3 



ned wheat: the reason of which is obvious, from the 

 larger quantity of gluten and nutritive matter it con- 

 tains. I have made an analysis of only one specimen 

 of thin-skinned wheat, so that other specimens may 

 possibly contain more nutritive matter than that in the 

 Table: the Barbary and Sicilian wheats, before refer- 

 red to, were thick-skinned wheats, in England the dif- 

 ficulty of grinding thin-skinned wheat is an objection; 

 but this difficulty is easily overcome by moistening the 

 corn.* 



For the following note on this subject I am indebted to the kindness of the 

 Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K. B. 

 Information received from yohn Jeffcry, Esq. His Majesty's Consul General at Lisbon, 



in Answer to Queries transmitted to him, from the Comm. of P. C.for Trade, 



dated Jan. 12, 18 1 2. 



To grind hard corn with the mlll-stones used in England, the wheat must be 

 well screened, then sprinkled with water at the miller's discretion, andlaid in heaps 

 and frequently turned and thoroughly mixed, which will soften the husk so as to 

 make it separate from the flour in grinding, and of course give the flour a brighter 

 colour; otherwise rhe flinty quality of the wheat, and the thinness of the skin will 

 prevent its separation, and will render the flour unfit for making into bread. 



I am informed by a miller of considerable experience, and who works his mills 

 entirely with the stones from England or Ireland, that he frequently prepares the 

 hard Barbary corn by immersing it in water in close wicker baskets, and spreading 

 it thinly on a floor to dry; much depends on the judgment and skill of the miller in 

 preparing the corn for the mill according to its relative quality. I beg to observe, 

 that it is not from this previous process of Wetting the corn that the weight in the 

 flour of hard corn is encreased; but from its natural quality it imbibes considerably 

 more water in making it into broad. The mill-stones must not be cut too deep, but 

 the furrows very fine, and picked in the usual way. The mills should work with less ' 

 velocity in grinding hard corn than with soft, and set to work at first with soft 

 corn, till the mill ceases to work well; then put on the hard corn. Hard wheat al- 

 ways sells at a higher price in the market than soft wheat, on an average of ten to 

 fifteen per cent; as it produces more floor in proportion, and less bran than ths 

 soft corn. 



Flour made from hard wheat is more esteemed than what is made from soft 

 corn and both sorts are applied to ererf purpose. 



