Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-04-27
From the Boston Erening Gazette.
AGRICULTURAL.

| hoheu, III lhc Montieai f1erdiu, "A method
OF preserving Potatoes fresh, sweet and
good, for six months or longer, from the
time that they are dug out of the ground, so
that they shall not be effected by a change
to the warmest climate.'-In publishing
this essay, his aim appears to be, that the
British settlements in N. America can sup
ply the w. India Islands with good and
wholesome food, furnish valuable freights
to GU ward bound shipping, do away the
dependence of the Islands on the Ameri
can States for food, ameliorate the condi
ton OF the slaves, and aid in aboIshine the
slave trade. give spur TO agricultural ex
ertions, & save the nation at least 500, OOOt.
annually. We make few extracts from
his essay -
] The usual mode at present practised
Tor endeayoring to preserve Potatoes, is t,
leave them after digging, exposed to the
sun and air unit they are dry. This ex-
Posure generally causes them to have a bit.
terlsh taste, and it may be remarked, that
| Potatoes are never so sweet to the palate
as when cooked Immediately after digging
| ind when Potatoes are laid and left
In la"ge heaps or pitted in the ground. that
| fermentation takes place which DESTROYS
the sweet flavor of the Potatoes. In order
to prevent that fermentation, and to pre
| serve Potatoes from losing their ORIGINAL
me and pleasant flavor, my plan is land
winch experience proves to me to have the
desired etfect) to have them packed IN
| casks as they are digged from the ground
| and to have the casks when the Potatoes
are piled in them filled up with sand or
| earth; taking care that this is done as
| speedily as possible, while the Potatoes Are
digging, and that all vacant spaces in the
casks are filled up by the earth or sand
The cask thus packed, holds as MANY pota
toes as it would was no sand used in tba
packing, and as the vacant spaces of the
casK OF potatoes so packed are filled, the
| AIR is totally excluded and cannot act unon
the potatoes aud consequently no fermenta-
ton can take place.
81 sailed from N. York to st. Bartholo-
news, and brought with me 200 barrels ,fI
potatoes, packed In the above manner. On
my arrival at that Island, found, as ex
pected, that the potatoes had preserved all
thelr original sweetness of flavor, In fact -
good as when first dug, having undergone
no fermentation, nor in the slightest way
affected by the bilge or close air of the shin.
Some barrels of the potatoes l sold there
and at the neighboring Islands for g per
ousnei at the same time, potatoes takenl
out in bulk, without packing, and others
that were bought here packed in casks
which had not been filled up with earth.
soid only Tor one dollar bushel, they being
injured on the passage by the biiee air
anu fermentation, being bitter and bad 4
while mine were perfectly sweet aud dry A.
when dug. What remained l shipped from
St Bartholomew to Jamaica, where tbev
arrived still in equal good condition. anil
sold at a higher price than they had bro,tl
at the former Island. Some of the casks ol
potatoes were put into cool cellar bv the
purchaser at Jamaica, and on examiningl
them when l was leaving the Island twGI
months afterwards, | found that thew had
IN very small degree sprouted. but fiat ALI
their original fine flavor and sweetness oIl
taste was prese we'd.
Reffectlng seriously on this discovers.
suggested to my mind the idea of DroposiyoI
10 the british nation, mode of suDnlvinS
thelr w. India colonies with a good and
wholesome food for the negro, and also for
the white people. and which would fnd an
anditional market for the farmer aft home,
valuable freight for the merchant, l. a more
extended market for the lumber If the n
Am. colonies, viz. of Canada, Nova Sco5
&C. 1t IS well known that our shiDs (from
Brittany in the West-Inda trade in gene.
raj 60 out in ballast, or not more than oneI
third freighted, carry out some small ouaa.
hty OF European commodities ; but the bnIt
OF their freights consisting of West-Tnd;,
casks and materials for making casks. Jrl
IS also known how valuable food Po,a
toes are in the w. India Islands. and hoo
much they are priced there.
&" No one acquainted with the w. Tnd;ee
ahu us commerce, but must be aware how
much LABOR OF the unfortunate Negro Is at
present employed in making of cas- Ks. oun.
cheons, &C. tor the bringing home the pro-
duce, aud OF what immense value casks are
there. ''' "i'
" Let then, timber brought from our N.
American Colonies, be made into Casks.
hhds.Rum PuncheOns, Coffee Barrels. &c
'et these be filled in my mode az described
WIN Potatoes, contend that the value nd
me cask which brings out the Potatoes. will
more than compensate for their freiobt i
ana the earth will keep the cask perfeeHy
sweet and ready without any labor to brin0
home any produce.
1" The Potatoes must come ebean 70 nor
Set, as the ship owner can afford lou
eignts, having now none or next to none
for his outbound vessel.o
j.. Here Mr. Withlsw enters into ar;tbme.
tlcai calculations. One acre ,giH Dro.
aaCe nearly so tons, and 6,666 "a acros
WuL y'eh 100000 tons 8 lbs. Potatoes
'0'tf slDSciency Of good salt fish. ARE
enough to support negro dan. tnItiur {
hearty rHeatsj 90 thGt NTH the PRODUCE o(