[ 49 ] 



adverted to: fo little indeed has this been done, 

 that is is only cafually that it is taken notice of at 

 all; though the foregoing experiments clearly prove 

 it to be of the mod eflfential importance with re- 

 fpett to the total amount of the crop. 



PAPER THIRD. 



' OF ARDENT SPIRITS AFFORDED BY POTATOES. 



i 



§. I. 



THE ufes of the potatoe as a food for man, 

 and the domeftick animals he rears, are al- 

 ready pretty well known $ but it is not in general 

 underftood that from this plant may alfo be ob- 

 tained a vinous fpirit, of an excellent quality, in 

 very large proportions. A good many years ago 

 an account of an experiment made in Sweden to 

 afcertain this fadt was publifhed in the memoirs of 

 the Philofophical Society of Stockholm. This, to- 

 gether with fome obfeure hints I received from the 

 late ingenious Dr. John Gregory, of fome fimilar 

 experiments that had been made with fuccefs in 

 the North of Scotland, induced me to make the 

 following trial. 



Experiment 



