X? On the DhTillatlon of 



convinced of its certainty, without waiting tli*; iilue of a 

 harveft. The confequence of which has been, that I have 

 neither feen nor heard of a fmulty ear in this diflricl ; which, 

 I believe, hath in no preceding year been free from them. 

 In fine, not only from the experiments already adverted to, 

 but from others which might be adduced, I am fully per- 

 fuaded that the confirmation of this difcovery (and it has 

 been many years back fuggefted) will lead to an incalculable 

 advantage J for it is not alone a prefervation of the mod in- 

 difpenfable article of human food from an appearance and 

 flavour truly difguftfulj but, while it renders it more nutri- 

 tious, it alfo augments its quantity ; for every fmut-ball 

 might have been a perfeft grain, by ufing the fimple procefs 

 referred to. To this let me add, that oiher kinds of bread, 

 as well as that more generally ufed, may be augmented and 

 improved J fince barley and oats equally efcape this conta- 

 mination and diminution, if their feeds are equally purified. 



IV. Qn the DiJIUlathn of ardent Spirit from Carrots. By 

 ]Dr. Hunter and Mr. Hornby, ofYorjl;*. 



NE ton and cicht fione of carrots, Vv'hich, after bcino- 

 expofed to the air a few days to dry, weighed one hundred 

 and fixty ftone, and nicafurcd forty- two bufhels, were waflied, 

 topped, and tailed, by which they loll in weight eleven (lone, 

 and in meafure feven buflicls : being then cut, they were 

 boiled, with the proportion of tvi-enty-four gallons of water 

 to one-third of the above quantity of carrots, until the whole 

 \vas reduced to a tender pul^), which was done in three hours 



wheat to the pump, and has net had (he fays) any brand fince, Atid^ 

 \vh:<t is ftill m. re confirming, a gcnilcman farmer in this vicinitv applied 

 to me for Roger Trt^ev's pioccis, in confequence of his whole crop vi 

 wheat being fo exccifively infefted with.fmut, that his threfhers daily, at 

 the clofe of their labour, ticanfcd thcinfelves Jn water, they being, as he 

 expreff.d it, as black as chin-mey-fwcepcrs : yet his fubCequent crop of 

 wheat from ih/'s feed, fcoured in repMttd wafhings, efcipcd the t;iint, 

 except a piece of land in contiguity with the homeftead ; which this gen- 

 tleman afcribed to the pollution which fied over it from divers dreffings. 

 • Froi« the Tranjadicim of ibc Royal Sociei^- oj E.Hnburgb, 



boilinji. 



