1868 The complete Practical Distiller

THE COMPLETE PRACTICAL DISTILLER.

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sprinkled with 1 or 2 hectolitres of cold water, which ar^ drained and let into the fermenting-back with the otheir In operating thus, the husks left on the double bottom are sufficiently exhausted; they only retain, after an hour's draining, three-fourths of their weight in liquid, slightly charged with fermentable matter, which might be neglected in a well-conducted distillery, where the feeding of cattle is an object. But, at all events, if the loss of liquid was thought of any moment, the pulp might be en- tirely exhausted by means of a cylindrical press. Full half of the weight of the drained pulp might be obtained in liquid, but a simple draining is sufficient, and the practice of pressing the residue should only be resorted to in cases where a smaller quantity of water has been used for mashing than has just been recommended. In this way of working, the fermentable matter being neces- sarily left to itself for a certain space of time, and often requiring to be taken from one tub to the other, is tolera- bly well cooled, and gains, toward the end of the opera- tion, a suitable temperature for fermentation. There are, then, three ways of saccharifying the fecula of potatoes by means of malted barley or Indian corn. It requires very little reflection to see that the first mode is evidently inferior to the other two. In fact, under whatever light it be considered, whether as a mat- ter of economy in labour and combustibles, or with re- spect to the quality or quantity of the spy'ituous produce, it will never bear comparison to the other two. It is necessary that the potatoes should be boiled by steam, and this is indispensable. This steam is to be produced on purpose, and occasions expenses in fuel. extracts.