The morning call., 1894-06-10
GRAINS OF WHEAT.
Various Operations They Undergo
Before Becoming Flour.

Before Becoming Flour.
One who has never been IN a Touring mill OF
the largest size cannot realize what a PECULIAR
lot Of noises are made by the machinery. AS
soon as the wheat enters the machine from the
long spout which brings it down from the upper
floors II falls between two rollers OF iron
"chied" iron. they call il. and very bard iron
it Is, too. One Of these rollers reyolVes rapidly,
the other more slowly, in order that the sepa-
ration OF the coat or bran, from the kernel may
be more easily ACCOMPLISHED.
TIE wheat fTsl passes between rollers sepa-
rated just enough To allow the coat to be
crushed. Ii l. then carried away up 10 the top
OF the mill again, 10 a room where the sun
vainly tries To SHINE In through the Hour coated
windows far above the cty's roofs. 1t next
pas ses over vine sieve, which separates tile
bran IRON the kernel proper.
This bran, Which contains much OF the
flour material, again passes down and Is
ground once more, this process being repeated
four times, making five grindings, each one
finer than the one preceding II.
Each time the iOrous or bran portions are
more completely seDarated, and at last the
bran comes out clear, brOwnlsh husk, with
every particle Of -four removed.
The inside part of the kernel has mean
while been going through a very interesting
process. After the hrsi grinding OF breaking
it passes 10 a big SiX-sided revolving wheel.
covered with fine wire netting or sieve.
! Through this reel the finer portions of the
| kernel pass, coming ont in what Is called
! "mIddlings." a graduated mass, which goes
back 10 the rollers for another crushing.
The process IS repeated through lVe leels. all
but tie first being of silN. The last one has 100
threads TO the lineal inch. Tie -four which
comes out OF the fifth reel will white in hue is
vet not of the finest or "patent" grade. but
is classed as bakers" or second-grade flour.
The middlings above referred 10 are purified
by an interesting process. They are passed
over a fine wire sieve through tie upper part
of which strong current of air Is passed. This
holds in suspense The tiny portions Of hbrous
mater which may have been in the -four, and.
at last, after this process of middlngs purifying
! has been careful y carried out, he -four ap
| pears q sDOtleSs, shown whiIe-the patent
! flour, as it is called.
In the process of grinding in this gradual and
repeated way the germ OF the wheat-a tiny
particle about The size of a mustard seed-l:
separated from the white -four Ii is Wba
| one might call the life part of the wheat.
| IL 1t were ground up il would not leave tbS
"patenr' -four so White aud pOwdery. so il I:
separated in one of the SieviDgS and passes int
the darker or lower grade of -four. 1t con
! talus however the best and most nu ritiOu
! part OF the wheat.
The last thing that happens TO the pulveriZeC
kernel before II is ready for market is The tiiinI
| of barrels or sacks. Down many sIorie
/ through a smooth tube comes the white. o
| patent, flour. Under he tube Is the barrel o
sack, the case may be. and as IL begins 10 hi
/ a steel auger just The size Of the barrel bore
down INTO the flour, packing Il carefully AM
| sOlidly beneath the broad badeS,-St. Nicholas