268 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE 



Let us glance for a moment at the outward and 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 contained cherries 

 which had lain in it for fourteen days. It was not en- 

 tirely filled with the fruit, an air-space being left above 

 the cherries when they were put in. I had the bung re- 

 moved, 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. 1 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 vapor 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 com- 

 merce 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 



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. 



