il4r. Henry on Ferment! and Fermentation. 291 



liquor may be formed ; and that this gas may 

 contribute, in a future ftage of fermentation, to 

 the conftitution of the acetous acid. 



The veflel being flopped, fome of the fac- 

 charine matter, being not decompofed, the liquor 

 will continue to have a fweetifh tafte. But, the 

 fermentation ftill going on, in a more gradual 

 manner, the liquor will become lefs fweet, and, 

 proportionably, more impregnated with ardent 

 fpirit ; and the fsculze fubfiding in the form of 

 lees, it will be now fully fermented, mellow, and 

 pellucid. * 



But, if the faccharine matter be too much 

 diluted, or the veflel be placed in a warm fitu- 

 ation, the liquor will then pafs from the vinous, 

 to the acetous, fermentation. 



In the formation of the faccharine acid, by 

 means of nitrous acid; the laft is fuppofed, by 

 carrying off" the phlogifton of the fugar, to 

 develope the faccharine acid. Or, according to 

 Mr. Lavoifier's hypothefis, one of the conflituent 

 parts of the nitrous acid performs this office, 

 while the other, or pure air, uniting to the pe- 

 culiar bafis, contained in the fugar, forms fac- 

 charine acid. 



• In the fermentation of wine a fubftance is depofited 

 at the fides and bottom of the calk called tartar; which 

 is lately difcovered to confift of pure vegetable alkali, 

 united to a fupcrabundant quantity of a peculiar acid. But 

 as this is not produced by malt liquors, it has not been 

 noticed in the eflay'. 



U 2 Sd 



