THE HANDLING OF GRAIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2201, 7 May 1896, Page 16

THE HANDLING OF GRAIN.

It is within the easjr memory of any man above the age of 20 when the vast quantity of petroleum shipped from Riusia and America to all parts, of the world used to be -all cent in tasks. Some enterprising operator (we believe it was the Standard Oil Company of America who were the pioneers) suddenly awoke to the fact. 'that oil ooolfl be' handled by modern machinery jnttlike water — that it could be tthot into .great tanks on board a vessel and carried about; in that form far easier than in ca«k, and pumped dnt when it arrived at its .destination. And in due course the great tank* were dispensed with and the zino-lined hold of a petroleum ship was utilised instead. Custom is everything. -What is curious to start with becomes familiarised as soon as it is occasionally resorted to. But what has th« handling of petroleum got to do with the handling of grain ? That is what we are coming to An ablelectnrer on the saving of labour has been telling us how the growers are beginning to handle grain in America and in some parts of Europe. It is being treated in much the same way as petroleum is now treated. Dr Cobb's remarks have been specially addressed to Australia, and we - cannot do better than quote his own words : — " Threshed grain can, .in a large measure, he bandied .'like water. It will run, it can be poured, it can be pumped ; and if only our farmers, merchants, and railway architect* will take pains to consider this simple idea,' the result will be a change in our m&thcds of handling grain, beginning in the field and ending at the mill. What would you think of a man who lifted all the water out of his well into a bucket instead of with a pump ? What would you think of a man wbo lifted all the water out pver the edge of a tank instead of letting it run out through the faucet *t the bottom ? What would you think of a man who habitually carried water downhill instead of letting it ran through a pipe P What would yon think of a hub who, having 400 gal of water to transport, put it into t6O lgal receptacles instead of into one 400 gal .tank Pi "What ■would' you think of # man who naught his .roof water in au underground tank, so as to have the pleasure of pumpiog it up again when lie wanted it for use ? 'What would you think of a man who preferred to store his water in a way -that not only allowed, but acfcu- - ally invited, various «orte of vermin to injure it and cause it to leak awayp The 'English language isn't strong enough to tell how big a fool *uoh a man would he ! Yet observe how grain is handled in -Australia. It is lifted by hand, when to lift it by simple and imxpeusiva machinery troold, be both easier and cheaper. It is lifted over the edges of receptacles instead of being allowed to ran out of them at the bottom ; it is habitually carried down hill instead of being allowed to run of its own accord. When' being transported by the thousand bushels it ia caged up in four-bushel receptacles. It is everywhere put down ho as to be lifted again at the uexb handling. It is preferred to store it in a way that not only allows, but actually invites, vermin to injure it and cause it to leak away." The indictment is a sturdy one, and it is certainly worthy of attention.— Foreign and Colonial Importer.