As seen from the above table the most important of the soluble proteins is hordein, which in quantity is almost equal to the insoluble protein of the barley grain. The starch granules of barley are recognized by their distinctive shape and size, as revealed by the microscope. A typical microphotographic view of barley starch is shown in [Fig. 22].
BUCKWHEAT (Polygonum fagopyrum L.).
Buckwheat
is usually classed with the cereals, but botanically it does not belong to the order of true grasses to which the cereals belong.
Buckwheat is commonly grown in many parts of the United States, and its seed is highly prized for bread and cake making purposes. The buckwheat is ground and the outer black tough hull separated, and the flour is used chiefly for making hot breakfast cakes which are much prized throughout the country. Properly ground buckwheat flour has a more or less dark tint, due to fine particles of the outer envelope which escape the bolting process.
Acreage and Yield of Buckwheat.
—This crop is not grown in many states. New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan produce the largest quantities. The statistical data for buckwheat grown in the United States in 1906 are as follows:
| Acreage, | 789,208 | |
| Yield per acre, | 18.6 | bushels |
| Production, | 14,641,937 | „ |
| Price per bushel, | 59.6 | cents |
| Total value, | 8,727,443 | dollars |
Composition of Buckwheat Flour.
—The composition of finely bolted buckwheat flour is as follows: