412

DISTILLATION.

for putting in the potatoes which may he shut in the same way. From the lid therelikewise issues a lateral tube f, which terminates in a tubful of water, for condensingthe waste steam, g is the tube connected with the steam boiler, for conducting the steaminto the space under the iron disc w.

With this apparatus the potatoes are prepared as follows: when the screw rod is sofixed that the cross touches the disc, the cylinder is to be filled with washed potatoes towithin one foot of the top, leaving them some space to expand. The orifice d is to bethen closed, and the steam admitted. When the potatoes are boiled enough, two laborerslay hold of the lever handles c c, of the screw rod 6, and turn it round with the effect ofscrewing up the spiked cross, and of triturating the potatoes ; an operation which mayhe still more effectually done by screwing it down again. The potato paste is now letoff by the plug hole H, into the tub r, where it is mixed with about 30 per cent, of boil-ing water, and one thousandth part of potash, made caustic with quicklime, in order todissolve the albuminous matter coagulated by the heat, and give complete fluidity to themass. The alkali also neutralizes the tartaric acid present. The mashed matter mustnow he mixed with the crushed malt diffused through 40 or 50 pounds of cold water forevery 100 pounds of potatoes, which lowers the temperature to 167°. The wort mustbe then diligently stirred during two hours; mixed with 40 or 50 pounds of cold waterfor 100 pounds of potatoes, and, when reduced to the temperature of 77°, putinto the fermenting tun along with the proper quantity (3 or 4 per cent.) of yeast.As potatoes readily pass into the acetous fermentation, the admixture of the malt, themashing, and the cooling should be rapidly performed, while the utmost cleanliness mustbe observed.

The fermentation is brisk, probably from the agency of the albumen, and furnishes agood head of barm, which answers well for the bakers; 100 pounds of potatoes yieldfrom 18 to 20 pounds measure of spirits, nine elevenths of our excise proof; or about 16pounds measure of proof, = about If gallons.

It has been observed that after the month of December potatoes begin to yield asmaller product of fermented spirits; and when they have once sprouted or germinated,they afford very little indeed. From the difficulty of keeping and transporting potatoes,distillation from them, even though our laws now permit it, can never become general tillsome plan be adopted for overcoming these disadvantages. A scheme of this kind, how-ever, has been successfully practised in Vienna , which consists in subjecting the washedpotatoes to strong pressure in a perforated chest by a hydraulic or screw press, wherebythey lose about three fourths of their weight, and may then be readily dried into a whiteflour, that may be kept for several years without injury, and transported to considerabledistances with comparative ease. This flour, mixed with a moderate quantity of groundmalt, and saccharified by mashing with water, at the temperature of 167° F.„becomescapable of affording a sweet wort convertible by fermentation either into beer orwhiskey.

Horse-chestnuts, according to Hermstaedt, are an eligible material for producing alco-hol, as 128 pounds of them afford 100 pounds of meal; which 100 pounds yield, byproper treatment, 34 pounds of spirits, containing 36 per cent, of absolute alcohol, byRichter’s tables. Barley to the extent of 10 pounds per 100 should be ground up witthem, after they have been boiled in a steam apparatus, not only for the purpose otsoftening them, but freeing them from their bitter astringent matter. Acorns are pro-ductive of alcohol by similar treatment.

The best means hitherto discovered for depriving bad whiskey of its nausand taste is to pass it through well burned and coarsely pulverized charcoal,as follows in a series of cylindrical casks. Each vessel must have a double bottom,false one being perforated with conical holes, and placed a few inches above the t r ^Upon this perforated board a layer of chopped clean straw, one inch thick, is laid; ^

over the straw, a stratum of small river gravel, the size of large peas. This I s .covered with a pretty thick stratum of the charcoal, previously freed from dirt anby washing; upon which a piece of close canvass is to be spread, and pressed d°" - vea thin bed of river sand. The cylinder or cask should be filled with these sacce--^layers to within two inches of its top, and it is then to be closed air-tight, ', u be,

below the head, a round orifice is pierced in the side, for receiving an overflow ^which is either screwed rectangularly to another elbow pipe, or is bent (when 0 qr

tin) so as to enter tight into an orifice beneath the false bottom of the second cy/ ibe

cask. In this way, the series may be continued to any desired number ot to

last discharging the purified spirit into the store-back. The foul spirit must be n n

flow into the bottom space of the first cylinder down through a pipe in commu j 0

with a cliarging-back placed upon such an elevated level as to give sufficient P re : s - th aforce the spirits up through the series of filters; the supply-pipe being provide ^regulating stop-cock. The spirit may be filtered downwards through sand anu

eous smell

distributed