148 



THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 



The Quern. - - In parts of Europe and Asia the 

 quern is used. This is an improvement over the 

 handstone and also over the mortar and pestle. 

 In this method the two stones are mechanically 

 united so that the upper stone fits into and revolves 

 upon the lower. A hole is bored in the side of the 



upper stone and 

 a handle inserted 

 by which it is 

 turned. A n- 

 other opening at 

 the top admits 

 the grain, which 

 passes through a 

 hole to the lower 

 stone. There, as 

 the upper stone 

 is turned in a 

 half circle, the 

 grain is crushed. 

 This motion 

 likewise works 

 the crushed grain 

 to the edges, whence it drops into a bowl or other 

 container. In early times the women usually did this 

 work with the smaller querns, while cattle were used 

 to turn the larger ones. This method came into 

 general use about the dawn of the Christian era. 

 It was the first British flour mill and is also men- 



FIG. 72. The quern. 



