6so 



Reading-Course for Farmers' Wives. 



Notice in Fig. 165 the section of a grain of wheat showing the outer 



layers which are separated by the miller into " bran." 



This* bran, although rich in some nutritive 



materials, contains so much fibrous substance that 



it is not easily digested by the human being, but 



the lower animals derive much nutriment from it. 



The use of flour containing bran is to be com- 

 mended to some extent, for it hastens peristaltic 



action. It is also true that the nutritive salts of the 



wheat are contained largely in the bran, and for 



this reason it is well at times to eat bread which 



contains some bran. If too much is used, the 



hurried peristaltic action hastens the food through 



the system before the nutriment is fully absorbed. 

 The kernel called the endosperm (d) contains 



much starch, some sugar, and also the gluten 



which is a valuable nitrogenous substance. 



In the starch of the wheat lies much of the nutritive ingredients of 



bread. 



The germ or embryo (c) is the active part in 

 germination. If present in the flour, the commer- 

 cial value is lessened, as it gives a dark color. 

 Rich in fat, it may cause the flour to have a rancid 

 taste. 



The grains of related cereals are in a general 

 way not much unlike the wheat. Their layers dif- 

 fer in thickness. The corn (Fig. 166) is richer in 

 fat and poorer in protein than the wheat. While 



Fig 166 ^Section of ^^ makes good Johnny cake and corn bread, it does 



grain of corn: a, skin not contain the essential characteristics to make a 

 and testa; b, mem- 

 brane; c, embryo; d, good raised bread, and is deficient in bone-making 



endosperm ; f, scutel- material 

 lum. 



Fig. 165. Section of 

 grain of wheat: a, 

 skins and testa; b, 

 membrane ; c, embryo; 

 d, endosperm; e, cereal 

 or aleuronc layer; f, 

 scutellum. Figs. 159, 

 165 and 166 from U. S. 

 Dcpt. Agric. 



