JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14758, 30 August 1913, Page 7

JOTTINGS FOR FARMERS

VICTORIAN WHEAT

A preliminary eeries of investigations into tho milling qualities of. various Victorian wheats has just boon finished by the Agricultural Department, and some interesting .results obtained. A hatch of twenty-fire varieties of wheat from tho Wimincra and a similar number of tho varieties from tho NorthEast were experimented upon. The varieties growq in the Wimmora showed themselves generally superior to tho North-Eastcrii .varieties, in a]> pearance, colour of flour, strength of flour, and in gluten content. Tho varieties at any one eentro showed wide difference in, milling and baking qualities. For Marshall's 3 and Federation flour had only eight per cont, of gluten, while other varieties contained as much as fourteen per cent. The flour made from tho f.a.q. wheat snmplo of the Chamber of Commerce, last .year, showed a gluten percentage of 8.2. The strength of the different varieties varied considerably. Tho strength, is usually measured by tho number of quarts of water absorbed by a eaek of flour to making a dough fit for baking. Tho governs the amount of brend ninde from tho flour. While tho strength of the f.a.q. sample for Victoria avorngod 45.3. some varieties went «is as 56. and other varieties averaged only 41. Similar result?; were obtained in the baking tests, eonio varieties giving excellent and well-risen loaves, whilst others tjavo poor and squatty lriavcs.