CONDITIONING GRAIN

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25705, 18 January 1949, Page 5

CONDITIONING GRAIN

Sir, —In past years wheatgrowers were handicapped by bakers’ preference for imported wheats, and bakers were informed of a farmer’s wife using her own grist and outclassing all exhibitors at farm produce shows. The conversation disclosed that baking qualities were improved* by rain at harvest time. Last harvest there was a heavy rain and local wheats outclassed all others, and storage qualities were good. Was the quality improved by harvest rain? If so, qualities in dry harvest might be improved by leaving wheat standing for prolonged periods to get the effect from showers and dews. With manual harvesting there was a risk that is now eliminated with harvesting machinery. In wet seasons one farmer leaves the sacks lying flat on the ground, attaches a bag hook to a walking-stick, and rolls his sacks over as required. , Would the costs of such conditioning be regained in food and reproduction values?—Yours, etc., ALF. G. HOLLAND. January 17, 1949.

Sir,—-Your leading article of Friday 1 was a knock-out blow to the Liberal Party, but leaves me confused. For years I have wished to see the term Liberal revived. It has a great tradition and a permanent basis, as it has • to curb the excesses of the “haves’’ : and abolish the poverty class of the [ “have-nots.” Conservative and La- , bour are class parties, and Nationalist • is vague. Our later Liberals were moving too slowly to satisfy the ; Labour leaders, who, by a skilful use , of unionism, made a merely opportun- , ist party, and gained the reins of ; power. They have abolished the t “have-nots,” and are already exces- ' sive. Liberals and Nationalists should : unite under the old name.—Yours, etc., t JURIST. January 18, 1949.