varieties for the three
years 19 05 to 1907 inclusive.
In this table the varieties are arranged in the order of their protein
content, the one having the highest average percentage of protein being
placed first. The rank would be practically the' same if they had been ar
ranged in order of the percentage of gluten in the flour, the only differ
ences being slight shifts in the relative position of adjacent varieties. It
is to be noticed that when arranged in this order the first four are
wheats most commonly grown in the sections of lightest rainfall, all except
Turkey Red being spring varieties, the next three are winter varieties more
generally grown in those parts of the "dry belt" where the average annual
rainfall is greater than in the exclusive "spring-wheat districts." and that
the last three are the varieties most commonly grown in the moister
sections where the average annual rainfall exceeds eighteen inches. Of
the last three, all are winter varieties except the Club wheats, which are
true spring wheats but on account of their extreme hardiness, are seeded
rather Indiscriminately in either the fall or spring in this part of the state.
The final report of this study will be published as soon as the
analytical work on the samples of the cropof 1909 can be completed and
the results prepared for publication.
ANSWERS TO FARM QUERIES
Regarding Garden and Orchard Insect Pests Typical of the
Spring and Summer Months, by A. L. Melander,
Professor of Entomology, W. S. C.
Question: "I have discovered a
grub, or other similar kind of a worm
working at the roots of my black
berry bushes. How can I get at this
fellow?"
Answer: "We know of no practical
way in which you can get rid of the
borer in your blackberry canes, other
than to pull out and destroy any
canes that you find to be infested.
By carefully watching, you will be
able to exterminate the pest."
Question: "I enclose to you a
small box of orange colored eggs
which I discovered on the bark of
my apple trees. Would you please in
form me what they are and a re
medy?"
Answer: "It is possible that the
eggs are those of one of the large
st ink bugs." The insect is harm
less."
Question: "Last summer I cut
about fifty dead trees from my or
chard. Now 1 have discovered a dozen
more dead aparently from the same
cause. It has appeared on only a few
of my young trees, of which I have
about three hundred. I enclose pieces
of limbs, (1) and (2), by which I
hope you can determine the cause."
Answer: "(1) -shows the egg
punctures of the buffalo tree hopper.
This insect may hurt the trees. (2)
contains a few oyster shell bark lice.
From the small number present, we
doubt very much if the tree was
weakened by this pest. The rest of
the twigs show no indication as to
what their trouble Is. It is possible
that there is some root disease, but
we think it likely that the trouble is
from some physiological source which
must be corrected by the method of
tilling or feeding your orchard."
Question: "Will you please tell
me how to get rid of little black bugs,
or fleas on tomatoes, rose bushes,
peach trees, radishes, etc.? My peach
trees have ants on them. Will they
hurt the trees? I enclose a sample of
the bugs."
Answer: "The ants on your plants
are doing no harm. The flea beetles
I are often destructive' to tomatoes. We
I advise spraying with bordeaux mix
ture or arsenate of lead for in
sects."
.
Question: "1 am having trouble
with cut worms getting into the roots
of my strawberry plants. 1 think the
worms come from manure that was
piled near strawberries. Yesterday I
observed that the plants were loaded
with blossoms. Will you kindly tell
men how to exterminate the worms
without injuring the plants?"
Answer: "We doubt very much
if it is cut worms that is hurting
your strawberries. There are several
crown boring weevils in this north
western country that destroy the
plants. There Is no method of ex
terminating these that is a short cut
to success. If you are really troubled
with the strawberry weevils, we
would suggest that you do everything
to exterminate them immediately.
The plants that are infested, or wilt
ing, or show that they are diseased,
should be pulled out and burned with
the weevils inside. The adult wee
vil will appear shortly and lay eggs
for the next year's crop of maggots.
There are some growers who have
tried fumigating with good success,
and the fumigation method is to cov
er the plants with garden cloth and
fumigate underneath. Carbon disul
phate, or the ordinary hydro-cyonlc
gas treatment may be used."
Question: "I have discovered a
'beetle phenomenon* in my stock of
groceries, a sample of which I enclose
to you and would like to know how
to get rid of the .Beset. This even
ing the floor and ceiling of my store
were completely covered with these
bugs. They seem especially inclined to
congregate on cornmeal sacks and
flour sacks."
Answer: "The insect you have
sent in is the ordinary grain wee
vil, and is a very serious pest when
once it gets a foothold. Since the In
sect Is so abundant] it seems that
there is nothing to do but give the
store a good cleaning out. The place
should he- tightly closed and fumigat
ed in order to destroy lhe grubs, or
the insect will re-appear, if this is
not done', every package of flour,
breakfast food, meal, or other grain
product that (he merchant will sell,
will lose for him a disgusted custo
mer."
Question: "Do you know of any
method of getting bees out of a
house when they have lodged In the
spaces between the walls?"
Answer: "There tire Borne carpen
ter bees and mason bees that will
seek out crevices In walls of houses
or other places in which to nest.
These bees do no harm and need not
he- molested. 1 know of no method of
preventing them from using th,. small
spaces for their nests, and In fact
see- no reason why they should lie
begrudged the use of such locations."
Question: "I send you an insect
which is on my 'Snowball' hushes,
and I want to know how to gel rid
of it. I have sprayed with kerosene
and so. made into an emulsion, but
have obtained no results. Can you tell
me what to do?"
