Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-07-14
A9rt1 nltnraL
Imperishable Potato"

We learn from the Burlington Free Press
that there has been established at Hines
burgh, factory for putting into very
portable and almost imperishable form, the
edible substance of potatoes, without lnlu-
ry to its qualities as an article OF food.--
The process is as follows:
Being thoroughly cleansed, deprived OF
the skins and properly prepared, fresh cur
rents of air are moved in contact with the
potato pulp by machinery The air rapid
ly takes up and carries off the moisture
The material is made to take the shape OF
tubes, (maccaroni fashion, and when per-
fectIy dry, is broken in a proper mill into
the form of what is called ''samp' or "hom-
my" Ineeed, it might be easily mistaken
for that article made from our common vel.
low Indian com. By the process it has lost
nothing but water But by that loss 1t is
made TO occupy but one-siath of its origin
al bulk, and what before weighed four
pounds, now weighs but one pound. In that
condition it can be packed in tight casks,
or tin canisters, and be transported just as
easily as SO much dry rice. 1t is now in
very "handy" condition for table use. For
one pound of it lake three pounds of boil
ing water, or, to speak cookery-book fash
ion, put one tea cup full of it into four
tea cups full of boiling hot water. In ten
minutes the water is entirely absorbed, and
the result is a well cooked dish of mashed
notato. reody to be sailed and bnuered, or
dealt with, as like dish made from fresh
potatoes, might be. The taste differs but
slightly from that of fresh potato prepared
in the same manner.
1t is difficult to comprehend at once the
great Importance of such preparation of
the potatoe. To a large portion of the hu-
man family, the potato is an article Of prime
necessity for food All who have been &C.
customed to use it, feel the deprivation Sc
verely if placed beyond its reach for any
considerable length Of time. Yet the bulk
mess and pcrishable nature of the tuber in
its natural condition, make its transporta
ton to great distances by either land or sea
impossible For want of it, the health of
crews on long voyages, and of soldiers or
other persons occupied where it cannot be
procured. is often greatly injured. In some
districts where it is the chief article Of food,
great distress is caused by the failure of a
crop, because the want cannot be supplied
except at an insupporiabIe expense. Let
the preparation of this " imperishable pota-
to- be made common, and all these evils
are substantially done away with.
Few persons have any conception of the
amount of nu,ritive food which is raised in
the form of potatoes, where the soil and
climate are favorable. Though, pound for
pound, less nutrition than wheat or rye, as
a whole, no other crop can equal it. Care.
full experiments have shown that from the
same amount Of suitable ground where there
could be raised, on the aveage, 34O'I lbs of
wheat, or 2200 lbs of peas, there could be
raised 3St0G lbs of potatoes; or, reducing
them all to the absolutely dry state, for 5000
lbs of wheat. or 2090 lbs Of peas, there
would be $500 lbs of potato, more than
three times the amount of food produced
in The shape of wheat, and more than four
times that in the form of peas.
For many years the potato crop has been
very important one in Vermont, not bare
Nv from its extensive use at home as food
for man aud beast, but because it has been
largely worked up in the starch mctories.-
witt. a great many farmers of small means
it has been a chief reliance, wherewith to
obtain cash in hand I,y its sale, Since the
railroads were built, great quantities have
gone to market in fresh condition at HIGH
ly remuneratlye rates to the producer The
terrors of the potato rot have, in great
measure, passed by; and the production
can be, and will be greatly increased, if
the article we are considering shall come
into wide use, as we think it must for
commercial purposes.