83 
having known it recently tried by 
others, but without being informed 
of their fuccefs. I have reafon to 
think this valuable drug will, by this 
method, be brought much fooner to 
perfection than trom feed. 
Method of curing Rhubarb. 
The plants may be taken up 
either early in‘the {pring, or in au- 
tumn, when the leaves are decayed, 
in dry weather if poflible, when the 
roots are to be cleared from dirt 
(without wafhing): let them be 
cut into pieces, and with a sharp 
knife freed from the outer coat, and 
expofed to the fun aad air for a 
few days, to render the outiide a 
little dry. 
In order to accelerate the curing 
of the largeft pieces, a hole may be 
f{cooped out with a penknife: thefe 
and the fmatler parts are then to be 
ftrung on packthread, and hung up 
ina warm room (I have always had 
the conveniency of fuch a one over 
a baker’s oven) where it is to re- 
main till perfectly dry, Each piece 
may be rendered more fightly by a 
common file, fixing it in a fmall 
vice during that operation: after- 
wards rub over it-a very fine pow- 
der, which the fmall roots furnith 
in beautiful perfection, for this and 
every other purpofe where rhubarb 
is required. 
Account of a new Method of generat- 
ing Yeafi; in Tawo Letters, from 
the Rev. William Mafon of Afton. 
From the fame. 
7? ST fpring, I requefted a 
friend to inquire of you fome 
particulars concerning the premium 
ANNUAL REGISTER, ?1990. 
which the fociety had offered on the 
production of yeatt, of which you 
obligingly gave him full informa- — 
tion. As I found November was 
the month ‘in which the matter was: — 
to be decided, I deferred troubling 
you any more till I had caufed an 
expeiiment to be repeatedly tried ; 
which a domeftic of mine, who 
brews for me, had at that time firit 
made. 
I had juft: before, with his affif- 
tance, impregnated wort with fixed 
air, or rather a decoction of malt 
in water, according to Dr. Henry’s 
ingenious method *, and by the 
yeaft thereby obtained, produced 
egcod bread. This ed him, ua- 
known to me, to try whether the 
experiment would not fucceed full 
as well without fixed air; which 
he found it did. He accordingly 
brought me a {mall veffel with a full 
head of yeaft upon it, affuring me 
with fome degree of exultation, that 
neither oil of vitriol with chalk, nor 
any portion of old yeatt, had been 
employed on the occafion., This 
greatly furprifed me; and I then 
defired he. would proceed with the _ 
experiment in his own way, and 
endeavour to increafe the quantity 
already made, by what additional 
decoétion of malt and water he 
might think proper; infifting only 
that nothing but malt, water, and’ — 
heat, fhould be employed for the 
purpofe. He did fo, and in a few 
days increafed the original quantity 
till it became fufficient to work a 
hogfhead of {mall-beer, which pro- 
duced ten pounds weight of perfe& 
yeatt; and this, being foon after put 
on a vat for a hogfhead of ale, was 
found to be augmented to forty-two - 
pounds, 
_ ™ See Annual Regifter for the year 1786, Useful Projets, p. 74 
The 
