66 
The Middleman in Agriculture. 
commonest flour may be sold at 15s. per sack, while the finest 
may make 30s. or more. Of course, the lowest-priced flours are 
not supposed to be used for bread-making, but in some of the 
poorer districts no doubt they are so used. One of the arts and 
mysteries of the baking trade is to combine the various qualities 
of flour in such proportions as to satisfy alike the taste of 
the consumer and the pocket of the vendor. 
We trench here upon ground which some may think to be 
delicate. Accusations are not infrequently made in the columns 
of the press that bakers use rice and potatoes and other adul- 
terants in making bread. It is qinte possible that such nefarious 
practices prevail in certain localities, and that 
“ Chalk and alum and plaster are sold to the poor as bread.” 
But there is no adequate evidence to show that this is common. 
On the contrary, so far as the reports of public analysts go, 
bread and flour would seem to be almost the least adulterated 
articles of food. Thus in 1891 there were 799 samples of bread 
taken and only eight were found to be adulterated ; while out of 
437 samples of flour taken only one was condemned. It is true 
that the taking of samples is done in a very partial manner. 
In several counties not a single sample was taken throughout the 
year, and in others the number taken was so few as to be practi- 
cally useless. This, however, is the fault of the local authorities 
for not more stringently carrying out the law against adultera- 
tion, and on the evidence given it is only fair to say that no 
sweeping indictment would lie against the trade in this respect. 
A striking fact which has done duty in many quarters during 
the past two or three months will bear repetition because of its 
obvious force. The Aerated Bread Company does an enormous 
business in London and its suburbs, as all who are familiar with 
the Metropolis are aware. At its last annual meeting of share- 
holders held on October 31, 1892, the Chairman of the Company 
announced a dividend of 30 per cent., in addition to an interim 
dividend of 7-k per cent., while an additional profit of 5,000Z. was 
put by. These remarkable results were attained, according to 
the explanation officially given by the Chairman, “ not by specu- 
lation, but by continuous and constant labour,” a creditable fact 
which everyone will readily believe. But there was a further 
cause which was thus explained by the Chairman. He said 
“ they had had a great fall in prices this year. A collapse in 
prices took place last year at the beginning of the Company’s 
financial year, and therefore they, as merchants, manufacturers, 
and retailers, had reaped the full benefit of that great reduction, 
while on the other hand it had been ruin to the importers and . 
consumers ” — the last word obviously being a misprint for “ pro- 
