POPULAR MISCELLANY. 



253 



about seven feet high, six feet broad, and 

 eight feet long, well lined and covered with 

 straw and matting, so that its high temper- 

 ature may be kept up for a considerable 

 time. In this chamber the rice and spores 

 are left about ten days, and then they are 

 found to be covered with a green fungus 

 full of spores. This product is called in 

 Japanese tane, or seed. When it is re- 

 quired to commence operations a similar 

 method is adopted — that is, a quantity of 

 steamed rice is placed on wooden trays in 

 the " fungus-chamber," but not mixed with 

 wood-ashes, and then iane is scattered over 

 it, and the chamber kept closed for from 

 two to four days. The rice-grains are then 

 found to be covered with large quantities 

 of fine, hair-like threads — the mycelium of 

 the fungus. In this state it is called ko- 

 ji. To prepare his yeast, the brewer mixes 

 steamed rice with thirty per cent, of its 

 weight of koji and sufficient water to make 

 a thick mud, in shallow tubs, which are 

 kept on the central platform. It is fre- 

 quently stirred with wooden tools for about 

 ten days, and thus the grains of rice are 

 broken down, the whole assuming a much 

 thinner consistence, and the liquor becom- 

 ing decidedly sweet. This is a change for 

 which the author cannot yet fully account. 

 After the end of the ten days this product is 

 mixed with freshly-steamed rice, water, and 

 koji, and placed in larger wooden vessels, 

 in which the mixture is heated by means of 

 closed wooden tubs containing hot water ; 

 and the temperature is maintained for from 

 eight to thirteen days at about 95° Fahr. 

 Meanwhile there is continuous development 

 of gas, and a scum gradually forms on the 

 surface till it is about an inch thick, and 

 under the microscope presents the usual 

 appearance of brewers' ferment — saccha- 

 romyces. The product of this operation is 

 called nioto — source, or origin — the yeast. 

 The actual fermentation has three stages, 

 called " beginning," " middle," and "end," 

 the proportions of steamed rice varying 

 slightly in each, but giving a final result of 

 one hundred parts of steamed rice to thirty 

 of ferment. This mixture, with the proper 

 quantity of water, is placed in large tuns, 

 and allowed to remain fifteen days, during 

 which there is active fermentation, and 

 the liquid becomes strongly alcoholic, at 



the end of which time it is drawn off from 

 the grains of rice which have subsided, and 

 put in other tuns, where it stands till the 

 remainder of the rice is separated. The 

 liquor is now heated to 140° Fahr., after 

 which it is kept in store vats, carefully 

 sealed up. This sake contains about fifteen 

 per cent, alcohol. 



A French igricnitnral School. — It is a 



true remark that in France sundry matters 

 of practical administration are better un- 

 derstood than elsewhere, and it may be 

 that an account of a French agricultural 

 school will suggest a few useful ideas to 

 those who conduct similar institutions in 

 this country. At Grignon, near Versailles, 

 is an institution of this kind, concerning 

 which the Revue Scientijiquc gives the fol- 

 lowing notes: There are three classes of 

 students, viz., internes, or boarders, who 

 constitute the majority ; exfernes, who live 

 outside of the institution, but who are re- 

 quired to attend all the exercises of the 

 school ; and auditeurs libres, who are free 

 to select among the different courses of in- 

 struction such as they prefer. Students of 

 the first class pay 1,200 francs per annum 

 for board, lodging, and tuition, and those 

 of the other two pay 200 francs. The 

 course of study extends ovei* a period of 

 two and a half years, and pupils are admit- 

 ted in October after passing an examination. 

 In March, at the close of the first semester, 

 they are examined on the subjects they 

 have studied during this first term, and 

 those who do not pass this ordeal success- 

 fully are dismissed. Similar eliminatory 

 examinations take place at the end of 

 each semester. The final examination is 

 in March, thirty months after admission, 

 the most meritorious students receiving 

 diplomas, and the others a certificate of 

 study. The number of branches taught 

 is considerable, viz. : Chemistry, both gen- 

 eral and agricultural ; rural economy ; ag- 

 riculture ; rural engineering ; botany ; tech- 

 nology; silviculture; zootechny; meteor- 

 ology, and geology. In addition, instruc- 

 tion is given in book-keeping and in hy- 

 giene, and there are lectures on special sub- 

 jects. The instruction given in each branch 

 of study is fortified by practical applications 

 under the direction of the professors and 



