CHAPTER IX 

 MILLING 



The Milling of Wheat. - - Perhaps no part of 

 the story of wheat is more fascinating than that 

 of milling. Very little whole wheat is used for 

 food. Practically all of it is ground in some 

 manner, and the parts of the grain are separated 

 before it is prepared directly for the table. The 

 processes of making flour and other wheat products 

 are exceptionally interesting. This interest may 

 be due, in part, to the fact that milling was the 

 operation in the wheat industry which first was 

 done outside the home. The necessity of more 

 power for the operation of the mill than could be 

 supplied in the home favored the establishment 

 of village mills, and this method very early became 

 the prevailing form of the industry. These mills 

 were usually located where power could be derived 

 from a stream or from the wind, although, some- 

 times, cattle or horses were used. They came to 

 be known as gristmills, because the miller was 

 paid by taking as toll a part of the grain, giving 

 back to each customer the rest of his wheat as 



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