Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-23
A LOAF OF BREAD.


From the Philadelphia Ledger
An English correspondent writes concerning the
regulation Of bread weight by law as follows:
"The baker Guys his -four by the sack Of 2SO
pounds. and, after adding water salt and yeast to
It, there will be from 40 to 40 pounds Of dough,
according to the quality OF the -four For quar-
tern loaf this dough is weighed on in pieces Of
pounds ounces, the odd ounces being found to
be the losss OF moisture by baking. For half
Quartern loaf half the weight Of dough Is taken.
may add that some bakers allow z or ounces
for loss while baking, according to che shape Of the
loaf or length Of time the bread is In the oven.
From an extensive knowledge know this weighing
on the dough is most carefully performed. After
this Is done the loaves will not all come out OF the
oven the same weight. 1t takes some ten or fifteen
TO empty It, and, as the oven can have but one
door, the loavos that go In first are taken out last
These having r,, half an hours more baking viii
one side OF an oven Will be hotter than another, or
the far end may be hotter than the 'front.' or II the
more than another kind. Again, in weighing on
the dough, however clever man may be, he can
not cut on from the mass exactly pounds and6
ounces and the piece or pieces he adds TO make
weight sometimes do not adhere to the proper loaf
and get moulded or made up with the wrong loaf;
overweight Now an important point. 1t does
not follow that in purchasing loaf or short
weight the buyer is defrauded. From the
few points / nave mentioned It Is clear
there is as much nutriment In a short
weight loaf as in one OF full weight; there is
less water, that is all How moisture affects the
weight OF bread ! will show. Prof. Richardson
gives some experiments as to how the moisture OF
The atmosphere affects the weight OF flour, and,
though he gives no experiments as to bread, 1t Is
self-evident that humid or dry atmosphere will
AFFECT II, though admit not to the same extent.
Al 10 am. on March %, 1850, samples OF hour were
weighed. One weighed 1916 pounds At the same
time next day-the flour had not been moved or
touched-this sample weighed s5 pounds. An
other sample during the same period rose from
10000 pounds to 107.l6 pounds. These same sam
pies gained daily in weight up to 10 am. on March
109.SO pounds, and 1Oa66 pounds. The next day,
March rs, at 1 O'Clock, change OF weather having
o sney e 70 ne Ws
TO emphasize is that these f1ours show short
weight bread does not necessarily defraud the
public, unless, OF course, the short-weight were
AMERICAN WEIGHT.
In the barrels OF flour sold here the usual weight
1876 pounds. makes about 27O pounds OF dough. II
1t Is poor flour 1t will take up less water. The
Of the barrel for the labor and to divide The dough
Into the number or loaveS necessary to repay that
sum- Either their loaves would be smaller, or the
same size sold for a higher price, to make the
fixed pront when -four rose in price.
The English correspondent above quoted goes
on 10 say: ''Some OF the latest machine introduce
lions In the trade are those for weighing 10 the
utmost nicely these pieces OF dough for mould
ing into loaveS. These machines cost considera-
un oseI SoVO each EVeryWnere Ine BAKING trade
Is endeavoring, and succeeding, too, In leaving
behind the old and unsuitable methods OF
breadmaking, and at an enormous expense to
themselves the bakers are doing all they can to
secure that the public shall have the best, the
healthieSt and most nutritious bread that can be
made; and as an illustration, there is within half
mile Of the houses OF parliament a bakery which
for hygienc appliance and for architectural beauty
Is unsurpassed In the world. This bakery has cost
nearly $lOO, 200 In building. Nor is iG solitary
example, for every day all over the country new
and expensive bakeries, fitted with the most per-
feet appliances that hygiene and science can sup
ply, are being erected. These altered conditions
necessitate the repeal Of restrictive and injurious
laws The liking Of weight by law has had the
effect OF turning the pubic mind from the cues
ton OF quality to that or quantity"