l8oo. Houfe of Commons i refpeBliig Bread, ^c. 209 



Do you conceive, that prohibiting the millers from 

 making more than one fort of flour would or would not 

 lead to any economy of that article ? 



I do think it would not, becaufe I believe that nearly 

 the whole produce of the wheat is confumed diredlly for 

 human food, and indire6lly fo in the fupport of fwine 

 and poultry ; a fmall part is likewife ufed for horfes. 



From your own experience, do you know whether 

 coarfe flour or fine flour will keep longeft without dar 

 mage, and will bear befl: the water carriage ? 



Moft undoubtedly fine flour will keep longeft in any 

 fituation ; and that, I think, is proyed by the American 

 flour, which is the fineft in the world, keeping in good 

 condition much longer than any other flour of the beft 

 fort in Europe. The greater the mixture of bran in 

 any flour, the greater tendency there is to fermentation. 



What do you mean by a good crop of wheat ? 



That which, of itfelf, is fufficient to fupply the con- 

 fumption of the country. 



As half the fupply neceflary for the confumption of 

 the country is deficient, how do you fuppofe that defi- 

 ciency will be made up ? 



I confider there was a great furplus, at the com- 

 mencement of this harvefl;, of the produce of the laft 

 year, perhaps two months confumption of the country, 

 and alfo a fjuantity of foreign wheat, that was in diff^s- 

 rent parts of the kingdom ; iieverthelefs, I am clearly 

 of opinion, there will be no poflibility of obtaining a 

 quantity of wheat, fuflicient to fupply the quantity 

 ufually coafumed of wheaten bread. 



Do you know what has been the ftate of the crops of 

 barley and oats ? 



I believe they are, in point of quantity, pretty good, 

 but badly harvefled, and in quality exceeding bad. I 

 fpeak of the fouthern parts of England. 



Can any confiderable fupply of thefe articles be ex- 

 pelled from foreign countries ? 



Some oats may be expeded, but lefs in quantity than 

 in any year I remember. With refpeft to barley, I be- 

 lieve, the importation will be much lefs. V/e impoTt 

 very little barley at any time. 



Mf:amlnat:m 



