The Chemistry of Wine. 



2T 



completely explained by the discoveiy, 

 that the surface of berries is covered 

 with buds of fungi. The water, 

 in which those berries have been 

 Avashed, may be used as a ferment for 

 fermentable liquids ; as b}^ means of 

 the microscope numerous "myco- 

 derms" can also be foundin such water 

 as well as in the scrapings, which 

 can be removed with a blunt knife 

 from those berries. The same fact 

 exists with regard to the surface of 

 all other substances exposed to the 

 atmosphere. In all those substances, 

 which we generally term, "bloom," by 

 means of the microscope, the existence 

 of "mycoderms" can be proved; 

 therefor the dust upon books is ca- 

 pable of bringing about fermentation. 

 And this will explain, why the mash 

 of brewers and distillers, usually 

 brought to fermenting onl}- by adding 

 real yeast, sometimes begins to ferment 

 spontaneous!}^, which pTocess by brew- 

 ers and distillers is called the "wild 

 fermentation." 



However, not all the germs of 

 fungus bring about fermentation ; 

 chiefly only the germs of the genuine 

 mould-fungus, to wit: of the Peni- 

 cillium, the Ascophora, the Bacterium 

 and the Mucor, will bring fermentable 

 liquids into fermentation. But these 

 species of mould are spread enorm- 

 ously and therefor their germs iive to 

 be found nearly everywhere. On the 

 other hand, the germs of parasite 

 fungi (Uredo, Ustilago) produc- 

 tive of rust and blight^ the germs of 

 agaric (agaricus campestris and ex- 

 corticatus) and of the sevei*al species 

 of Boletus never produce j^east-cells. 

 Of these cells only the germs of 

 those fungi are productive, which — 



like the several species of mould — 

 dwell on decayed organic substances, 

 while the germs of the genuine para- 

 site fungi which thrive only on 

 undecayed organic substances and, as is 

 proved by rust and blight, exert a spe- 

 cific influence upon those substances, 

 are unapt to produce fermentation.. 



An other experiment in regard to 

 the vitality of the mould-fungus 

 was made by boiling organic liquids 

 for an hour in a partly filled up glass- 

 pipe, corked up closely with wadding. 

 In this way broth, boiled peas, solu- 

 tions of sugar, hone}'' etc. were pre- 

 served for from three to eight months- 

 By the constant boiling in such a 

 case the germs of fungus, either in 

 the fermentable liquid or in the at- 

 mosphere above it, have been killed 

 and the access of new ones had been 

 prevented by the wadded cork. 



Germs of mould in dry condition, 

 corked up in a dry glass pipe hermeti- 

 cally closed up on both ends, will re- 

 sist the heat of boiling Avater for hours 

 without damaging their productive 

 power, but brought into contact Avith 

 the liquid itself or the steam of the 

 same, the germs Avill be killed com- 

 pletely by the boiling heat. 



From these observations the method 

 of preserving fruits and vegetables in 

 hermeticalty sealed boxes took- its 

 origin and its explanation. When 

 first boiled, the existing germs of 

 fungus will be destroyed, and by 

 the second boiling or the placing of 

 the sealed boxes in boiling water, it 

 is designed to destroy those- germs 

 which during the process of sealing 

 up may haA^e succeeded in peneti'ating 

 into the boxes. 



To he continued. 



