y 
#38] 
III. And by exempting the grain 
from the odour contracted in fumi- 
gation, particularly from the oils of 
a low quality which are employed 
for this purpose. 
In consequence, in the year 1786 
I tried the experiment of placing 
different roots, &c. ripe and newly _ 
gathered in a box, which I had 
bored for the purpose of giving ad- 
mission to mites and other insects. 
At the corners and bottom of the 
box I placed several leaves of hart- 
wort, the odour of which I knew 
was noxious to several animals. In 
another I put leaves of horehound, 
of ruc, and of tansy.—The boxes 
thus prepared, remained fora full, 
year on the ground under my 
shelves. 
At the end of that term I found 
the roots, &c. perfectly sound, but 
the odour of the plants more or less 
remained; and fearing that it might 
communicate itself to the outward 
skin, and occasion a disgusting taste, 
I proceeded to substitute to the 
former bitter acromotic herbs, such 
as the little centaury, wormwood, 
thyme, mint savory, &c. which are 
every where found in abundance. 
I thus preserved the grain, &c. 
fora long time, without renewing 
the plants. Those which I now 
present to the Convention have 
been thus preserved since the year 
1788. 
After this experiment, now made 
seven years since, there can be no 
doubt but that the practice would 
succeed ona much larger scale; and 
as the grain and seeds, when 
‘gathered ripe and kept from a moist 
air, preserve for a long time their 
vegetable faculties, it follows, that 
they may be thus conveyed in safety, 
and planted with success in the most 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
distant countries, and after the 
longest voyages. 
I have thus done my duty, as a 
good citizen, in presenting to my 
country the result of my researches, 
in a discovery valuable in itself and 
useful to humanity. 
P. S, I did not think it right to 
try the means which some persons 
use to preserve the corn; by burning 
it with chalk and cinders, as a 
trifling circumstance may alter these 
substances in such a manner as to 
damage the grain. 
——__—, 
Discovery in Distillation from Pota- 
toes, which will no Doubt increase 
the Cultivation of that Valuable 
Article of Life. 
OTATOES have been found, 
by repeated experiments, to 
yield by distillation a vinous spirit of 
a most exquisite quality, superior to 
the finest brandy; and in the 
quantity of about five quarts, highly 
rectified, from the quantity of 
seventy pounds weight. 
In the process the Joss of time and 
expence inseparable from malt dis- 
tillation are avoided; the potatoes 
are boiled to a thin pulp, which is 
diluted with hot water, and strained; 
the mass is then fermented with 
barm for about a fortnight, and 
then distilled in the usual way. 
The spirit yielded possesses a 
strong favour and perfume of rasp- 
berries, and is not liable to be spoiled 
by what is called the feints coming 
over the helm, as the very last and 
weakest part that comes off the still,~’ 
is equally sweet with the first. 
These facts were long since ascer- 
tained to the satisfaction of the 
Bath society, by Dr. Anderson, 
Obscrbatione 
