Jhe Milling of Wheat hi, the United Kingdom. 25 



been for generations seeking to reach technical perfection, and 

 to adjust their methods of milling to the changing conditions 

 forced upon them in various ways. In their opinion modern 

 developments of milling are good, and the changes in manu- 

 facture are not detrimental to the consumer. So, whereas 

 they would be quite content to say nothing in opposition to 

 the doctrines of " bread reformers," and would supply without 

 comment, as a matter of business, just what is required, they 

 do resent the attacks made upon white flour by people, some 

 of them eminent, who obviously do not understand the 

 technical problems involved. In their view well-meant efforts 

 concerning food reform have failed, because those responsible 

 for them have not consulted the people intimately acquainted 

 with the details as well as with the principles involved. A 

 doctor is likely to know as much about flour milling as a miller 

 knows about physic. If either invade the other's realm, crude 

 and unsuccessful efforts to achieve success will probably ensue ; 

 many half truths and some absurdities will be uttered ; 

 whereas a combination of forces, each willing to learn from 

 the other and to work wholeheartedly in the public interest, 

 would mean success with a minimum of effort and ill-feeling. 

 Millers are not unduly conservative. When it is proved that 

 further improvements can be made, when the scientist has 

 discovered the nebulous something at present unnamed, for 

 which he is seeking, and has proved not only that its retention 

 or addition to flour is good, but that its presence will not result 

 in some accompanying deleterious effect, the miller will 

 willingly embody the discoveries in daily practice. In the 

 meantime, let a miller attempt to indicate in summary form 

 the course of modern developments. 



Some animals, for instance rats and birds, eat wheat in a 

 raw state and thrive upon it. Man cannot. The eating or 

 chewing of raw wheat by human beings will soon cause acute 

 indigestion. Facts to be noted by those who feed the animals 

 named on wheaten products approximating in various degrees 

 to the raw state, and from the results draw conclusions, which 

 they apply to human beings ! For the use of man, therefore, 

 wheat has to l)e ground and cooked. 



Some people seem to think that wheat was designed by 

 nature as food for man, an idea which seems to permeate much 

 of the advocacy for whole meal bread. Very little consider- 

 ation should remove that misconception. Wheat is essentially 

 a seed ; the germ, as its name implies, the source of plant life ; 

 the endosperm, converted by man into flour, in nature's economy 

 the food of the young plant till it is able to get its sustenance 

 from soil and air ; the ])ran, a protective covering for the food 

 of the baby plant, made by nature to a large extent water- 



