286 Air. Henry on Ferments and Fermeniatlcn. 



is higher than that of the furrounding atmo- 

 fphere, with which it is neceflary that a com- 

 munication be preferved. After fome days^ 

 thefe appearances begin to decline. If the pro- 

 cefs be rightly conduced, and flopped at a 

 proper period, a liquor, capable of yielding 

 vinous or ardent fpirit, is the refult. If the 

 procefs has been too flow and the degree of 

 heat infufFicient, the liquor will be flat and 

 fpiritlefs ; but, if thefe have been too rapid and 

 cxceflive, it will pafs into the acetous fermenta- 

 tion, to which indeed it is continually tending. 

 But the more ardent fpirit is generated, the lefs 

 Ipeedy will be the change to the acetous ftate. 



During the progrefs of the acetous fermenta-, 

 tion, which will even proceed in clofely flopped 

 vefiTcls, no feparation of air is obfervable, nor 

 any ftriking phenomena. The liquor gradually 

 lofes its vinous tafte, and becomes four, and 

 a grofs fediment falls to the bottom; while a 

 quantity of vifcid matter ftill remains, envelop- 

 ing the acid, which may be feparated from much 

 of the impurity by diftillation. 



The progrefs of thefe proceflTes is accelerated 

 by the addition of ferments, to the aflion of 

 which it has been fuppofed neceflary, that they 

 fhould have pafled through the ftate of fermen- 

 tation into which they are intended to bring the 

 liquor to which they are added; and that it was 

 not pohible to bring the farinaceous infuflons 



into 



