FEEMENTATION. 239 



visible signs of fermentation. A few weeks ago I paid 

 a visit to a private still in a Swiss chalet ; and this is 

 what I saw. In the peasant's bedroom was a cask with 

 a very large bunghole carefully closed. The cask con- 

 tained cherries which had lain in it for fourteen days. 

 It was not entirely filled with the fruit, an air-space 

 being left above the cherries when they were put in. I 

 had the bung removed, and a small lamp dipped into 

 this space. Its flame was instantly extinguished. The 

 oxygen of the air had entirely disappeared, its place 

 being taken by carbonic acid gas.^ I tasted the 

 cherries : they were very sour, though when put into 

 the cask they were sweet. The cherries and the liquid 

 associated with them were then placed in a copper 

 boiler, to which a copper head was closely fitted. From 

 the head proceeded a copper tube which passed straight 

 through a vessel of cold water, and issued at the other 

 side. Under the open end of the tube was placed a 

 bottle to receive the spirit distilled. The flame of 

 small wood-splinters being applied to the boiler, after 

 a time vapour rose into the head, passed through the 

 tube, was condensed by the cold of the water, and fell 

 in a liquid fillet into the bottle. On being tasted, it 

 proved to be that fiery and intoxicating spirit known in 

 commerce as Kirsch or Kirschwasser. 



The cherries, it should be remembered, were left to 

 themselves, no ferment of any kind being added to 

 them. In this respect what has been said of the cherry 

 applies also to the grape. At the vintage the fruit of 

 the vine is placed in proper vessels, and abandoned to 

 its own action. It ferments, producing carbonic acid ; 

 its sweetness disappears, and at the end of a certain 



1 The gas which is exhaled from the lungs after the oxygen of 

 the air has done its duty in purifying the blood; the same also which 

 effervesces from soda water and champagne. 



