24 OK Tfi ART OF MAKING 



vegetable for very little more than the extractive 

 and fermenting matter, we are permitted to seek 

 it, even among leaves and roots. 



But to return to the agents engaged in fermenta- 

 tion ; water is one of these, and we have seen, that 

 a certain degree of fluidity is essential to this pro- 

 cess. If a mixed solution of sugar and leaven is 

 concentrated to a certain degree, it refuses to un- 

 dergo the act of fermentation, or, enters into it 

 with difficulty. For tire same reasons, its progress 

 is so slow, that the result is generally a sweet wine; 

 since the operator, accustomed to regulate his pro- 

 cesses by time, rather than by the changes which 

 the liquor experiences, is apt to conceive it finish- 

 ed before it is well established, and thus to sus- 

 pend it, by the operations of decanting and clarify- 

 ing, before the Hquor has suffered all the changes 

 of which, in due time, it is capable. 



When the juice to be fermented, contains, on the 

 contrary, too large a proportion of water, the fer- 

 mentation is equally slow and difficult, but the 

 produce is weak, and runs readily into the acetous 

 stage. Thus, weak currant juice exposed to fer- 

 fiientation, is converted into vinegar, by a gradation 

 so regular, that it can scarcely be said to form 

 wine, during any part of its progress. In wine 

 countries, these opposite evils are remedied, either 

 by dilution or concentration. The artificial com- 

 position of the fluid used in the domestic manu- 



