ISO THE WHEAT INDUSTRY 



with several pairs of stones then became common. 

 During the period immediately after the Revolu- 

 tion, the flour mills of Delaware were among the 

 best known. Twelve mills upon the Brandy- 

 wine, with 25 pairs of buhrstones, ground 400,000 

 bushels a year. Improved methods of handling 

 the grain and flour were also invented. About 

 1785 the elevator and conveyer were introduced, 

 thus eliminating much hand labor. Development 

 was so rapid that in 1808 Pittsburg had a steam 

 mill with three pairs of buhrstones. 



The Development of Modern Milling.- The 

 roller mills, which use the gradual reduction pro- 

 cess in the manufacture of flour, represent the 

 modern type. Though they were not introduced 

 until about 1880, they have now come into gen- 

 eral use in all the great milling centers of the 

 world. This process of milling originated in 

 Austria, and it is interesting to review the prob- 

 lems that led to its adoption in the United States. 

 In the old processes, the millstones were at first 

 set very close together so as to produce as much 

 flour as possible at one grinding. This produced 

 friction and heat and often brought about chemical 

 changes which injured the color, taste, and quality 

 of the flour. Wheat, which was hard and rich in 

 gluten, could scarcely be used at all, for it was 

 difficult to separate the flour from the bran. The 

 soft starchy wheats thus brought the high prices 



