[ 57 ] 



and to others who have opportunity to make theft 

 experiments, to difcover the caufes of this peculia- 

 rity, and other particulars relating to it. 



If the vegetable fubftance that is fubje&ed to fer- 

 mentation contain but a fmall proportion of fer- 

 mentable matter, it will not be pofilble ever to free 

 the fpirits from the peculiar flavour of the vege- 

 table; for that large proportion of unaffimilated 

 matter being fubjected to diftillation, along with the 

 fermented liquor, will of neceffity yield its oil by 

 the heat employed to diftil the fpirits. This feems 

 to be particularly the cafe with regard to carrots, 

 parfnips, and turnips, all of which I have tried, and 

 found that although they could be made to undergo 

 the procefs of fermentation, and to yield a consider- 

 able proportion of ardent fpirits, yet that thefe 

 fpirits were ftrongly tainted with the flavour of the 

 vegetables from whence they were obtained, and fo 

 intolerably naufeous, that they never could be em- 

 ployed for food by man. In the procefs above, de- 

 fcribed, the whole of the matter of the potatoes was 

 fubje&ed to diftillation. What effett would have 

 been produced by feparating the grofs fediment 

 from the tranfparent fluid above it, after the fer- 

 mentation was over, cither as to the quantity ar 

 quality of the ipirit, I had not an opportunity of 

 E 4 remarking i 



