FLOWERS, ARTIFICIAL 



The produce of one quarter of wheat weighing 504 Ibs. is, according to Mr. Hard of 

 Dartford 



Flour 392 Ibs. 



Biscuit or fine middlings . . . .10 



Toppings or specks 8 



Best pollard 15 



Fine pollard 18 



Bran and coarso pollard .... 50 

 Loss . 11 



504 Ibs. 



Vauquelin has given the following as the results of his examination of wheat 

 flour : 



Adulterations of, to detect. The first method is by specific gravity. If potato flour 

 be added, which is frequently done in France, since a vessel which contains one pound 

 of wheat flour will contain one pound and a half of the fecula, the proportion of this 

 adulteration may be easily estimated. If gypsum or ground bones bo mixed with 

 the flour, they will not only increase its density still more, but they will remain after 

 burning away the meal as ashes. 



The second method is by ascertaining the quantity of gluten which the suspected 

 sample will afford, as described in tho article BREAD. The two following chemical 

 criteria may also bo employed : 



1st. Nitric acid has tho property of colouring wheat flour of a fine orange yellow, 

 whereas it affects the colour neither of fecula nor starch. 



2nd. Muriatic acid colours good wheat flour of a deep violet, but dissolves fecula 

 or starch, and forms witli it a light and colourless viscous fluid, decomposable by 

 alkalis. 



Sulphate of iron renders an infusion of pure flour somewhat yellow, and imparts a 

 bottle-green to that which is adulterated with bean meal. (Lassaiflne.) Nitric acid 

 and ammonia poured successively on good flour shows nothing remarkable ; but bean 

 meal strikes a deep red colour. (Donny.) 



The amount of ash left by the flour has been proposed by Louyot as a test of its 

 purity. Ho says, ' Wheat flour yields on tho average 0'8 percent.; rye flour, I'O ; 

 bean and pea meal, 3 ; linseed meal, 10 per cent, of ash.' 



FliOWERS. The name formerly given to those substances which were obtained 

 by sublimation ; as the flowers of sulphur, tho flowers of Benjamin, &c- 



FLOWERS, ARTIFICIAL, Manufacture of. Tho art of representing l.y 

 flowers, leaves, plants, &c., vegetable nature in her ornamental productions, constitute-* 

 the business of the artificial florist. Tho Italians appear to have been the first 



