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XVII. Experiments on preserving Potatoes. By J. De 

 Lancey, Esq. of t lie Island i^)f' Guernsey*. 



JC/AHLY in March 1803, I obsenvd my winter's stock of 

 potatoes, which I liad dug in October 1802, sprouted from 

 the mildness of the weather in this island : it occurred to 

 me, that, by puttina; them under ground, vegetation might 

 be retarded. I nccorcUngly took mdiscriminately from my 

 pile about three dozen, and in my court-yard dug a hole 

 two feet and a half deep, under the protection of a south- 

 west wall, where tlie rays of the sun prevail for a few mi- 

 nutes only during the day at any season of the year; then, 

 with three pantiles, one at bottom, I laid most of the po- 

 tatoes in the hole, and placed the other two tiles over them 

 in form of the roof of a house: they not containing all, I 

 threw the remainder carelessly into the hole (having no great 

 confidence in my experiment), covering the place over to its 

 usual level. Business calling me from home during part 

 of the summer, I neglected looking after my small deposit: 

 but, on the 21st of .January 1804, nearly eleven months 

 after covering them, I had the curiosity to examine them ; 

 when, to my astonishment, 1 found them (two or three 

 excepted, which were perforated by the ground-worm, 

 though firm) all perfcctlv sound, without having in the 

 least vcgeUted. and in every respect fit for the purpose of 

 sets and the use of the table, as I have boiled a few, and 

 found them similar in taste and flavour to new potatoes. [ 

 further pledge mvsclf that thev were perfectly firm. I have 

 still some of them hv me, for the inspection of mv friends, 

 who all agree with me that they are so. 



Guernsey, .T. De LancKV. 



Jan. 24, 1804. 



STU, 



I HAVK received the favour of your letter of the 7th Inst, 

 conveying the thanks of the society, for my experiments in 

 the preservation of potatoes, which is highly gratifying to 

 my feeliniis. I avail mvself of the opportunity of a friend 

 gointi '"^ London, Ut send three of the potatoes as a con- 

 nnuation of their being fit for sets, as they are actually 

 sprouting. I have still a few left, which I shall plant. 



The potatoes I send, I pledge uiyself to. you are of the 

 growth of 1802, when T first dug thcui out of the ground : 

 neither have they been under the ground since January 21, 



' From Transactions of the So:irtY of Arts, iic. 1804. 



H 3 ' 1804, 



