The anthrax sent to Mr. Daschle, government officials said, was finely milled so that it would float a considerable distance on the smallest of air currents.

To fill these trays the same company also supplies seedling starting soil mix, which is finely milled, plus potting mixes that can be used for later transplanting when the seedlings mature.

The coins' edges are finely milled with lettering, though the exact design of the edge can vary between states with some choosing to write the issuing state's name or denomination around the edge (see "edges" below).

The lightness of the cassava starch, which is finely milled, gives the bread a special texture.

The mouthfeel of the oatmeal is changed as the oatmeal is finely milled to decrease cooking time, and the oatmeal is treated with chemical preservatives and flavorants.

Most are finely milled, which is essential when starting fine seed that resembles pepper grains.

But investigators who at first thought the anthrax mailed to Mr. Daschle was so finely milled and highly concentrated that it was likely to have been obtained from a state- sponsored weapons program have now revised their assessment.

Other government officials said the germ spores were finely milled, and could easily spread through the air to infect a lot of people.

Still, some critics questioned why the agency did not act sooner to protect postal workers if it knew that the germs were indeed finely milled enough to travel through the air easily and infect people.

(When corn is finely milled, the germ explodes into dust.)