The Democratic advocate., 1880-11-06
Flour Manufacture ,

Until recently says the editor Of the
science department in the Californian, il
was believed that the only thing to be
sought for 10 the production Of a good
article Of -four was more or less fine dis
integration of the kernels of wheat. As
long as miIlers held to the theory that
"grinding" was all that was required, a
large percentage Of the -four had its nutri-
tive 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 globulOs have been thus broken
down. The rising of bread is due to the
starch globules which remain whole, while
the dust from the disintegrated ones, by
souring, impalrs the lightness and sweet
ness Of the loaf 1t is but recently
that these facts have been made known
to millers, and since that time they
have been discarding their old theo.
ries and machinery and deVising i'm.
provements with the view to separating
the starch globules rather than pulyerizing
them, Another important advance in
this industry consists of an improvement
in betting machines. Until recently the
bran was separated from the -four by
powerful air-blast, which blows off the
light PARTICLES of bran. Considerable pow.
er is required for this process, and, al
though it is carried on 10 a closed room,
there is not only great waste of the finer
PARTICLES Of flour, but the impalpable dust
penetrates every part Of the mill, and often
gives rise to destructive explosions. BY
recent invention, electricity is made to
take the place of the air-blast. just over
the wire boiling cloth, which has rapid
reciprocal motion, a number of hard.rub.
Der cylinders are kept slowly revolving
and rubbing against strips Of sheepskin,
by which n large amount OF frietioual
electricity is evolved Then as the mid
dlings are sieved by the reciprocal motion,
the lighter bran comes TO the top, whence,
instead Of being blown away by an air
blast, it is attracted to the electrically.
charged cylinders, as light substances are
attracted to piece of paper or a stick of
sealing wax, which has been smartly rub.
bed. The removal of the bran from the
rollers aud its deposit on one side are
readily effected, while the -four is carried
in another direction. The separation is
thus made complete, with very little loss
or dust. Still another device has also
been introduced to remove from the wheat,
before being ground, small pieces Of iron
which, despite the utmost care, will fnd
its way into the grain, working great in-
jury to mill machinery. This trouble is
now remedied by the use of a series of
magnets, directly under which all the
grain is made to pass. These magnets
readily capture all the stray pieces of iron
from the wire bunds used in bindiug and
they have also revealed the singular fact,
that, of the scraps Of iron and steel which
fnd their way into the grain, fully one
third are something beside. the binding
wire. They are of larger proportions, of
varying character, and much more hur;ful
to the machinery than the wire. Thus it
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 i'm.
proving all the various processes which
are involved 10 the improved aud con-
stantly advancing civilization Of the age.