11 



while that of sand is 42.5 in Brandenburg. 1 But the potato 

 is a bulky product and its value will' not permit transportation 

 to a distant market. It cannot be kept more than nine or ten 

 months, and is easily spoiled through frost, rot, etc. Conse- 

 quently, in order to profit most through its culture, where this 

 is carried on extensively, it must be manufactured into a prod- 

 uct which can be easily stored and transported. This product 

 may be either alcohol or starch. 



The potato can be mashed much thicker than grain or beets, 

 and consequently yields more alcohol from the same sized 

 mash tub. It also produces a much larger crop to the acre 

 than grain, while the value of grain and potato spirits does 

 not differ greatly. In 1829, a Prussian statistician made the 

 following comparison: 2 



"One Morgen of land produces 6 sheffels of rye and 1 Mor- 

 gen of land produces at least 80 sheffels of potatoes; but 6 

 sheffels of rye yield 72 quarts of 80 per cent, alcohol, while 80 

 sheffels of potatoes yield 400 quarts of 80 per cent, alcohol." 



These advantages were soon recognized by the distillers, and 

 from the moment that technical improvements allowed the re- 

 moval of the unpleasant and injurious fusel-oil, 3 which is 

 present in raw potato alcohol in large quantities, potatoes were 

 everywhere introduced into the distilleries, particularly among 

 the farmers. In addition, from 1827 on, the price of grain 

 rose, and the land-owners who wished to sell their grain at 

 good prices, but still did not wish to loose the agricultural ad- 

 vantage of distilling, went more and more over to the safer 

 and more profitable potato. 4 



The general condition of distilling in Prussia about 1830 

 was one of prosperity, and C.W.Ferber, a writer of the period, 

 describes it as follows : 



"'\Vhether one observes the raw material, which the land ex- 

 culsively supplies, the increased value of the material from its 



1. From Jahrbuch fuer die amtliche Statistik des preuss. Staates, vol. iii, 

 1869, p. 92. 



2. C. W. Ferber, Beitraege zur Kentniss der Gewerbl u. Kommerz. Zustandes 

 der preuss. Monarchic. Berlin, 1829, p. 174. 



3. Found also in grain alcohol, but in smaller quantities. (Amyloxyd- 

 hydratC 13 H "O + HO.) 



4. Meitzen, pre. cit., vol. ii, p. 393. 



