1803.] Experiments on the DiJl'iUation of Roots, ,23 



7. Spirits from White and Green Beety twice di/iilleJ. As the 

 German chemifts hnve been much employed in making fugar 

 from the beet, 1 wished to fee what kind of I'pirits it would yield ; 

 and am fatisfied that it contains a great deal of well flavoured 

 fpirit. 



8. Spirits from Red Bcety thrice diflilied ; in order to fee how 

 much beet fpirits were improved by a third diRillation. 



9. Spirits from Salfafy, (the tragopogan porrifolium) twice 

 dijiilled. The reafon for difliUing this root, which docs not con- 

 tain fo much faccharine matter as any of the preceding plants, 

 was, that the bed judges of the comparative qualities of different 

 vegetables, (I mean the cows) are extremely fond of faifafy. 



10. Spirits from Scor%»?iera. This is a root which rcfembles 

 faifafy, and is much ufed in cookery on the continent of 

 Europe. The fpirits extradled from both thefe roots make very 

 excellent Hquors ; and if ufed for that purpofe in Great Britain, 

 would fuperfede the neceflity of importing foreign liquors. 



11. Spirits from Parpiip, This makes a very good ardent 

 fpirit, though it is not quite fo palatable as that from carrots. 



12. Spirits from Ruta-haga^ or Swedilh turnip. This is a 

 coarfe kind of fpirit, when ufed by itfelF, though it may do when 

 compounded with others. Common turnips are not worth the 

 expence of diftillation ; and the fpirits extrac1:ed from them aje 

 very coarfe. 



13. Spirits from Clover Hay. This makes a good kind of cor- 

 dial ; but is not fo agreeable in punch, or mixed with water. 



14. Spirits from Rye or Ray-Grafs See:ls. This is juft the re- 

 verfe of the preceding kind, making better punch than when 

 ufed as a dram. 



15. All Spirits. This is from the weak low v/incs of all the 

 preceding roots mixed and diftilled. It is an excellent kind 

 of fpirit, and lliews that many articles wiil do very well in com- 

 pofition with others, which do not anfwer when ufed aloiie. A 

 proportion of malt, generally one-third of the weight of the 

 roots, was ufed for promoting the fermentation. 



The refult of thefe experiments appear to be the following : 



1. The qualities of all forts of fpirits are frcKgih and flavour. 

 By ufing thofe vegetables which abound mod in faccharine mat- 

 ter, (fuch as potatoes, carrots, beets, and parfnip), at lead: 

 thrice, and in well cultivated lands, four times more the quan- 

 tity of fpirit can be produced from an acre of green crpp, than 

 from an acre of any fpecies of corn. 



2. When any plant abounds in faccharine matter, but is not 

 fo well flavoured, let it be ones diftilled ; and tht^n let any other 



.vegetable, 



