BRAN, the husks of ground wheat, rye,, corn or other cereals, separated from the flour. The nutritive value of these husks increases as we proceed from the outside of the grain toward the interior. The outer skin, or coarse bran, is very indigestible, owing to the pres ence of silica. The inner skins, called pol lards, are more nutritious, containing from 12 to 15 per cent of nitrogenous matter and from 20 to 50 per cent of starch. Unless ground very finely, however, they have been known to occasion irritation of the bowels and, in some cases, diarrhoea. Though rich in nitrogen, bran appears to possess but little nutritive value as human food. It may be of use to the well-fed, who need a laxative, but to the poor who need nourishment it is of very little use. It is, how ever, of some commercial value, being largely employed in the feeding of horses, cattle and other live stock The preponderating volume of bran on the market is wheat bran, which is produced at the rate of 45 pounds for every barrel of flour manufactured. The analysis of
wheat bran shows it to be composed of starch, 52 per cent; gluten (gliadin and glutenin), 14.9 per cent; fat, 3.6 per cent; sugar, 1 per cent; wood fibre, 9.7 per cent; salts, 5 per cent; water, 13.8 per cent. As compared with flour, wheat bran contains one-fourth less starch; one-fourth more gluten; three times as much fat; and seven times as much mineral salts. Rice bran contains twice as much fat as wheat bran but less proteids and as a rule has a pro portion of the siliceous rice hulls which are liable to cause fatal digestive ailments in live stock. Another commercial use for wheat bran is brightening goods during the process of dye ing and calico printing.