Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-04-08
agricultural.
WHEAT
READ BEFoRE THE LEvANr FARMERS
CLUB, BY y. w WEST.

1ut DpOh W t'is'S '.'N
cultivation OF wheat is the most impor'
tant of all agricultural operations. and
has more influence upon the civilized
world than any other"
From chemistry we learn that wheat Is
brain food. or in other words it contains
largely the elements requisite for the full
development of this organ in man, and
consequently we find that the progress OF
civilization, and the culture and develop
ment of the intellectual faculties can be
traced by the extent OF its growth and
consumption as food.
We find by an examination Of the sta
tiStics on this subject that over two hun
dred million bushels OF wheat are annual
IN grown in this country. car soil and
climate are adapted to it, and We have
the improved machinery necessary for
the almost unlimited production of this
most valuable and important article of
food.
mental conditions in such pve-eminent
degree, a TO make it empha,ically the
graEarv OF the world The inhabitants
OF the donSelv crow ded portions of the
Old World look to America for their
bread, with anxious, hungry ewes, IN
times OF short crops ut home, and were
our surplus cut oh fora series of years
famine and death would inevitably follow.
such an important branch Of our industry
i therefore. worthy of our most careful
consideration and study.
In discussing this topic, propose to
briefly notice the value OF wheat, the ar
ticle Of food which enters SO largely into
our diet. The experience of all civilized
people agrees with the results OF chemistry
in indicating wheat ~ the first of the
hToad-Pvoduying grains. a comparison
of is comp o~i;ioa with that OF milk and
blood. vii, show at once it, high nu;rjtivc
value as food Milk, YOU are all aware,
constitutes The sole food from which all
the parts Of lie Young animal are formed;
while blood m@st necessarily represent
the whole body r. - chemical con>titu-
ton, ~ ii supplies The entire body with
elements OF nutrition. II j., found by
comparison that tour is almost identical
IN is composition with either blood OF
milk. which contain a., the elements of
nutrition The analogy, however, does
not extend 90 the relative quantities OF
each element. Hence, We see. that wheat
i, admirably adapted 70 ;hc purpose OF
furnishing man with wholesome auJ
nutrition, food, and may be tmphatjcaIly
and truly styled The very ,;afT OF lie.
In thi, communication permit me To
call your attention to the uIoius op,raadi
amo>, universally employed Tor the con
version of wheat into bread. Both the
husbaldllan and The housewife may learn
many valuable lessons from chemistry
upon TAI, subject, which, viewed from "a
Pbysiolosi,a, standpoint. j. of far great
er Importance than any other branch OF
domestic economy. Who does not like
good sweet bread. rich ia an the clc-
mcn,S Of nutrjliuu2 And how essential
it's 10 the l,a',h. growth AMI develop
m,nt of the physical constitution of our
clildcn.
The grain from which bread /, made
consist, u,,tv &c starch. gluten and ,u-
gar. These are 10 bc 50 changed from
their rav stately manipulation and cook
Ing as q become both agreeable TO tlc
taste, aud easy az digestion The gluten
j. cpr'a.a... iu The outer portion, az The
gram. aaJ .ac starch ia The ia,.,.- por.
tior, Ii ha, been found bv eNucrim,n,
that The former decrease, aal the latter
increase, in proportion Co the distance
from :heceuuc OF The kernel.
The gluten = tou- .ry and more difficult
20 g.iut than the starch. hence The fines,
and whites, flour. obtained Lv repeated
sittiugS. contains "A larger proportion Of
starch while the darker colcr,J Aorr !
richer. i'm gluten, and. a, The nu,ri,;vc
properties of flour are in proportion 10 the
quantity OF Gluten. the latter Kind will
make the most nutritious bread I, tho
process, Of DIGESTION Tho system, c,,,.r,s
the gluten into flesh and muscular fibre
while the starch i, either lurn.,iupip IN.
stomach for the production OF heat or sq
some chemists maintain !, ,L,pooJ