HASTY THRESHING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20027, 7 February 1935, Page 8

HASTY THRESHING

EFFECT ON MILLING QUALITY ADVICE TO FARMERS Reports indicate that a good many lines of wheat in South Canterbury have been threshed out of condition, farmers apparently taking advantage of the excellent weather of late to cut and thresh their crops within the space of a few days. Generally wheat has to be in stook for about three weeks before it conditions sufficiently. Perhaps in a dry summer like this a little less time taken in cutting and threshing may not affect the wheat, but when these operations are restricted to a few days farmers cannot expect to get their wheat into good milling condition.

A representative of- “The Timaru Herald was told yesterday by a miller that the moisture content in tested wheat this season, was, in a number of cases, heavier than anticipated and this, in his opinion, was due to the failure of farmers to observe the necessity for allowing it to remain the required time in stook. Some millers who were already well stocked were somewhat disappointed over the continued attitude of farmers regarding conditioning, and were contemplating waiting for the stacked threshed grain which generally was more satisfactory for milling.

The miller explained that a good deal of South Canterbury wheat this year showed a 14 to 15 per cent, moisture content which was the required standard for milling but some lines had exceeded that standard to reach as much as 16 to 17 per cent, moisture content.

“Millers have advised brokers of the tests and requested that they ask their clients to pay more attention to proper conditioning.” he said.