MEAD. 243 



The acid of tartar increases the fermenting 

 power of fluids : half-ripe fruits possess it in 

 greatest abundance ; hence the vivacity of cham- 

 pagne and green gooseberry wine. It is most con- 

 veniently used in the state of supertartrate of 

 potash or common cream of tartar : the common 

 rough tartar is in some respects preferable, as 

 its admixture of yeast assists in perfecting the 

 fermentation. 



All vegetables contain more or less of extractive 

 matter ; those that possess little may be assisted 

 in their fermentation, by that process being con- 

 ducted in wooden vessels, wood supplying the 

 extractive principle to the liquor; the same juices 

 therefore which would ferment very well in wood, 

 would scarcely ferment at all in glass or earthen- 

 ware. 



The extractive matter and the sugar are seldom 

 completely destroyed in any wines ; the existence 

 of the forme* is evinced, by the skinny matter 

 frequently deposited upon the insides of the wine- 

 bottles ; the latter may be detected, by a nice 

 palate, in the very driest of our wines ; its pre- 

 dominance indicates an inferior wine. 



From the preceding observations, my readers 



have probably anticipated my opinion of honey 9 



in wine-making. I regard it merely as a substitute 



{for sugar ; and to those who approve of its flavour 



1 1 recommend the following directions, which I 



M 2 



