246 



The World's Commercial Products 



in making choice of the wines to be distilled 

 the first point to be considered is the amount 

 of alcohol which they contain, and then the 

 quality of the spirit which they will yield. 

 The first question is decided by direct testing 

 with a test-still, but as regards the quality 

 of the spirit much depends upon the age, 

 purity, and fineness of the wine employed. 

 White wines are to be preferred, and all the 

 best varieties of " cognac " brandy are 

 distilled from these wines. 



A coarser kind of spirit is prepared from 

 the refuse of the wine-press. This refuse 

 still contains a certain amount of sugar, and fermentation is allowed to take place in vats in 

 which the lees are kept at the bottom by means of heavy sieves. After fermentation, 

 which takes about five days, the clear liquor is drawn off and distilled, producing a spirit 

 of a rough, unpleasant odour and flavour. The actual process of distillation is carried 

 out in large stills, a common form of which consists of a boiler containing a series of con- 

 centric cylinders so : arranged as to effect the separation of the spirituous vapours from the 

 steam. The boiler is heated by a brick furnace, and the vapours condensed by means 

 of an ordinary coil condenser, from which the finished spirit is collected. 



WAGGON FOR TRANSPORTING THE GRAPES 



VITICULTURE IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE 



Cape Colony 



Having thus briefly considered the principal features of the wine industry in France and 

 other parts of the Continent, it will not be out of place to refer to the present condition of 



SPREADING CURRANTS TO DRY 



