Fig. 37.—A Field of Durum Wheat.—(Courtesy of Bureau of Plant Industry.)
Fig. 38.—Drought-resistant Macaroni Wheats (Heads and Grains).
1, Kubanka; 2, Nicaragua; 3, Velvet Don; 4, Black Don; 5, Wild Goose.—(Bulletin No. 3, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.)
Macaroni wheats are well adapted to semi-arid regions; in fact it may be said that they are the product of such an environment rather than adapted to it. For this reason they are wheats which are able to resist continued dry weather and high temperature. These wheats do not grow well in acid soils but flourish best in an alkaline soil of fine texture and well supplied with humus and the necessary plant foods. The largest quantity of macaroni wheat is grown in east and south Russia. These wheats have given very good results in the semi-arid regions of the United States. The appearance of the wheat as it grows in the field is shown in the accompanying [plate].
The domestic macaroni is now made in many factories in the United States and there is a continually increasing demand for the domestic article. The hardiest varieties of wheat are used in the manufacture of this article in the United States, especially the hard Kansas winter wheat.
Composition of Domestic Macaroni.
—In the table below is given the mean composition of twenty samples of macaroni of domestic origin, made from domestic wheat. In the second column is given the mean composition of five samples of imported macaroni.
| Domestic Product. | Foreign Product. | |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture, | 10.27 | 10.32 |
| Fat or ether extract, | .40 | .35 |
| Crude fiber, | .49 | .53 |
| Protein, | 11.61 | 12.27 |
| Starch and sugar, | 76.52 | 76.10 |
Preparation of Flour for Macaroni.
—The term Semolina or Semola (Italian) or Semoule (French) is usually applied to the flour used in the manufacture of macaroni. In the United States the flour which is used is obtained by selecting the hardest wheat and preparing the flour in the usual manner. In France and Italy the preparation of semolina is accomplished in separate mills. The devices for grinding are essentially the same as those for producing the best grade flour, the main difference being that the wheat is moistened slightly before grinding and the flour is less fine than ordinary baking flour.