44 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



own experience must determine which that is. One kind 

 will suit one range of land better than another. Beginning 

 with moderation, a shrewd farmer will soon be able to tell 

 whether any particular breed will suit his farm. 



We presume that all farmers work for the sake of profit : 

 we urge an improvement of stock simply on the ground of 

 its profitableness. 



ABSORBENT QUALITIES OF FLOUR. 



IT has long been known that flour gains in weight on 

 being made up into bread. The English act of Parliament 

 allowed 280 Ibs. (a sack) of flour to make 320 Ibs. of bread. 

 But in fact it makes a much greater weight than this. The 

 average per cent, of water, in English flour, naturally, 

 according to Johnson, is 15 per cent. But good English 

 and French wheat bread, according to the same author, con 

 tains 44 per cent, of water ; i. e. twenty-eight pounds are 

 absorbed in making. By this estimate, 280 Ibs. would gain 

 nearly seventy-four pounds, while the act of Parliament 

 allows only forty pounds. 



It is understood that American wheat absorbs more water 

 than English ; and that United States southern wheat, absorbs 

 more than northern. It is also true that good wheat gains 

 more in baking than poor wheat, and old flour, more than 

 new. It is not good because it takes up water ; but good 

 flour has that property, and poor has not ; and absorption is, 

 therefore, an evidence of quality. 



This absorption of water is in part mechanical and in 

 part chemical. The difference between these may be illus 

 trated ; a bushel measure of shelled corn will admit a great 

 quantity of water into its open spaces ; it stands between the 

 kernels. When water is thrown upon lime, it does not 



