140 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I9O2. 



DISCUSSION. 



It is unnecessary to explain at length the terms employed in 

 this discussion. It may be remarked that protein occupies an 

 especially important place among the nutrients, since it can, to a 

 certain extent, replace the fats and carbohydrates, while neither 

 of the latter can replace the protein. Since the foods rich in 

 protein are among the most expensive, it will be readily seen why 

 the percentage of nitrogen present should be considered as of 

 prime importance. 



The amount of crude fiber or woody matter present gives us 

 some clue as to the extent to which the outer covering of the 

 grain has been removed. Thus, the whole (undecorticated) wheat 

 kernel contains about 2.40 per cent of crude fiber, all of which 

 remains in graham flour. The so-called entire wheat flour, of 

 which the Franklin Mills flour is an example, is from the decor- 

 ticated kernel, and contains from .80 to 1.00 per cent of crude 

 fiber. In the manufacture of ordinary white flour, not only the 

 outer coatings of the wheat kernel are removed, but the inner 

 envelopes as well, leaving only from .20 to .40 per cent of crude 

 fiber in the finished product. In the discussion which follows, 

 the term "decorticated grain" will be used to signify the grain 

 from which the outer coatings only have been removed. 



The methods of analysis employed are those in general use. 

 The heats of combustion were determined by the use of Atwater's 

 bomb calorimeter. 



CORN PREPARATIONS. 



The 8 samples of hominy and samp examined agree as closely 

 in composition as could be expected. The differences in fat 

 content are probably due to varying amounts of the chit or germ 

 left in the process of manufacture. The Cerealine Flakes differ 

 from the other corn preparations in that they have been previ- 

 ously cooked and require but little additional cooking to fit them 

 for use, while the hominy and samp require long cooking. 



Of the 8 corn preparations examined, 5 show as little variation 

 in cost as in composition, the prices ranging from 4J/2 to 5^ 

 cents per pound. The method of preparing the Cerealine Flakes 

 may, perhaps justify an increased price, but why F S Granu- 

 lated Hominy should sell at 9.2 cents per pound and Nichol's 

 Pearl Hominy at less than one-half that amount is not evident. 



