Olservaiions on Fermentation. 247 



the sugar yet undecomposecl from the action of the ferment. 

 Whence results a very sweet and syrupy wine, like those of 

 Spain. This inconvenience is to be remedied bv the addi- 

 tion of water, which immediately restores the vinous fer- 

 mentation. When the must is too waterv, fermentation 

 will scarcely take place, because the fermentable materials 

 are too much diluted. In this case the wine produced is 

 weak and almost colourless. The best mode of remedying 

 this defect, is to add some vuist evaporated to the 18th or 

 20th degree of Baume's hydromf-ier. M. Chaptal rightly 

 observes, that care must be taken not to evaporate the must 

 to the consistence of an extract; for then the leaven would 

 be coagulated, and it WDuld bv this management be deprived 

 of its property of producing fermentation. Tlic evaporated 

 must is to be added to the liquor in the tub until the whole 

 liquor attains the ordinary consistence, which is between 

 the eighth and fifteenth degrees of the same instrument. 



Experience has proved the utility of this method: it has 

 however this disadvantage, that the precipitation of tartar 

 is more rapid, and by a natural consequence the colour of 

 the wine is changed; — this at least is what takes place in 

 Languedoc. This effect may, I think, be attributed to the 

 precipitation of the tartar, which cannot remain dissolved 

 in the additional portion of must, the first formed crystals 

 of which attract others from the who'.e liquid by a molecular 

 affinity. This precipitation being admitted, it is easy to 

 conceive that the tartar, in falling di>wn, carries with it the 

 colouring matter upon which it acts as a mordant. Sugar 

 being by itself one of the most effectual pres?rvalives of 

 substances, its excess in the must cannot but render the 

 fermentation slow and incomplete: hence results a wine, in 

 which is found a great deal of sui>ar undecomposed. In this 

 case it is necessary to add some veast to the must, so as to 

 reestablish the proper proportion between the sugar and 

 the ferment. The addition of tartar in a small quantity, as 

 lialf a pound to 100 pounds of must, expediting the solution 

 of It bv boiling, is advised bv M. Chaptal, who considers 

 tartar as favouruig the fermentation, and rendering the de- 

 composition of the sugar more complete. 



A deficiency of sugar presents a quick and regular fer- 

 mentation, and onlv a meagre acescent wine is produced. 

 This is to be remedied by adding wine already niade, or 

 honey, or, what is still better, molasses, brown sugar or 

 white sugar, in the pnjportion of froui five to ten parts to 

 100 of 77?//?/, — if this method were allowable, with us, 

 Gtherwisc than in thiorv. 



Ql Thi$ 



