Finally comes the question of the variation in the composition of bread due to the presence or absence of the germ. The first point in this connection is to decide whether germ is present in appreciable proportions in any flour except wholemeal. The germ is a soft moist substance which flattens much more readily than it grinds. Consequently it is removed from flour by almost any kind of separation, even when very coarse sieves are employed. If this contention is correct no flour except wholemeal should contain any appreciable quantity of germ, and it is certainly very difficult to demonstrate the presence of actual germ particles even in 80 per cent. flour. Indirect evidence of the presence of germ may, however, be obtained as already explained by estimating by chemical analysis the proportion of fat present in various flours. The figures for such estimations are given by Dr Hamill in the report of the Local Government Board already referred to. They show that the percentages of fat in different grades of flours made from the same blends of wheat are on the average of seven experiments as follows: patents flour ·96: household flours 1·25: 80 per cent. or standard flour 1·42. These figures show that the coarser flours containing more of the whole grain do contain more germ than the flours of commercially higher grade, in spite of the fact that it is difficult to demonstrate its presence under the microscope. Remembering, however, that the whole of the germ only amounts to about 1½ per cent. of the grain, it is clear that the presence or absence of more or less germ cannot appreciably affect the food-value as measured by protein content or energy-value. It is still open to contention that the germ may contain some unknown constituent possessing a peculiar effect on nutrition. Such a state of things can well be imagined in the light of certain experimental results which have been obtained during the last few years.