598 THE SMALL GRAINS 



ground grain is used as a feed for hogs, being valuable for 

 this purpose. A kind of groats is made for human food 

 by breaking and removing the hull. The flowers furnish 

 a source of honey for bees, and buckwheat honey, al- 

 though rather dark and having a distinctive flavor, is 

 usually highly regarded. 



When buckwheat is fed in too large amounts, it some- 

 times causes a rash to appear on the skin. This seems 

 to' be only in white-colored animals and has some con- 

 nection with the light relations of the animal, such rash 

 not occurring if the animals are not exposed to light. 

 The substance that produces these effects is apparently 

 located in the hulls of the grain, as it can be extracted 

 from these by means of alcohol. 



670. Buckwheat as human food. The flour of buck- 

 wheat is used extensively in the United States, prin- 

 cipally for making cakes. A batter is made of the 

 flour and this is spread thinly on a smooth, hot, 

 greased iron, where baking is completed within a few 

 minutes, the cakes being turned in the process and browned 

 on both sides. The cakes are eaten hot, with sirup of 

 some kind. The cakes are usually somewhat dark in 

 color, owing to the presence in the flour of portions of 

 the hull of the grain. 



The outer hulls of buckwheat, removed in milling, are 

 used for fuel, and to some extent for mixing into stock 

 feeds. They contain considerable carbohydrates and 

 other nutrient materials, and are consequently of value 

 for the latter purpose. The ground hulls are reported as 

 an adulterant of black pepper. 



The buckwheat middlings obtained in milling is com- 

 posed of the inner hulls and the germ of the kernels. 

 It is a very valuable feed for cattle, extensively used by 



