Fermentations by Organisms 827 



5. Wine Ferments. 



The same thing is true for the two fermentations which appear 

 so often in wine, and follow the development of mycoderma aceti 

 and mycoderma vini. In the following experiments, the two myco- 

 derms are generally used simultaneously. 



Experiment CCCCXLIII. August 8. Temperature 27°. Wine de- 

 cidedly acid, placed in equal quantities in 3 small bottles; I add to 

 each a small quantity of acetic ferment in full activity: 



A, left at normal pressure, covered with a paper cone turned 

 over it. 



B, taken to 4 atmospheres of ordinary air. 



C, to 7 atmospheres of air with 70% of oxygen; tension equiv- 

 alent to 24 atmospheres of air. • 



August 11. A. The wine is covered with a very definite white 

 membrane. 



B, very slight film over almost the entire surface. 



C, a few very slight small spots. 



B and C remain under compression. 

 August 15. A, very thick membrane. 



B, pellicle a little thicker than on August 11. 



C, spots as on August 11. 



Experiment CCCCXLIV. August 15. I add to wine placed in a 

 thin layer at the bottom of two matrasses films of mycoderm of 

 vinegar. 



A is closed and inverted over water. 



B is agitated for a long time by a current of almost pure oxygen; 

 then I close the matrass, and invert it beside A. 



August 17. A is covered with a white film of mycoderms. 



B has nothing on the surface. 



August 19. A, thick pellicle. 



B, slight film. 



August 21. A, quite thick membrane. 



B, the film slightly thickened. 



Experiment CCCCXLV. January 27. Ordinary wine placed in 

 two vials; on the surface is spread a little mycoderm from wine ex- 

 posed in the laboratory, on which had been sown mycoderma aceti. 



This wine contained 11.9% of alcohol and its equivalent' of 

 acidity was 0.08. 



A, with a cork stopper, and left at normal pressure; 



B, closed similarly with a stopper with a hole, and taken to 10 

 atmospheres of an air with 84% of oxygen; tension equivalent to 42 

 atmospheres of ordinary air. 



February 3. A, slight film on the surface. 



B, decompressed; nothing on the surface; stopper sealed with 

 wax. 



February 17. A, thick membrane. 



B, nothing on the surface. 



May 24. Shown to the Committee of the Academy of Sciences. 



