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66
THE
COMPLETE
PRACTICAL
DISTILLER.
In
this
state,
when
there
are
no
lumps
that
have
es-
caped
the
penetration
of
the
water,
and
when
the
mixture
has
been
agitated
for
ten
minutes,
the
tub
is
left
to
sub-
side
for
half
an
hour;
one-quarter
of
an
hour
is
even
sufficient.
The
object
of
this
operation
is,
as
its
name
indicates,
to
steep
and
soften
the
grain,
by
making
it
absorb
water;
and
the
temperature
of
120°
or
130°
contributes
to
ren-
der
water
more
penetrating
—
consequently,
it
has
been
recognised
the
most
proper
for
steeping.
If the
tem-
perature
was
lower,
its
eflfect
would
be
much
slower,
and
after
a
quarter
or
half
an
hour's
rest
the
corn
might
hap-
pen
not
to
be
sufficiently
steeped.
If
it
was
higher,
on
the
contrary,
the
corn
would
be
apt
to
be
baked,
and
the
operation
might
fail
;
such
would
be
the
eflfect
of
a
tem-
perature
of
180°.
At
this
heat
the
fecula
enveloped
with
gluten
is
baked
to
the
surface
of
each
fragment
of
corn,
and
forms
a
solid
envelope,
which
presents
an
obstable
to
the
easy
penetra-
tion
of the
water
into
the
interior
parts
of
each
of the
fragments;
and
this
penetration
should
indispensably
take
place
before
the
commencement
of
the
following
operation
:
a
real
harm
results
from
not
proceeding
in
such
a
way
as
to
eflfect
it.
It
is
likewise
essential,
in
the
beginning
of
this
operation,
not
to
pour
at
once
into
the
tub
all
the
water
necessary,
and
the
operation
will
always
be
well
conducted
when
the
water
arrives
gradually,
dur-
ing
which
time
the
flour
should
be
well
stirred.
These
rules,
which
have
just
been
established
for
steeping,
are
general,
and
admit
of
no
exceptions,
whatever
be
the na-
ture
and
state
of
the
grain
made
use
of.