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LIV. On extracting Alcohol from Potatoes, and preparing 
Potash from Potatoe-tops*. 
Tar simple process described in the following communication 
deserves to be made very generally known, as a source of consi- 
derable emolument to the growers of potatoes. 
— ie 
On extracting Alcohol from Potatoes. 
A French lady, {the Countess de N***, whom political events 
compelled to change her chateau on the banks of the Saone for 
a cottage eight leagues from Vienna, has established, on the 
small farm she occupies, a distillation of brandy from potatoes, 
which she has found to be very lucrative. The brandy of twenty 
degrees of Reaumur is very pure, and has neither taste nor smell 
different from that produced by the distillation of grapes. The 
method she employs is very simple, and within every person’s 
reach. 
* Take 100 pounds of potatoes well washed, dress them by 
steam, and let them be bruised to powder witha roller, &c. In 
‘the mean time take four pounds of ground malt, steep it in 
lukewarm water, and then pour into the fermenting hack, and 
pour on it twelve quarts of boiling water; this water is stirred 
about, and the bruised potatoes thrown in, and well stirred about 
with wooden rakes, till every part of the potatoes is well satu- 
rated with the liquor. 
Immediately six or eight ounces of yeast is to be mixed with 
twenty-eight gallons of water, of a proper warmth to make the 
whole mass of the temperature of from twelve to fifteen degrees 
of Reaumur ;—there is to be added half-a-pint to a pint of good 
brandy. . 
The fermenting back must be placed in a room, to be kept by 
means of a stove at a temperature of fifteen to eighteen degrees 
of Reaumur. The mixture must be left to remain at rest. 
_ The back must be large enough to suffer the mass to rise seven 
or eight inches, without running over. If, notwithstanding this 
precaution, it does so, a little must be taken out, and returned 
wheu it falls a little: the back is then covered again, and the 
fermentation is suffered to finish without touching it—which 
takes place generally in five or six days, This is known by its 
being perceived that the liquor is quite clear, and the potatoes 
fallen to the bottom of the back. ‘The fluid is decanted, and 
the potatoes pressed dry. 
* Fromthe Monthly Magazine for October 1,1817. Communicated by 
Mr. B. Jones of Bath.—The additional experiments appeared in the 
Dublin Journal of the 25th of October, and were probably undertaken to 
werily those of the French chemist. yG WO 
Vol. 50, No. 235, Nov. 1817. ¥ The 
