The French were the ones to bring white flour to the party, and it soon caught on. From the early 1880s roller milling began to replace millstones and the fine white flour produced on an industrial scale begins to take over. Traditional rural mills could not compete, especially as new railway systems could bring the new product right into the heart of their markets. By the end of the 19th century for example virtually every surviving corn mill had closed in the Yorkshire Dales. Some had already been adapted to become textile mills. Others were used as saw mills or converted to generate electricity. Wales held on to its values a little longer, and most closed down sometime around the early 1900's..