degree of dryness which, with ordinary care, shall protect them from
subsequent injury; but in order to secure this advantage, the
operation must be carefully performed, and experiments must be made
to ascertain how long an exposure to heat is necessary to bring the
sample to the proper degree of dryness, and to determine whether in
any respect its quality is impaired. It has already been stated that
absolute desiccation is not necessary, even were it attainable; but
any process in order to be effective should reduce the proportion of
water to about six, or at most seven per cent.

I have heretofore adverted to the great care employed in the drying
of grain in various foreign countries, and to which the preservation
of it for a great number of years is to be ascribed.

The operation is not conducted in the hurried manner which is here
thought to be so essential, but is continued long enough to effect
the intended object. Thorough ventilation, as well as the proper
degree of drying, and which is equally important, is thus secured.

It is said that in Russia the sheaves of wheat, carried into the
huts, are suspended upon poles and dried by the heat of the oven.
The grain shrinks very much during this process, but it is supposed
to be less liable to the attacks of insects, and preserves its
nutritive qualities for many years. During the winter, it is sent to
market.--("The Czar, his Court and People." By John S. Maxwell, p.
272.)

With all the necessary attention which may be paid to the proper
drying of our breadstuffs intended for export, another point is of
equal importance, viz., the shipment in vessels rendered as
impervious as possible to the influence of atmospheric moisture. For
however carefully and thoroughly the drying, especially of wheat
flour or maize meal, may have been performed, it will be nearly
useless if the shipment is afterwards made in the barrels commonly
employed.[29] And it is very certain that the transport and shipment
of grain in bulk, as usually conducted, are attended with great
loss. This difficulty might be removed at a trifling expense by
adopting the plan suggested in the preceding report, and to which I
would again respectfully call the attention of those who are engaged
in this branch of trade.

I might here adduce a mass of testimony showi