44 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Feb. 



Potato Flour. 



At the October sitting of the Academy of 

 Sciences in Paris, a letter was read from M. 

 Clerget, giving an account of liis discovery of 

 the mode of Making Potatoe Flour of such a 

 quality as to be in every respect fit for panifica- 

 tion. M. Clerget's letter was accompanied with 

 several samples of his productions in the differ- 

 •ent stages of the process. Among them are two 

 specimens of the flour, of nearly a yellow color, 

 which represent, we understand, the potato in 

 its natural state, divested, however, of the essen- 

 tial oil, and useful for various purposes of do- 

 mestic economy, although not so fit for pani- 

 fication as the flour obtained in an advanced 

 stage of the process. There are three sam- 

 ples of- pure white flour ; one in powder, the 

 other two granulated, in which state the flour 

 Avill remain good for several years, if kept in 

 a dry place. M. Clerget states that when this 

 flour is mixed with that from wheat, in the pro- 

 portion of cent per cent., and made into bread 

 in the ordinary way, it is exceedingly whole- 

 some and nutritious, and cannot, by the taste, be 

 distinguished from pure wheaten bread. This 

 we can believe, for we have eaten bread made 

 in the same proportions of wheaten flour and po- 

 tatoes boiled and reduced, to a pulp, and found 

 it even more agreeable than that made from the 

 flour of wheat exclusively. Bread thus made, 

 however, is not agreeable when it has been kept 

 two or three days, whereas, according to M. 

 •Clerget's statement, that which is made from an 

 admixture of his flour with that of wheat, in 

 ■equal proportions, is much better when stale 

 than pure wheaten bread. He estimates the 

 saving by this mixture at from 40 to 50 per 

 cent., but this appears to us to be an error, for 

 the potato flour cannot be sold to the public with 

 a reasonable profit to the manufacturer at less 

 than two sous per pound. Taking wheaten flour 

 at four sous, two pounds of bread made of the 

 mixed flour would cost six sous instead of eight, 

 which does not give a saving of 40 to 50 per 

 cent., although it certainly does effoct a very im- 

 portant saving. We need not observe that the 

 mixed bread contains less gluten than that of 

 wheat only, but we are by no means certain that 

 an excess of gluten is favorable to nutrition. M. 

 Clerget is of opinion that if gluten be added, 

 which is practicable in various ways, very good 

 bread may be made with two-thirds potato and 

 onc-tliird wheat flour, and in this case the saving 

 would be enormous. He informs us also, that 

 if the potato flour made by his process be 

 mixed with the flour of rye, which by itself is 

 difficult of panification and digestion, a very nu- 

 tritious and agreeable bread is made. This is a 

 valuable part of his discovery ; for in France 

 nearly two-thirds of the rural population are 

 compelled to exist on rye bread, as being so 

 much cheaper than that of wheat. By the ad- 



mixture of potato flour, there would be a saving 

 of outlay, and a gain in nutrition. It was stated 

 at the Academy, that a company had been form- 

 ed at Paris, for the manufacture of potato flour 

 by M. Clerget's process, and that the same pro- 

 gress towards carrying it out upon a large scale 

 had been made in London. 



When we consider that Agriculture is the 

 great business of the nation — that its successful 

 prosecution depends upon a knowledge, in its 

 followers, of the principles of natural science — 

 and that our agriculture stands in special need of 

 this auxiliary aid — we cannot withhold our sur- 

 prise and regret, that we have not long since es- 

 tablished professional scliools, in which our youth 

 might be taught, simultaneously, the principles 

 and practice of their future business of life — on 

 which, more than on any other branch of indus- 

 try, the fortunes of our country, moral, political, 

 and national, essentialy depend, and by which, 

 under the blessing of Providence, we virtually 

 "live, move, and have our being." — Buel. 



Winter Dairy. — If farmers, who have easy 

 access to market, were to raise larger quantities 

 of carrots, and othar roots for their milk stock, 

 with a view ft a winter dairy, I am confident 

 they would obtain a profitable return for their 

 labor. With a sufficiency of such food, and a 

 pint of Indian meal to each cow per day, cows 

 that "come in" in the autumn, (which they 

 should do for a winter dairy,) will give a rich 

 supply of milk all winter, and the cream, under 

 the management of a skilful dairy-woman, will 

 produce butter of fine appearance and flavor. — 

 Fresh made butter, of this character, will always 

 secure a quick sale, and a higher price than the 

 best quality laid down in June or September. — 

 Stone''s Address. 



For Wounds in Horses. — ^^While writing, 

 I will give you the following recipe for a prepa- 

 ration to cure wounds in horses. I have never 

 seen it published, and if it is new to you, per- 

 haps it may be of service : 



Take one gill of turpentine, two gills of whis- 

 key and one egg. Beat the egg well, and mix 

 the three together. It should be applied with a 

 feather or swab, twice a day. It keeps a wound 

 healthy, and prevents its healing too rapidly. — 

 For its efficacy I can vouch. — Cor. Alb. Cult. 



The Drought. — We learn from the interior 

 the most discouraging accounts of the drought. 

 Many of our merchants, in the interior, have 

 advanced largely to the farmers during the past 

 season, on their wheat crops, and there has not 

 been sufficient water sjnce the harvest to flour 

 it. If old winter shuts up the streams without 

 rain, an incalculable amount of inconveniences, 

 to say the least, will follow. In this town, the 

 wells on the hills are mostly dry. — Milwaukie 

 Sentinel. 



