In the
first place, even were the percentages of the different components
exactly the same in each grade, still the difference in weight would of
itself be sufficient to justify a marked difference in price. This
requires no proof, for, other things being equal, fifty-nine pounds is
worth more than fifty-five pounds. Again, the figures show that No. 3
contained nearly four times as much foreign matter as No. 1. Millers
certainly should not be expected to pay for foreign seeds or other
substances valueless for their purpose, at the price of wheat. Finally,
if the analysis proves anything, it proves that the lower grades contain
a decidedly larger percentage of components which it is generally
agreed, whether directly or the reverse, ought not to be incorporated
with the flour, and are, therefore, of comparatively little value to the
miller. This is shown by the relative amounts of cellulose, ash, and
phosphorus present. Cellulose, as every one knows, is the woody,
indigestible substance which is found in the bran, and the greater the
amount of cellulose, the heavier will be the bran in proportion to the
flour producing elements. According to the figures presented, No. 3
contained nearly one-quarter more cellulose than No. 1, while the amount
in No. 2 was slightly less than in No. 3. The ash, too, which represents
the mineral constituents of the wheat, is directly dependent upon the
quantity of bran.
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