62 ANNUAL OP SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



ing. 4th. It adds to the superfine flour that which was formerly 

 ' fine,' and thus saves the loss on sales in market. 5th. It saves 

 grinding middlings, as the whole middling process is done by one 

 continuous operation, with a great saving of labor as well as time. 

 6th. It enables the miller to make his barrel of superfine flour from 

 four bushels of wheat, that will weigh 60lbs. to the bushel, and the 

 flour is much better, as it contains much more of the ' farina ' of the 

 wheat or glutinous matter, and will yield more good bread from a 

 given quantity of flour. Flour ground on this process is now selling 

 in Buffalo as a superior brand. 



" The double grinding evaporates more of the moisture, and has a 

 tendency to preserve the flour longer from souring." 



The aggregate saving made by this improvement will, it is assert- 

 ed, be from 15 to 251bs. on each barrel of flour. 



A miller at Tecumseh writes that he has introduced this process 

 into his mills, and has made nearly 4,000 barrels since then. He gets 

 in Buffalo 12-J- cents more per barrel than any other Michigan flour 

 is sold for, and considers that he saves 20lbs. of wheat in every barrel 

 of flour, while the quality is much superior. 



THE ALEUROMETER. 



M. BOLATJD, of Paris, has invented an ingenious instrument, called 

 by him the Aleurometer, the purpose of which is to indicate the 

 panifiable properties of wheat-flour. The indication depends upon 

 the expansion of the gluten contained in a given quantity of flour, 

 say 500 grains, when freed, by elutriatien, from its starch. A ball 

 of gluten being placed in a cylinder to which a piston is fitted, the 

 apparatus is exposed to a temperature of 150 degrees; as the gluten 

 dilates, its degree of dilatation is marked by the piston-rod. If 25 de- 

 grees of dilatation are not obtained, the flour is rejected, the best 

 flour usually giving from 38 to 50 degrees. From experiments con- 

 ducted by members of the French Academy, it appears that the dila- 

 tation shows correctly the degree of deterioration which the wheat- 

 flour has undergone, and consequently the Aleurometer offers itself 

 as an instrument of practical importance. The same principle may 

 be applied to various other purposes; indeed, a new alcohol-meter 

 has been constructed, of a character similar to the Aleurometer. 



PATENT HOT-AIR HEXAGONAL BISCUITS. 



THE London Traveller furnishes the following description of a new 

 method of making and baking ship and other biscuits, lately introduced 

 into the extensive establishment of Mr. Harrison, Liverpool. It is 

 believed to surpass any other method now in use, as far as regards 

 economy of time and material. The flour and water, in proper pro- 

 portions, are placed in a cylinder, and the first operation of thoroughly 

 mixing is performed by arms inside. On leaving the cylinder, the 

 dough is kneaded by means of a large iron cylinder, under \vhich it is 

 passed several times. The required thickness is attained on passing 



