21 8 On the Cultivation of the Vine, 



The little acid which has been formed may be feized by 

 the means of afhes, alkalies, chalk, lime, and even litharge. 

 This Jaft fubtlance, which forms a very fweet (alt with 

 acetous acid, is exceedingly dangerous. This criminal adul- 

 teration may be eafily detected by pouring; hydro-fulphuret 

 of potafh (liver of fulphur) into the wine. There will 

 be immediately formed an abundant and black precipitate. 

 Sulphurated hydrogen gas may alfo be made to pafs through 

 this altered liquor : this will produce a blackifh precipitate, 

 which is nothing but fulphuret of lead. 



The works of oinologifts abound with recipes, of greater 

 or lefs value, for correcting the acidity of wine. 



Bidet fays, that about a fiftieth of lkimmed milk added to 

 four wine reftores it ; and that it may be drawn off in five 

 da vs. 



Others take four ounces of the heft wheat, boil it in water 

 till it burfts; and, when it has cooled, put it into a fmall bag 

 which is immerfed in the cafk, fhaking it with a ftick. 



Some recommend alfo the feeds of leeks, fennel, &c. 



To fhow the futility of the greater part of thefe remedies, 

 St will be fufficient to obferve, that it is impoffible to make 

 fermentation proceed in a retrograde manner, and that it can 

 at mod be fufpended ; that the whole of the acid then formed 

 may be feized, or its exiftence may be concealed, by fweet 

 and faccharine principles. 



But befides thefe alterations there are others, which, though 

 lefs common and dangerous deferve to be noticed. Wine 

 femetimes contracts what is called a tafte of the cafk. This 

 malady may arife from two caufes : firft, when the wine is 

 put into cafks, the wood of which is rotten or damaged ; fe- 

 condly, when lees have been left to dry in the calks into 

 which new wine is put. Willermoz propofes lime water, 

 carbonic acid, and oxygenated muriatic acid, to correct the 

 bad tafte ariiing from the cafk : others recommend mixing 

 the wine with ifmglafs, drawing it carefully off, and infilling 

 roafted wheat in it for two or three davs. 



A phenomenon, which has ftruck and embarraffed the 

 numerous authors who have fpoken of the difeafes of wine, 

 is what is called the flowers of wine. Thefe are formed in 

 cafks, but particularly in bottles, in which they occupy the 

 neck ; they conftantly announce and precede the acid dege- 

 neration of wine. They manifeft themfelves in aimoft. all 

 fermented liquors, and always more or lefs abundantly ac- 

 cording to the quantity of extractive matter existing in the 

 liquor. I have leeo them formed in fuch abundance, in a 

 fermented mixture of molafTes and the yeaft of beer, that 



thev 



