178 F. B. GUTHRIE AND G. W. NORMS. 



appear more profitable to the baker to blend his flours than 

 to use flour of one quality from a mixture of wheats, and 

 that the addition of a small proportion of weak flour to his 

 strong flour, so far from reducing the water absorbing 

 power of the latter, actually increases it. 



In order to judge of the relative baking nature of these 

 flours and blends the flours obtained in the last experiment 

 were baked into small loaves (160 grammes flour being 

 taken in each instance) and the volume of each loaf calcu- 

 lated from its displacement of wheat. This amount is 

 given in cubic centimetres: — 



Loaf from 160 grammes. Volume. 



A (Velvet Bar) 542*6 cubic centimetres 



B (Comeback) 579*3 



Blend No. 1 (J A and i B) ... 552*7 



Blend No. 2 (| A and J B) ... 558*7 



Blend No. 3 Q A and f B) ... 583*0 „ 



Not only were the volumes of the strong-flour loaves 

 larger, but the admixture of a small proportion of the weak 

 flour gave a loaf of larger volume than was obtained from 

 the strong-flour used alone. The loaves from B and from 

 blend No. 3 were beautifully even in texture and in shape, 

 the loaves from the weak flour and from the blends in which 

 weak flour predominated being of inferior texture and 

 exceedingly irregular in shape, which latter peculiarity 

 may be seen from the attached outlines which represent 

 the contour of the loaves cut through the centre. 



