206 



The Grape Culturist. 



to work it certainly does by the same 

 action produced. Ttie American patent 

 covers the use of either. 



The above journal (page 209) also 

 mentions the efficiency of air-treatment 

 to quickly clarify wine, even if of bad 

 taste and ropy. The wine was made 

 perfectly clear and of good taste in a 

 day, after half an hours' air-treatment 

 with the isini^'lass solution. Similar 

 results have been obtained previously 

 in California wine-cellars, where the 

 clarifying (Schonen) is now done en- 

 tirely by air-treatment, in place of the 

 commonly used rod. 



In an analysis and official report of 

 October 1869 by the chemist of the 

 Agricultural Department, Washington, 

 on California air-treated wine of Nov. 

 1868, very favorable to air-treatment, 

 the unusually large amount of acid (as 

 tartrate of potassium and of little taste) 

 is noticed b^^ the chemist in the follow- 

 ing manner, tovvit: "It may be that 

 the process of aeration results in the 

 foimation of acid at the expense of 

 extract." This, however, certainly is 

 a mistake ; no test of the must before 

 fermentation was made for acids, while 

 the taste of the wine reveals no acid ; 

 on the contrary, it is too free from it 

 to satisfy those accustomed to German, 

 French or North American wines. A 

 practical wineman of high standing of 

 Toledo, Ohio, writes to the patentee of 

 air-treatment the following in regard to 

 the above : " We have seen an analysis 

 and official statement by the chemist of 

 the Agricultural Department, Washing- 

 ton, about air-treated California wine, 

 and we think that by an obvious incor- 

 rection therein, it may give rise to an 

 impression injurious to 3'our air-treat- 

 ment. No test for acids appears to 



have been made on the must, the wine 

 from whicli is said to contain an unusu- 

 ally large amount of acid, and which, 

 the chemist surmises, may be the re- 

 sult of air-treatment. Our experience 

 does not corroborate such supposi- 

 tions. We have employed your air- 

 treatment in spring, summer, and again 

 in fall 1869, on large quantities of wine, 

 invariably with beneficial results, to 

 accelerate the fermentation and to ob- 

 tain a wine of superior flavor. We 

 have also ascertained the amount of 

 acid in the must before fermentation, 

 and also in the wine obtained b}" air- 

 treatment from the same must, and 

 find the same proportion in both, prov- 

 ing that no acids have been formed by 

 this process, or the character of the 

 wine injuriously changed thereb}-. We 

 have perfect confidence in your air- 

 treatment." 



The French chemist, Pasteno, found 

 rather less acid in wine fermented with 

 previous an-ation, than in some from the 

 same must fermented without aeration. 



R. H. 



[The following is the official state- 

 ment of the Chemist: — Editor.] 



OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT 



OF AGRICULTURE AT W^ASHIXGTON, ON 



WINE MADE BY d'hEUREUSe's AIR 



TREATMENT. 



Lauokaiuky of the Dep't of Aghicultiue, ) 

 Washingtoti, October 'M, ISOt). i 



Hox. K. T. McLaix, Acting Commissioner: 



Sir : Having examined the wine sent 

 by R. d'Heureuse, Esq. , of New York, 

 I have to report as follows, concirning 

 its chemical constitution, and the re- 

 sults of his patented process termed 

 " x\ir Treatment." The wine, as re- 

 ceived, contained : 



