[ 3^7 I 



^ould fcarccly have known it from that vegetable ; 

 the rooc had a fweet and rather earthy tafVe, fomc- 

 what like the beet, but not fo earthy ; it was irjore 

 like a turnip boiled with fugar, and was far fioni* 

 being a plcafant food to iny palate, though cer- 

 tainly very eatable. From its fwcetnefs 1 fhould 

 fuppolc a faccharine juice might be produced, from 

 whence by didillation a fpirit nilgljt be extracted, 

 and pofTibly fupcrior to what has been drawn from 

 potatoes. 



The plants were afrerwards fuffl-red to remain 

 till the i8:h of November 1788, when the remain- 

 ing fixty-fiye plants were taken up, in order to be 

 carefully putafidc to be replanted again next fpring 

 for {ct^d, 1 had them weighed, the leaves by 

 themfclves and the roots by themfelves, and the 

 weight of the whole crop was as follows : 



Pounds. 

 The leaves and tops of the 65 plants weighed - 202 

 The roots weighed ----- 340I 



Total weight 5421 



The comer plant, which had more fpace to extend 

 its roots and branches in, was fo large that I was 

 induced to weigh it by itfelf, and I found the 

 leaves weij;hed - - * -^ 6f 



The root - • - - - 15 J 



Total - 22 



This 



