Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-11-04

Until recently II was believed that the
only thing to be sought for In the produc-
tion of good article of flour was q more OF
less fine disintegntion of the kernels OF
wheat. AS long as mllers held to the the
ory that grinding was all that was required,
a large percentage of the flour had its nu-
tritive 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
flour in which any large portion of the
starch globules have been thus broken
down. The rising of bread is due to the
starch globues which remain whole, whilst
the dust from the disentegrated ones, by
sOuring, impairs the lightness and sweet
ness of the loaf. II is but recently that
these facts have been made known to mil
lers, and since that time they have been
dlscarding their old theories and machinery
and devising improvements with the view
to separating the starch globules, rather
than pulveriZing them. Another import
ant advance in this industry consists of an
Improvement in boiling 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 requifed for this process, and al
though t is carried on in closed room,
there is not only great waste of the finer
particles of flour, but the impalpable dust
pt netrates every part of the mill and often
gives rise to destructive explosions. BY a
recent invention, electricity Is made to
take the place of the air blast. Just over
the wire boiling cloth, which has rapid
reciprocal motion, number of hard rub
Der cylinders are kept slowly revolving and
rubbing against strips OF sheepskin, by
which large amount of fractional electric
ityis evolved. Then, as the middlings are
sieved by the reciprocal motion, the light
er bran comes to the top, whence, instead
of being blown away by al air blast, IL is
attracted. to the electricallay charged cylin-
ders, as light substances are attracted 10
piece of paper, or a stick of sealing wax
which has been smartly rubbed. The re-
moval of the bran from the rollers, and Its
deposit on one side, are readily affected,
while the -four is carried in another dlrec-
tiCn. The separation Is thus made COM
plete, with very little loss of dust. Still
another device has been introduced, to re-
move from the wheat, before being ground,
small pieces of iron, which, despite the ut
most care, will find their way into the
grain, working great injury to mill ma
chinery. This trouble is now remedied by
the use of series of magnets, directly under
which all tie grain is made to pass. These
magnets readily catch all the stray pieces
of iron from the wire bands used In bind
ing; and they have also revealed the sim
gular fact that, of the scraps of iron and
steel which find their way into the
grain, fully one third are something be-
sides the binding wire. They are of larger
proportions, of varying character, and
much more hurtful to the machinery than
the wire. Thus i Is that science is con-
stantly coming to the aid of all the various
industries, tightening the labor of the
workmen, decreasing the cost of products,
and in every way improving all the various
processes which are involved in the inn
proved and constantly advancing civiliza-
tion Of the age.