[ *49 ] 
The Ruffians dry them in the fame manner, in 
order for diftillation, and infufe them in proper pro- 
portions with warm water, to which they add the 
berries of the * mountain dwarf-cherry, or thofe of 
a fpecies of vaccinium % , to promote fermentation. 
When this is over, they put both the ftalks and the 
liquor, in which they have fermented, into a ftill, 
and draw off the fpirit as ufual. When the diftilla- 
tion is over, they do not throw away the ftalks, until 
they have prefled out their juicy liquor, which is 
added to frefh ftalks to promote their fermentation. 
From this fpirit firft drawn, they by diftillation 
draw off fomewhat lefs than half its quantity, which 
is very like to rectified fpirit of wine, and much more 
pleafant than corn-fpirit. 
It muft be here obferved, that, if either the ftalks 
or leaves of this valuable plant are applied to the 
fkin, they heat and ulcerate it. The people of Kamt- 
fchatka however eat the crude ftalks, when ftripped 
of their bark, in which their acrimony confifts : But 
if, through ignorance, this bark is ftripped off with 
their teeth, it inflames and veficates their lips and 
gums, which will frequently continue a week before 
they are healed. In confequence of this, fome have 
made the experiment of extrading a fpirit from the 
ftalks without ftripping them of their bark ; and they 
have found, that they have furnifhed an equal quan- 
tity of fpirit with thofe, which have been ftripped : 
* Chamsecerafus montana fructu fingulari coeruleo. C. B: P. 
45 1 * . 
§ Vaccinia nigra fructu majorc. Parkins : 1455° ' / “ 1S idaea- 
magna quibufdam. J. B. I. 518 . 
