58 



The Grape Culfurist. 



important part, and in showing their 

 participation in the manufacturing of 

 "wine, we have pointed out but a small 

 part of the groat ends allotted to these 

 microscopic organisms in the economy 

 of nature. Decomposition can never 

 take place without the germs of 

 fungi having a part in it, the one 

 way or the other. jSFeither the spiri- 

 tuous, nor the acid, nor the slimy, nor 

 the septical fermentation can succeed 

 before the germs of fungus have 

 given them a start. We woxdd not 

 even be able to digest those meals we 

 take, but for the assistance of those 

 germs of fungus. They are to be 

 found copiously upon the sides of the 

 inner mouth and throat constantly 

 mingling with the saliva, by which 

 we are able to bring solutions of 

 sugar into fermentation and to 

 turn sugar into starch. Every- 

 where, in the throat, in the stomach, 

 in all the intestines we find the for- 

 mation of fungi. They pass with 

 the food into the stomach and 

 through the whole body. In the rec- 

 tum and in the excrements we find 

 them most abundant ; they are even, 

 as has been settled bej^ond doubt by 

 the latest experiments, the invisible 

 bearers of epidemic' diseases, and 

 that horrible scourge of mankind, the 

 cholera, owes its propagation onl}' to 

 the germs of fungus. 



After this digression, which led us 

 into a gloomy province of nature, we 

 will return to the subject of fermen- 

 tation of wine. 



To produce spirituous' fermentation 

 the following is required : 



1. Sugar liable to ferment. 



2. Sufficient dilution of the suirar. 



3. The presence of bodies contain- 

 ing nytrogen. 



4. Contact of the liquid Avlth the 

 atmosphere. 



5. A proper temperature. 



The three first named requisites 

 are always found in the juice of the 

 grape, although under different cir- 

 cumstances. 



Dry sugar vrill never ferment, nei- 

 ther will a concentrated solution of 

 sugai'. When only slightly concen- 

 trated, it will ferment imperfectly, re- 

 mains therefore, after the fermen- 

 tation, sweet, that is to say, still con- 

 tains sugar not yet decomposed. 



Solutions of sugar, containing up to 

 25 per cent sugar are still able to fer- 

 ment perfectly. A sugar solution of 

 30 per cent, however, ferments only 

 partially; therefore, if a complete 

 solution of the sugar is intended, 

 it must be dissolved properlj', so as 

 not to contain more that 25 per cent 

 of sugar. 



The contact of the grape juice with 

 the atmosphere during the process of 

 pressing is sufiicient, and the process 

 of fermenting can take place without 

 any further contact of the juice with 

 the air; because the germs of the fungi, 

 Avhich produce fermentation, find 

 everything necessary for the groAvtli 

 and propagation in the fermenting 

 liquid. A single germ of a fungus 

 only is required to produce and con- 

 tinue fermentation. 



The outside limits of the tempera- 

 ture, in which fermentation is best 

 produced, are from 50 to 90 degrees 

 Fahrenheit. If the temperature is 

 lower, fermentation is too slow; the 

 freezing of the liquid stops it alto- 

 gether. If the temperature ishigher, 



