FOOD, GATHERING OF CROPS, ETC. 149 



is converted into starch, which settles in the water and the gluten 

 remains. This gluten, and hence its nutritive properties, varies with 

 every portion of flour thus used. The grains therefore, yielding the 

 largest portions of gluten, afford the most flour and the greatest weight 

 of bread. Thus the weight of gluten in 100 Ibs. of dry wheat varies 

 from 8 to 34 Ibs., in accordance, generally, with the kind of manure 

 used on the soil. The proportions of starch and gluten in 100 Ibs. of 

 grain on the same soil, differently manured, is from 66 to 41 of starch, 

 and from 10 to 34 of gluten. Blood yields 41 Ibs. of starch and 34 

 Ibs. of gluten, while vegetable manure yields 66 Ibs. of starch and 10 

 Ibs. of gluten; and other substances yield intermediate proportions of 

 both. Potato-flour, which is composed almost entirely of starch, 

 makes a fine and easily raised bread ; and wheaten flour, containing 

 little gluten, comes next in lightness. The greater the quantity of 

 gluten the greater the care necessary to produce light bread, though 

 always more nutritive. 



The time of gathering crops determines also the amount of their 

 nutriment. Thus, radishes left too long in the ground become hard 

 and woody, and so with the stem of the young cabbage and the arti- 

 choke ; and so it is, in effect, with the grasses cut for hay. There is 

 much sugar in these, and as they grow up, this is changed into starch, 

 first, and then into woody fibre. Therefore, the riper the plants becomes 

 the less sugar and starch they contain, in proportion to size. Those 

 parts of a plant which dissolve most easily are the most nourishing : 

 starch and sugar are readily soluble in water. The weight of cut 

 straw or hay is less when perfectly ripe. These should be cut, conse- 

 quently, soon after they are at their greatest weight, when both the 

 quantity is greatest and the quality is best, and the same may be said of 

 all the corn or grain crops. The straw commonly begins to diminish 

 three weeks previous to being fully ripe, and it becomes less nourish- 

 ing after that time. But the ear of grains which is sweet and milky 

 four weeks before it is ripe, afterwards becomes consolidated, the sugar 

 changes into starch, the milk thickens into gluten and the albumen of 

 the flour. And when this is completed, two weeks before the ripening, 

 the grains contain the greatest amount of starch and gluten. If grains 

 be cut at this time, they are heavier, and they will yield the greatest 

 amount of good flour and the least bran, as the skin of the grains are 

 always thinest at this time. If, however, they are left longer, the 

 grains cover themselves with a thicker skin for protection, a part of 

 the starch is also changed into woody fibre, as in the ripening of hay, 

 the radish, etc. All corns or grains should therefore be cut two weeks 

 before ripening. 



The quantity of food afforded by an acre of land depends on the 

 kind of crop. Little gum or sugar is present when seeds are fully 

 ripe, their nutritive properties depending on the amount of their starch 

 13* 



