194 THE VINOUS FERMENTATION. ^ 



ters from whicl is derived ; M. Dumas has in fact found it to be 

 composed of: 



Carbon 50.6 



Hydrogen • 7.3 



Azote 15.0 



Oxypen ) 



Sulphur \ 27.1 



Phosphorus ) 



100.0 



Under the influence of ferment, sugar becomes entirely changed 

 into alcohol and carbonic acid. The composition of grape-sugar — 

 which appears to be the only one that is susceptible of fermentation, 

 for cane-sugar before undergoing this process passes into the state 

 of grape-sugar, as was demonstrated by M. Henry Rose — the com- 

 position of grape-sugar is as follows : 



Carbon 3R.4 



Hydrogen 7.0 



Oxygen -oG-S 



100.0 



and the constitution of the substances which are produced in the 

 process of fermentation, viz. alcohol and carbonic acid, being as 

 under : 



Anhydrom alcohol. Carbonic aciJ. Water. 



Carbon ^2.^0 27.27 



Hydrogen 13.02 " 11.1 



0.\ygen .34.70 72.7:< 88. 9 



100.0 100.0 100.0 



It appears that the composition of 100 parts of grape-sugar may be 

 expressed by : 



Carbon. Hrdroj^eii. Oxjgtn. 



Alcohol 46.16 containing 24.24 6.05 16.17 



Carbonic ncid 44.45 " 11.12 " 32.33 



Water '.9.09 " _" 1.01 8.08 



lOO.OO 36.36 Toe 58.58 



oy which it would appear that during the transformation of hydrated 

 grape-sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid, the combined water is 

 set at liberty. 



The first fermented vegetable juice of which 1 shall speak is 

 cane-wine, ox guarapo of the South Americans, a drink which is in 

 common use wherever the sugar-cane is cultivated. It is prepared 

 from the juice of the sugar-cane sulTered to run into fermentation. 



The chiclia of South America is a fermented lii]uor prepared from 

 Indian corn, and constitutes the wine of the Cordilleras. The grain 

 is steeped for six or eight hours in water, bruised upon a stone and 

 boiled ; the pulp which results is then diffused throutrh 4'- times its 

 volume of water, and the temperature being from 00" to C5' F., a 

 violent fermentation is soon set up in the Huid, which beoins to sub- 

 side after a period of twenty-four hours, when the chirha is potable, 

 and now constitutes a liquor of an agreeable and decidedly vinous 

 flavor, in high repute with those who have ac(juired a taste tor it, 

 although its muddy appearance and the sediment which it ahvavt 



