r of liquorice 1.00
Gluten 14.90
Fatty matter 3.60
Woody matter 9.70
Salts .50
Water 13.90
Incrusting matter and aromatic principles (by difference) 3.40
------
100.

The conclusion to be drawn from this analysis is, that bran is an
alimentary substance. If it contains six per cent. more of woody
matter than the rough, flour, it has also more gluten, double that
of fatty matter, besides two aromatic principles which have the
perfume of honey, and both of which are wanting in the fine flour.
Thus by bolting, wheat is impoverished in its most valuable
principles, merely to remove a few hundredths of woody matter.

The economical suggestion which springs from these views is, that
the bran and coarse flour should be reground and then mixed with the
fine flour. Millon states that he has ascertained, by repeated
experiments, that bread thus made is of superior quality, easily
worked, and not subject to the inconvenience of bread manufactured
from the rough flour, such as is made in some places, and especially
in Belgium.

Opinions similar to those above noticed are entertained by Professor
Daubeny. "The great importance attached to having bread perfectly
white is a prejudice," he says, "which leads to the rejection of a
very wholesome part of the food, and one which, although not
digestible alone, is sufficiently so in that state of admixture with
the flour in which nature has prepared it for our use." After
quoting the remarks of Professor Johnston on the same side of the
question, he adds, "that according to the experiments of Magendie,
animals fed upon fine flour died in a few weeks, whilst they thrived
upon the whole meal bread." Brown bread, therefore, should be
adopted, not merely on a principle of economy, but also as providing
more of those ingredients which are perhaps deficient in the finer
parts of the flour.--("Gardeners' Chronicle," January 27th, 1849, p.
53.)