234 ^^•'- William Pitt on the Production, Sec. 



APPENDIX. 



In the Annals of Agriculture, Vol. XXXIV. page 511, date 1800, is given a 

 metliod of preserving potatoes for a length of time in full perfection, by Mr. L. 

 Millington ; this, if it could be brought into extensive practice, for the use of pub- 

 lic institutions, or the navy, bids fair to become a great resource in the case of a 

 failure in the crop, or a scarcity of that root; and were it brought to perfection and 

 practised upon a large scale, might very much assist a general scarcity. The ac- 

 count is as follows: 



" I took 3^ lbs. of potatoes, and had them peeled and rasped, and put them into 

 a coarse cloth between two clean boards in a press, and pressed them into a dry 

 cake like a thin cheese, which I placed on a shelf to dry; a quart of juice was 

 expressed, to which I added a quart of cold water, and in about an hour it de- 

 posited 60 grains of very white starch or flour, fit to make pastry. This cake was 

 kept near three years perfectly sweet : the potatoes lost about two-thirds in weight 

 by the process, but upon being dressed, either by steam or otherwise, will produce 

 nearly the same weight and quantity of food the potatoes would do. 



" Potatoes, after washing and peeling, and cleaning from discoloured specks, 

 might be pounded or ground, and pressed into these cakes or cheeses, for the use 

 of the navy; or against scarcity, and might supply this important article of food in 

 all seasons. Machinery of the nature of the washing machine, and cider press, might 

 greatly facilitate this mode of preservation." 



He further says, " I boiled a piece of the cake made three years ago, and it 

 turned out perfectly sweet, and pleasant to the taste. It is necessary the potatoes 

 should have been perfectly ripe to keep well." 



I think this experiment well worthy of being pursued further; and if some 

 quick and expeditious, and consequently cheap method could be introduced, of 

 thus preparing and preserving large quantities of this article of food ; and a market 

 opened for its sale in this form and state of preservation, it might prove a great 

 resource in future scarcities, and is well worth encouraging by premiums. 



Pnnti . !>)■ \V. IJuIiiicr and Co. 

 Clevcliiiid-Rovr, St, JdintsS. 



