AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



164. The time of cutting affects the weight of produce, as 

 well as the relative proportions of flour, bran, and gluten. 

 Thus from three equal patches of the same field of wheat in 

 Yorkshire, cut twenty days before the crop was ripe, ten days 

 before ripeness, and when fully ripe, the produce was in grain. 

 (Johnston.) 



20 days before. 10 days before. Fully ripe. 



166lbs. 220 Ibs. 209 Ibs. 



and the per centage of flour, sharps, and bran, yielded by each, 

 and of water and gluten in the flour was as follows : 



Whn cut. in the grain, per cent. in the flour, per cent. 



Flour. Sharps. Bran. 



20 days before it was ripe, 74.7 7.2 17.5 

 10 days before, - - 79.1 5.5 132 

 Fully ripe, - - 72.2 11.0 16.0 



When cut a fortnight before it is ripe, therefore, the entire 

 produce of the grain is greater, the yield of flour is larger, and 

 of bran considerably less, while the proportion of gluten con 

 tained in the flour appears also to be in favor of that which was 

 reaped before the wheat was fully ripe. 



165. Bran, as is well known, constitutes, notwithstanding its 

 dry appearance, a very excellent food, and is fattening for stock. 

 Used in bread, it adds much to the nourishing qualities of it, es 

 pecially in the case of children. The average composition of it 



Water. Gluten. 

 15.7 9.3 

 155 9.9 

 15.9 9.6 



is represented as follows 



Water, 



Albumen, (coagulated,) 



Oil, 



Husk and a little starch, 



Saline matter, (ash,) 



(Johnston.) 



13.1 percent. 

 J9.3 



4.7 

 55.6 



7.3 



