BREAD. 



By A. E. HUMPHRIES, 



Ex-President of tlie Incorporated National Association of British and Irish Millers 



Bread is associated with remarkable commercial and scientific 

 development. Fifty years ago Scotch shepherds, leading a life 

 devoid of the creature comforts of advanced civilisation, carried 

 on their persons raw oatmeal as their " staff of life," principally 

 because it was relatively so cheap. To-day, when oatmeal is 

 2d. per pound, dog biscuits 2\d. per pound, and beefsteak is. 

 per pound, the wheaten bread of commerce is delivered to our 

 doors at prices ranging from id. to \\d. per pound, according to 

 quality and services rendered by the baker. Out of this small 

 price the baker, the miller, with his elaborate and costly pro- 

 cesses of cleaning 'and milling, the corn merchant, the ship- 

 owner bringing wheat from all parts of the globe, the farmer, 

 and the numerous ancillary trades depending on him, have to 

 earn a profit. 



No apology for placing commercial considerations in the 

 forefront of an article written for Science Progress is necessary. 

 A rapidly increasing population has wanted bread for food and 

 occupation to earn a living. No country has produced as much 

 food as it can be made to produce. The population of the 

 United Kingdom has increased by 50 per cent, in thirty years. 

 In the early 'seventies we produced about 55 per cent, of the 

 wheat consumed at home; nowadays we are producing only 

 about 20 per cent. It would be interesting, but out of place 

 herein, to inquire whether it would be possible to produce 

 in this country all the wheat we require. The greatest quantity 

 produced here was about 18,000,000 quarters in 1863; we want 

 now in all, say 32,000,000 quarters per annum. A great deal 

 of land then under wheat has been diverted to other purposes, 

 entailing a relatively lower cost of production. The sight of 

 hills in Wiltshire laid out in artificial terraces, covered now 

 by grass, producing indirectly food for man in reduced quantity 

 at lower cost, is suggestive. That is typical of much. If the 



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