Chemical Notes on WJieat and Flour. 337 



as " middlings '' are ground between stones. Remembering 

 that the coats of the wheat adhere very firmly to the floury 

 material, and that the portion of the grain closely attached 

 to the bran coats is the most highly nitrogenous of the 

 whole, we can understand that this outer floury portion is 

 to a certain extent carried away attached to bran, and that 

 the flour from this part of the grain is so contaminated 

 with small pieces of bran that the color is darker than the 

 flour from the interior of grain. This darker flour, rich in 

 gluten, forms " strong bakers'," while the whiter and less 

 nitrogenous material is known as "patent." A third kind 

 is known as "low grade." It is very dark in color, and con- 

 tains numerous particles of bran and germ. Although 

 highly nitrogenous, it contains only a low percentage of 

 gluten, and will yield a very dark bread, owing both to 

 presence of bran and germ and the action of the ferments 

 present in them, which, during process of leavening, act 

 uj)on the starch, converting it into dextrine and allied 

 products. 



The roller process is distinguished for the completeness 

 with which it removes germ of the grain during manufac- 

 ture of flour by flattening and sifting it out. The germ 

 contains much ash, oil and nitrogen, and if allowed to be 

 ground with the flour, darkens it by the presence of the oil, 

 which is readily .oxidised under certain conditions, and 

 renders it very liable to fermentation, owing to the peculiar 

 nitrogenous bodies which it carries. 



In speaking of germ it may be noted that there is at pre- 

 sent on the market an article known as "wheat germ 

 meal," which is sold as a substitute for oatmeal for por- 

 ridge, and for use in other forms. It is an excellent meal, 

 extensively used in Winnipeg and other western cities. 

 The name, however, is misleading, the substance has no 

 connection with the germ. It is really " middlings," the 

 particles of the floury portion of grain that are separated 

 from the coats in passing through the rolls, and which are 

 subsequently converted into flour by grinding between 

 stones. 



As already stated, from the roller mills three grades of 



