Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-08-18
lFlCUr Manufacture.

Until recently, saws The editor OF the
science department in the Californian,
it was believed that the only thing to be
sought for in the production Of a good
article of flour was a more or less fine
dsintergratsn OF the kernels Of wheat.
AS long as mlllers held to the theory
that grinding was all that was requir-
cd, a large percentage Of the flour had
its nutritive powers greatly reduced by
being ground to an impalpable dust.
Science, by aid Of the microscope, has
shown that no really good bread can be
made from -four in which any large
portion of the starch globules have been
thus broken down. The rising Of bread
is due TO the starch globulcs which re-
main whole, while the dust from the
disintegrated ones. by souring, impairs
the lishtness and sweetness Of the Loaf.
It's but recently that these facts have
been made known to miilers, and since
that time they have been discarding
their old theories and machinery and
deyising Improvements with the view to
separating the starch globules rather
than pulverising them. Another i'm
portant advance in this industry consists
of an Improvement in betting machines.
Until recently the bran was separated
from the flour by powerful air blast,
which blows OFF the light particles of
bran. Considerable power is required
for this process. and, although it Is
carried on in closed room, there is not
only great waste Of the finer particles
OF -four, hut the impalpable dust pene-
trates every part of the mill, and often
gives rise to destructive explosions. By
a recent inveoiion, electricity is made
to take the place Of the air-blast. Just
over the WIRE boiling cloth, which has
rapid reciprocal motion, q number Of
hard-rubber cylinders are kept slowly
revolving and rubbing aga inst STRIPS Of
shcepskln, by which a large amount Of
frictional electricity is evolved. Theu,
as the middii1gs are sieyed by the re-
ciprocal motion, the lighter bran comes
to Tie top, whence, instead Of being
blowing away by an ar blast, it is at
trac.ed TO the c lectrically- charged
cylinders, as light substances are at
tyac.ed to a piece ofpaper or q stick Of
sealing wax, which has been smartly
rubbed. The removal Of the bran from
the rollers and its deposit on one side
are readily effected, while the flour is
carried in another direction. The sepa-
ration IS thus made compile, with very
little loss or dust. Still another device
las also been introduced to remove
from Tie wheat, before being ground.
small pieces o. iron which, despite the
utmost care, VIII find its way into the
grain, working great injary to mill ma
cllnory. This trouble is now remedied
by the use Of a series Of magnets, direct.
ly under which all the grain IS made to
pass. These magnets readily capture
all The stray pieces Of iron from the wire
bands used in binding; and they have
also revealed the singular fact. that, Of
The scraps Of iron and steel which find
their way into the grain, fully one-thlrd
are something beside the binding wire.
They are Of larger proportions, of vary
ing character, and much more hurtful 20
the machinery than the wire. Thus 1t
is that science is constantly coming to
our aid in all our varied industries,
tightening the labor Of the workman,
decreasing the cost Of products, and in
every way improving all the improved
and constantly advancing civilization of
the age.