On the Manufacture of Musct)vado Sugar. 3 2 1 



Subservience of these Measures to the Improvement of Rum, 

 Concerning rum it is now to be observed, that it derives 

 the depreciating characters of the recent spirit from two 

 sources; the chief of which is the fillh of the scums, and 

 especially the first scums in yawing. 



The tendency of such matter, even if there were nothing 

 verminous or animalcuiar in it, is to the putrefactive fer- 

 mentation, or rotting, while that of the sweet is to the vinous 

 fermentation, and thence to the acetous ; the product of the 

 former fermentation is as offensive to the smell and taste, 

 and as noxious, as that of the latter is grateful and cordial. 

 Wherever scums are detained to await the spontaneous se- 

 paration of the sweets from the filth, an intestine motion 

 may be observed, and then chiefly in the concurrence of these 

 fermentations the offensive product is generated ; the rest is 

 formed in the fermenting vats, in quantity proportionate to 

 the filth of this kind which passes into them. 



Every vinous liquor capable of yielding an intoxicating 

 spirit by distillation, affords.some quantity of peculiar essen- 

 tial oil, which awaits the arise of the water of the latter and 

 weaker runnings, and characterizes them ; therefore this es- 

 sential oil is, in a great measure, separable from the spirit by 

 redislillaiion ; especially if salts retentive of the water, and 

 restraining the volatility of the oil, ar^ used. 



But it is peculiar to the ordinary manufacture of rum that 

 very offensive ethereal fluid is generated in these mixed fer- 

 mentations, and that by reason of its volatility it is insepa- 

 rable bv a redistillation. • , i r 

 But from the source above mentioned the essential oil ot 

 rum acquires extraordinary nauseousness; and as a single re- 

 distillation cannot exclude it totally, and as any number 

 could not exclude the ethereal taint above mem loned,^ the 

 best new rum of anv estate is that which runs internicaiatc 

 in respect of the oBensive ether and the fetid oily fcmts. 



All rum is improved by lime in wooden casks, by exhala- 

 tion of ether and absorption of oil, and under a grovving 

 charge for waste and for interest on the price. Some have 

 improved it sooner by ventilation, but not without a great 

 Vol. 24. No. 96. May IbOC. X vvast« 



