from damaged Grain. 193 



make it workalile to pound it with mallets. Flour of this de- 

 scription is difficult to work, even when very speedily used ; and 

 when it gets old it is impossible to make bread of it without 

 mixing it with some of a better sort. 



Grain thus deteriorated always loses part of its natural weight. 

 Thus while the good grain of 1815 and 1816 weighs commonly 

 from 73 to 75 kilogrammes each hectolitre, the same quantity, 

 if it has begun to germinate, will weigh onlv 61 kilogrammes 5 

 hectogrammes; — if greatly germinated, 55 kilogrammes; — if 

 red-heated 63 kilogrammes; — and if moulded without being ger- 

 minated, 57 kilogrammes. Nothing serves so well as weighing, 

 to ascertain the degree of alteration which grain suffers from 

 the effect of humidity. 



The produce of grain in these different states is commonly as 

 follows: — The good grain of 1S15 : 58 kilogrammes 5 hecto- 

 grammes of flour and pollard, 11 kilogrammes of bran. That of 

 1816: 56 kilogrammes 5 hectogrammes of flour and pollard, 

 14 kilogrammes 5 hectogrammes of bran. Grain slightly ger- 

 minated : 40 kilogrammes 5 hectogrammes flour and pollard, 

 17 kilogrammes 2 hectogrammes 7 decagrammes bran. Greatly 

 germinated: 36 kilogrammes 7 hectogrammes 5 decagrammes 

 of flour and pollard, and 17 kilogrammes 7 hectogramnres 5 

 decagrammes of bran. Red-heated; 44 kilogrammes of flour and 

 pollard, 15 kilogrammes of bran. And lastly, grain moulded 

 produces only 35 kilogrammes 5 hectogrammes flour and pol- 

 lard, and 13 kilogrammes I hectogramme of bran. 



Damaged Giain ovght not to he employed as Seed. 



Grain which has germinated, been heaied or moulded, ought 

 bv no means to be used as seed. In the experiments which 

 have been made this year with much care, in order to determine 

 in what degree grain which has been in different proportions 

 deteriorated, dry and wet, may vet be available as seed, it has been 

 found, that grain if it has suffered a connneiicement of germina- 

 tion does not rise but in the proportion of one half of the seed 

 employed; — if stronglygerminated,in the jiroportion of one-third: 

 and if tired or moulded, of not more than one-fifth. The stalks 

 are in all cases of a paler co!o\ir and of a less vigorous appear- 

 ance than those from healthy seed, and give little promise of 

 .living to maturity. 



Effects of Humidity on the constituent Paris of Coin. 



It is chiefly the glutinous part which is altered in corn wliicli 

 has been exposed to humidity. The gluten loses almost entirely 

 it« adhesive powers; and dissolves into a sort of pap or starch, iu 

 j)lacc of presenting that consistency and elasticity vvhich di- 



Vol, 49. No. 227. March 1S17. N stinguish 



