628 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
trough which contains water, and is traversed through its length 
by an Archimedian screw. This carries the wheat slowly along 
the trough to the discharge end, where it now, in a moistened 
state, falls down a tube to the unbranning or decorticating cylin- 
ders. These are formed of cylinders of cast-iron, ridged on their 
interior diameters, and with closed ends. A screw shaft traverses 
the centre of them, carrying broad arms or floats set at an angle, 
diagonal, or ‘ aslant ’ to the face of the cylinder, and with a dia- 
meter so much less than that as to cause friction, but to allow the 
grain to pass without crushing. A rapid rotation is given to this 
central shaft, and, owing to the angle at which the floats are set, 
a slight progressive motion is given to the grain. The friction 
causes a large proportion of the true bran — epidermis, epicarp, &c. 
— to be separated; and this is removed, as it is separated, by a 
blast driven through the cylinder in a direction contrary to the 
motion of the shaft, which also has the effect of drying the excess 
of moisture of the grain. It then passes along a spout into a 
second cylinder, where it undergoes the same process ; and, finally, 
is carried into the drying-chambers, composed of a series of iron 
troughs, along which the grain is propelled by screw sliafts, a 
current of dry warm air being driven along them in an opposite 
direction. It then, quite dry, receives its last friction in the 
polishing cylinders, where the friction is limited to that of the 
grains themselves, and leaves it in a dry, smooth, rounded form. 
As this generates a considerable elevation of temperature, it re- 
quires to undergo a cooling process before storing or using. This 
is effected by carrying it up to the upper floor, and allowing it to 
fall down inclined planes through a flat shoot, up which a blast of 
cold air is driven.” 
4. Observations on Meat (Butchers’-meat), in relation to 
the Changes to which it is liable under different circum- 
stances. By John Davy, M.D., F.E.SS., London and 
Edinburgh, &c. 
Animal food is of so much importance, in relation to our wants 
as to diet, that I have been induced to make some experiments on 
