IN THE VICTORIAN ERA 3 



for us the special flavour we desire in our wines 

 or in our beers. 



Large and splendidly - equipped laboratories 

 exist for the express purpose of studying all 

 kinds and descriptions of yeasts, for finding out 

 their characteristic functions, and cultivating them 

 with all the tenderness and care that a modern 

 gardener bestows upon the rarest orchids. 



All this is now an old story, but some sixty years 

 ago the great battle had yet to be fought which 

 was to establish once and for all the dependence 

 of fermentation upon life, and vanquish for ever 

 those subtle arguments which so long refused to 

 life any participation in the work of fermentation 

 and other closely allied phenomena. 



When, however, Pasteur finally cleared away 

 the debris of misconception which had so long 

 concealed from view the vital character of the 

 changes associated with these processes, the 

 bacterial ball, if we may so call it, was set 

 rolling with a will, and information concerning 

 these minute particles of living matter was rapidly 

 gathered up from all directions. 



The recognition so long refused to bacteria was 

 now ungrudgingly given, for it was realised at last 

 that, in the words of M. Duclaux, " Whenever and 

 wherever there is decomposition of organic matter, 

 whether it be the case of a weed or an oak, of 