Answer: "The insect you send Is
the snowball aphis. 1 suggest that
the best treatment for this pest is
some tobacco spray. The keroene
sprays are apt to injure the leaves
of this shrub."
Question: "I am sending to you
some worms, some blighted leaves,
and what 1 take to be diseased blos
soms. Please tell me the name of the
worms and fly. What. should I spray
with to kill them?"
Answer: "Owing to the condition
the caterpillar was in when it reached
us we could not tell precisely what
kind it was. The fly is known as the
saw fly. They are harmless. Only
rarely do they appear numerous
enough to do any damage. Then the
young, which is a greenish caterpil
lar, will feed on this or that plant.
The caterpillars of the saw fly, or
those that you sent, can be easily de
stroyed by spraying with arsenate of
lead."
Question: "I have leased an or
chard for five years which Is Infested
with San Jose scale. I sprayed this
spring with a ten to one solution of
lime sulphur, and intend to spray
once or twice this Bummer. Will you
kindly advise me when the different
broods of scale make their appear
ance and also what would be the
best spray to use this summer?"
Answer: "There have been many
experiments carried on to kill the
San. Jose scale during the summer,
but none have proved effectual. This
is because the San Jose scale' exists
In every stage throughout the sum
mer. Summer spraying strong enough
to kill adult scales would injure the
foliage. It is possible' to spray for
.veiling scales with soaps and other
sprays that are harmless to the tree
foliage, but since the San .lose scale
exists as young, half grown, and as
adults at any date of the season, It
Is not a practical scheme to try to
exterminate it in the summer time.
For some strange reason also, the
strong sulphur lime wash does not
kill the scale in the summer time.
That is why fruit growers have to
depend upon the winter spraying for
this pest."
Question: "Please name and clas
sify the inclosed specimens, and tell
me what to do to exterminate them.
An- immediate reply will favor many
of us."
Answer: "The name of the in
sect that you send is Otlorrhyachus
rugifrous. It has no common name,
and I do not know what its food
plant Is. Therefore,, we are unable
to prescribe any definite directions
for treating it. Usually weevils of
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j this sort become very quiet when dis
turbed, drawing their legs close to
•heir body and dropping from tho
Plant they are feeding on. It Is pos
sible that If you hold an Inverted
umbrella under the food plant and
shake the weevils that you can catch
them and destroy them by hand.
Spraying for weevils Is not very sat
isfactory, because they are not very
susceptible to poison."
Question: "in a small box lam
sending to you is a bug which I
caught on one of my young peach
trees. Will you phase let me know
what it is? I have noticed quite a
number of them in my orchard."
Answer: "The Insect that you
have sent to us is known as the
western Cicada. It Is a close relative
of the famous seventeen year locust
of the eastern stales, but never ap
pears in such numbers as to be seri
ously injurious. The insects pass
their earlier development in tin'
ground, feeding on the roots of
grasses, and trees, and when adult,
may do a certain amount of harm
when laying their eggs. The mother
insect places her eggs in twigs about
the size of a pencil. By so doing
she punctures the twigs and causes
them to die. We suggest that you ap
ply the black leaf tobacco wash for
this time of the year.
Question:"Are th.' spores of the
scab on the apple and pear the same
as those of the blackspot canker?
If not. what is the' nature of this
i post? What season of the year Is
best to destroy the scab fungus?"
Answer: "The blackspot canker
are liberated in the fall. The apple
scab passes the winter on the- scabby
leaves which have fallen to the
ground. The spring spores of the
scab are liberated from the leaves
about blossoming time, therefore,
wo spray for canker in the fall and
for scab in the spring. Scabby fruit
may also llverate spores in the
spring."
Question: "Will you please tell
me how to rid my rose bushes of
He' pest that is on them? I send you
wigs and leaves that are sled."
Answer: "The best treatment for
the rose' aphis is the tobacco spray.
If you are unable to obtain the to
bacco We suggest that you us.' soap
or kerosene emulsion."
Question: "I have recently pur
chased a new farm in the Hoods ca
nal region, and, owing to my unfami
liarity with conditions here, am on
somewhat uncertain grounds. 1 have
sprayed my apple, pear, and cherry
trees with lime sulphur solution,
but even as the leaves unfolded I
found the condition shown on tin*
enclosed leaves. It is new to me."
Answer: "The leaves you Bend are
Infested with pear leaf blister mil.
Usually a spraying with sulphur lime
wash, if driven on to the trees with
force, using a coarse spray muzzle,
will give entire protection. Possibly
your spraying this year was given too
late as the mites had already ml-
grated from the bark where they pass
the winter onto the young leaves."
Question: "Under separate cover
I send to you a small limb of an
apple tree partially covered with in
sect eggs. The temperature here
has been from 4 7 to 52 most of the
time.
Answer: "The eggs you sent to us
hatched in transit, and are now
small caterpillars, .lust what moth
has laid the eggs we cannot state
from the caterpillars. If the Insects
are abundant, we suggest that' you
spray immediately with arsenate of
lead."
Question: "I enclose to you some
small peach tree leaves with a sort of
louse or aphis on them. I would like
to know what they are, and how to
get rid of them."
Answer: "The best treatment for
peach aphis after the insect appears
is to spray with tobacco. We suggest
that you purchase the black leaf dip,
using It about one gallon to 70 gal
lons of water."
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