J 804. On the life of Steam in Drying Malty bfc'. 41^.. 



2. That all grain which is referved for ftied, or which Is af- 

 terwards intended to be malted, ihould have its daniprjefs cor-c 

 reeled, and be rendered fit for keepinp;, only by the heat of 

 lleam ; bccaufe it is well known, that expofure to a naked fire, 

 however cautiouHy it may be managed, deflroys a great part, if* 

 not the whole, of the embryo germs of feeds. 



3. From the flis2:ht opportuiaities I had of making obferva- 

 teons, it appeared that meal, from grain over-dried, altera (liort 

 ^xpofure, more greedily abforbed moiit are, 'and iooner became 

 elamp, than meal from grain that had been moderately dried.' 

 Hence that drying by iteani is preferable to any other mode, iot 

 grain that is to be reduced into meal. 



• 4. It appears- certain, that potatoes may be reduced into- 

 oneal, or flour, capable of being kept any length of time, or of 

 being exported to any part of the world. In place of the peflle 

 and mortar I employed, they may be ground in any ordinary 

 mill, or even converted into the fineft boulted flour, without 

 bran or refidue ; becaufe waat does not pafs through the boulter, 

 can be returned into the ftones, and ground over again. Such 

 flour may be made into cakes, puddings, porridge, &c. &c. ; 

 or, as has been afcertained by experiments with bruifed pota- 

 toes, by having a certain proportion of wheat flour added, it 

 may be made into the lineft fermented loaves. Thefe experi- 

 ments have only been made with bruifed potatoes ; but as, in 

 drying by fteam, they did not feem to lofe any thing but water, 

 and the only efFe6l was a concentration of their principles, it 

 feems probable that a fmaller proportion of wheat flour may be 

 fufficient to make them ferment into bread, than is neccfTary to 

 be added to the potatoes when only bruifed. 



But I have an utter averfion to the regions of conjecture, and 

 do not wifli to go an inch beyond the limits of afcertained fa6ts. 



In my many peregrinations through the Highlands and Ifles, 

 I have often been forced to lament, that our Highland Society 

 3id not know more of the country they undertook to improve. 

 With them, the cry was improve } improve ! without confider- 

 ing^ whether their improvements were either expedient or prac- 

 ticable, in the exifting fituation of the country. In place of im- 

 provements, they fhould, in my humble opinion, have begun with 

 acquiring an exadl'jknowledge of foils •, the means which nature has 

 provided for their fertilization ; the adual (late of agriculture ; 

 and the manners and difpofitions of the people in the extenfive 

 diftriCl: they undertook to improve. Such knowledge cannot be 

 expelled from a native of the Highlands, but muft be derived 

 from ftrangers, who have an eye to difcriminate, and a judg- 

 inent to appreciate. Had fugh knowledge of the Highlands and 



Ifles, 



