er respectively,--

_Whole grain._ _Fine Flour._
Wheat, 156 lbs. 130 lbs.
Indian Corn, 140 110

Of the material out of which the animal muscle is to be formed, the
whole meal or grain of wheat contains one-fifth more than the finest
flour does. For maintaining muscular strength, therefore, it must be
more valuable in an equal proportion.

3. _Bone material and Saline matter._--Of these mineral constituents, as
they may be called, of the animal body, a thousand pounds of bran, whole
meal and fine flour, contain respectively,--

Bran, 700 lbs.
Whole meal, 170 "
Fine flour, 60 "

So that in regard to this important part of our food, necessary to all
living animals, but especially to the young who are growing, and to the
mother who is giving milk--the whole meal is three times more nourishing
than the fine flour.

Our case is now made out. Weight for weight, the whole grain or meal is
more rich in all these three essential elements of a nutritive food,
than the fine flour of wheat. By those whose only desire is to sustain
their health and strength by the food they eat, ought not the whole meal
to be preferred? To children who are rapidly growing, the browner the
bread they eat, the more abundant the supply of the materials from which
their increasing bones and muscles are to be produced. To the
milk-giving mother, the same food, and for a similar reason, is the most
appropriate.

A glance at their mutual relations in regard to the three substances,
presented in one view, will show this more clearly. A thousand pounds of
each contain of the three several ingredients the following proportions.

Whole meal. Fine flour.
Muscular matter, 156 lbs. 130 lbs.
Bone material, 170 " 60 "
Fat, 28 " 20 "

Total in each, 354 210

Taking the three ingredients, therefore, together, the whole meal is
one-half more valuable for fulfilling all the purposes of nutrition than
the fine flour--and especially it is so in regard to the feeding of the
young, the pregnant, and those who undergo much bodily fatigue.

It will not be denied that it is for a wise purpose that the Deity has
so intimately associated, in the grain, the several substances which are
necessary for the complete nutrition of animal bodies. The above
considerations show how unwise we are in attempt