BREAD 



485 



the dough requisite for one baking batch, and upon which axis a system of curvilinear 

 blades, alternately long and short, are placed in such a manner that, -while revolving, 

 they describe two quarters of cylindrical surfaces with contrary curves, so that the 

 convexity of one of these surfaces, and the concavity of the other, is turned towards 

 the bottom of the trough. The axis has a fly-wheel, and is set in motion by two 

 small cog-wheels connected with the handle, as represented in the following figures: 



The action of the kneading machine is both easy and.eflicacibus. In 20, and if 

 necessary in 15, or even 10 minutes, a sack of flour may be converted into a perfectly 

 homogeneous and aerated dough, without either lumps or clods, and altogether supe- 

 rior to any dough than could be obtained by manual kneading. The time required 

 in kneading varies according to the greater or less density of dough required ; and 

 the quantity of dough manufactured in that space of time varies, of course, also with 

 the dimensions of the kneading-trough ; for instance, in the trough provided with 

 16 blades, one sack and a half of flour can be kneaded at once; in that of 14 blades 

 one sack, and in that of 12 blades two-thirds of a sack. 



M. Holland gives the following instructions for the use of the machine, in order to 

 impart to the dough the qualities produced by the operations known in France under 

 the names of frasage, contrefrasage, and soujflage, which we shall presently describe, 

 and to which the bread manufactured in that country mainly owes, in the words of 

 Dr. Ure, ' a flavour, colour, and texture, never yet equalled in London.' 



The necessary quantity of leaven or yeast is first diluted with the proper quantity 

 of water, as described before ; and in order to effect the mixture, the crank should bo 



