BRAN.

Bran, the outer coating of the wheat, contains twice or three times as much fiber as does either of the other products from wheat, and proportionately less of each of the other ingredients except ash, which is greater, perhaps partly due to foreign matter adhering to the kernel. The following analysis shows the amount of constituents removed by the bran (10 lb.) from one bushel of wheat:

	Lb. per Bushel of Wheat.
Water.	1.459
Ash.	0.506
Albuminoids.	1.416
Woody fiber.	1.000
Carbo-hydrates (starchy matters).	5.277
Ash.	0.342

From the foregoing milling products obtained from one bushel of wheat of 60 lb. in weight, the ash on analysis gave the following constituents, which shows the amount that was abstracted from the soil by its growth:

CONSTITUENTS FROM ONE BUSHEL OF WHEAT.

	Nitrogen.	Phosphoric Acid.	Potash.	Lime.
Flour.	0.739	0.092	0.054	0.013
Middlings.	0.105	0.064	0.024	0.002
Shipstuff.	0.056	0.044	0.021	0.003
Bran.	0.228	0.251	0.083	0.012
Totals.	1.118	0.454	0.182	0.030

Or we may express the results in another form, the amount contained in one ton of straw, and the products of 30 bushels of wheat, which may be reckoned as an average crop, expressing the amounts in pounds as follows:

AMOUNTS OF SELECTED CONSTITUENTS IN
THIRTY BUSHELS OF WHEAT AND ITS PROPORTION OF STRAW.

	Nitrogen.	Phosphoric Acid.	Potash.	Lime.
Straw.	11.20	2.67	13.76	6.20
Flour.	22.17	2.76	1.62	0.39
Middlings.	3.15	2.01	0.72	0.06
Shipstuff.	1.68	1.32	0.63	0.09
Bran.	6.84	7.53	2.49	0.36
Totals.	45.04	16.29	19.22	7.10

From numerous investigations it has been found that in regard to the nitrogen and the ash constituents, there is striking evidence of the much greater influence of season than of manuring on the composition of a ripened wheat plant, and especially of its final product—the seed. Further, under equal circumstances the mineral composition of the wheat grain, excepting in cases of very abnormal exhaustion, is very little affected by different conditions as to manuring, provided only that the grain is well and normally ripened. Again, it is found that the composition may vary very greatly with variations of season, that is, with variations in the conditions of seed formation and maturation, upon which the organic composition of the grain depends. In other words, differences in the mineral composition of the ripened grain are associated with differences in its organic composition, and hence the great value of proper selection both for seed and for milling purposes.