The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-05-18
Flour Grades and Why

NlIH prices pyramiding, an explanation Is ~
Wv order Of what is meant by the different
grades" Of -four, for -four is one of the comno-
dties into the making and vending of which TWEEN
tieth century arti6ciallity has largely entered.
Modern housewives have lost sight Of the nutri-
tious quality Of bread in demanding first and fore
most that it shall be lightest and whitest and
progressive mlers, recognizing that the whiteness
of the bread is, to certain extent, dependent on
the whiteness of the -four, have perfected bleach
ing processes to get uniformity Of color in their
product. .&s ~. g.. -...s@ &'.}: ~ .N
1t has been good advertising feature this pre-
dihction OF the multitude for snowy loaves The
idea that the adoption Of modern business methods
has made it possible for the humblest laborer to
eat bread which formerly was only served at the
tables of the wealthy, has therefore been exploited
on a broad and comprehensive scale. .,..,.. ..
What the millers and middlemen have done in
the way of turning popular fallacy into legiti-
mate profits has not, however satisfied the bakers
whose product has been subject to sumptuary con-
troll by municipal governments ever since the bak-
ing of bread became a commercial profession. In
most communities loaf of bakers bread repre-
sents certain definite unit of weight For a GER
tain price, all bakers are expected to supply loaf
weighing no less than the minimum considered the
standard. In the minds of the lawmakers the color
Of the product has been matter of small concern,
ilS NWSiSht appealing ny Aal HhO0t |9oNllIial
feature. o. f%..
To make a long story short, the grades" of -four
based the requirements OF the master-bakers,
and not those of the consumer. The baker
wants -four that will produce the heaviest loaf
Hence the Number /" -four for which the house
wife pays the highest price because she magines
that anything that is called Number y must be
the very best and therefore none too good for the
sovereign American citizens dinner bucket actual
ly is no more nutritious than the lower and cheap
cr grades. "Gy
"Number 2" -four is sold at a lower price than
Number 1" because barrel OF the lower grade
will not make as many loaves of bread. The first
grade Aouris superlatiVe in its water-hodng capa-
city and in that alone. A barrel of Number y
-four is worth more to the baker than barrel Of
Number e." because he sells his bread by weight,
and a loaf of bread made from the best flour con-
tains an appreciably larger percentage OF water
With the housewife who bakes her own bread
the case ought to be different II living can be
brought down to scientific basis; II the days
requirements for each member of the family are
put on the right basis-that of supplying to each
a sum total of Galleries sufficient to maintain health
and the usual activities the lower grades OF -four
are more economical. The baker makes a profit
by using the better -four because by so doing he
can sell more water at -four prices, The house
,vife on the other hand should care most for the
proper feeding of the members OF her household,
at the least cost 1t is not question OF her sell
ing water at -four prices to the members OF her
own family ..... .... IT..