DISTILLATION.

411

silent whiskey, it gives it somewhat of the flavor of brandy. For this purpose, also, thespirits are rectified from bruised prunes, or the lees of the cognac distilleries, wherebythey acquire additional flavor. The astringent taste of old brandy is imitated by the in-troduction of a little catechu into the British spirits. Burned sugar is employed as acoloring in these imitations.

IV. Of making whiskey from potatoes .—This root, in certain localities where itabounds at a moderate price, is an excellent material for fermenting into alcohol. Whensound, it possesses from 20 to 25 per cent, of solid substance, of which starch consti-tutes at least three fourths; hence 100 pounds contain from 16 to 22 pounds of starchsusceptible of being saccharified. In the expressed juice there is a small quantity ofturtaric acid.

Previously to mashing, potatoes must be first well washed in a horizontal cylindricalCa "c revolving partially in a trough of water, as will be described in treating of the

manufacture of sugar from beet root. They must be then boiled in a close vessel with

s earn, provided with a perforated bottom a few inches'above the real one. The top hasan opening with a cover fitted tightly to it; through that the potatoes are introduced;, n U immediately above the false bottom there is a similar aperture through which the

“lied potatoes are taken out. The steam-pipe enters at the top, runs down the

1 e a little way, and terminates in a widened mouth. The large lids are secured byr °ss bars, the small hole by folds of linen. In the lower valve there are two small holesj^°sed with pins, for inserting a wire to feel whether the potatoes be sufficiently boiled.so j the steam is immediately stopped off, the lower lid is removed, and the potatoes

pulled out with a hook into atub. They must be imme-diately made into a homoge-neous paste before they getcold. Fig. 361 represents, inplan, or horizontal section, theapparatus used in France forthis purpose. A b are twocylinders covered with wirecloth, but open at the ends;c c and n d are two pieces ofwood fixed on the two axes,in the form of two cones, withthe adjoining surfaces trun-cated ; upon which, as alsoupon iron rings E F, of thesame diameter, made fast to&reat er es f t *' e w ‘ re c i’bnder rests. Of the two wheels g h, the smaller has 18, theAhov e teeth. The diameter of each cylinder is 14 inches, the length 18.

Potato-* 1 ™ between the two cylinders, there is a hopper for the reception of the boiledbe fo n n ’ • ^bis machine triturates 1200 pounds of potatoes per hour. Their paste mustbe s e , 'p 1 *^ mashed with some ground wheat or barley, and a proportion of malt; then

j tormenting.

obstruct ttf ?k° ve mode of trituration, the potatoes are apt to cool to such a degree as tovessel in' h- r read y admixture with water, it is better to make them into a paste in thethis end 'j C ' 1 they are steamed. The apparatus contrived by Siemens fully answersoylindric'al ” con sists essentially of a tub a, represented in fig. 362, in section. It isthe Upper ’ *j d ma ^ e °f planks from 3 to 4 inches thick, joined firmly and steam-tight;'Pohes mo • un< lor ends being well secured with iron hoops. The lower part is about 2Sfoove, a ![ e ln . diameter than the upper. About a foot from the bottom, in a circular?° Se of a s aSt lron ! lart ition w, or disc full of holes, is made fast, which serves the pur-'» diamet arCe ’ apertures being an inch asunder; above, from j to J_ of an inch'he e( u f>and below, scooped out to half an inch. This disc is half an inch thick inr ? ht °agh the f 6 f ° Urths of an inch in the middle ‘

tu ?> one and . screw a * n the top of the cylinder, there passes the screwed

s rn *hg it round 1 Th ' nc * les thick, provided at top with a strong cross bar c c, for

So rew i Upon wh' h 10 " nder en 'i °f this rod has a square piece terminating in a short_ * s to stand ^ •*[, wr bught iron cross is secured by means of a screw nut,

anrt 15 ’ °f which o f an 8' e s to the rod. This cross is composed of two distinct

to 1 * half Ion® • th °* u them ' S Inclun t el l on the upper side with little knives an inchth® r ' I ' ) . a °ainst the ° ta er, upon the under side, with a wire brush, that may be made

bon* ’ s a harrow ! )ratc ^ ca ft iron disc. On the side of the cylinder at E, fig. 362,

res;? 1 ® at H thei-i**^ ° re Provided with a bung secured by a cross bar, and near theC"*/^ “alter. i!! }***■ openings serve for taking out the

rec * to the squarp °P en ‘ n o E > the above two arms are introduced; and

* re 01 ttie r °d by the screw nut. In the top there is an opening,^).