for feeding lean and fattening other Stock, 29J) 



water^ which I had practised, and conceiving that some 

 better method might be found out, I made several experi- 

 ments in the year 1801, and bestowed great attention and 

 pains before I brought the following plan to bear. 



" I have half a dozen common six-gallon iron digesters, 

 which are filled with potatoes, either fresh washed from the 

 water, or dry ; for I cannot find that their being in a wet 

 or dry state makes any difference. They are then put into 

 an oven, the bottom of which is a cast iron plate, three 

 feet ten inches long, by two feet ten inches wide; under 

 which is the fire divided into three parts. Of this the 

 middle part, or division, is eighteen inches : the two other 

 divisions are ten inches each : the remaining eight inches 

 rest upon the brick-work. The heat is conducted, half one 

 way and half the other, round the sides of the oven to tljt 

 mouth, which is nearly eighteen inches square, and then 

 over the top, uniting in the chimney, in which is placed a 

 damper. There is also an iron rod, with a segment of a 

 circle at one end, for the purpose of pushing the digesters 

 into the oven from the mouth, and a hook at the other end 

 to draw them back to the mouth when done. The first 

 round, that is, the six digesters first put into the oven take 

 about two hours in baking, supposing the fire not kindled 

 before they are put in ; ancl every round after the first may 

 be done in little more than an hour. This process requires 

 very little fuel, and by no means the attention or the force 

 necessary for steaming ; as the potatoes will be done quicker 

 or slower in proportion to the heat applied, without any of 

 it being lost for want of greater force ; even one round left 

 in the oven over night, with a mere trifle of fuel, will be 

 done the next morning : but I do not allow that to be done, 

 because it turns the potatoes black, and hurts the digesters. 

 Observe, the digesters must occasionally be rubbed on the 

 inside with a little lard or dripping. Potatoes cured this 

 way are not by any means so apt to turn sour, or scour the 

 cattle, and are more dry ; so that the animal fed with them 

 drinks much more, and they become harder when cold, so 

 as to be flung to the stock with more convenience than 

 when steamed. 



*' In the year 1802 I fattened fifteen brace of bucks chiefly 

 with them ; I say chiefly, for after the potatoes were gone 

 they had a few beans. They were very fine, and peculiarly 

 well flavoured. Biggs, at Temple Bar, had thirteen brace 

 of them. I also fattened, the same year, with them, two 

 oxen, three cows, and two pigs, which were equally well 



flavoured, 



