MEAD. 245 



cider with a portion of that necessary ingredient 

 for perfect vinification. 



It is a practice with some to add spices to their 

 Mead during the fermentation, such as ginger, 

 cloves, mace, rosemary, lemon-peel, &c. This 

 is bad ceconomy ; a much smaller quantity will 

 communicate the required flavour if the addition 

 be made after the fermentation has ceased. 



A common beverage is sometimes made, by 

 simply boiling the refuse honey-combs in water 

 after extracting from them as much of the honey 

 as will run ; this liquor will not require tartar or 

 yeast : it should be tunned as soon as cool, bunged 

 down in three or four days, and drank in a few 

 weeks. In some parts of Wales the refuse combs 

 are brewed with malt, spices, &c. and the produce 

 is called Braggot, a name derived from the old 

 British words brag and gots, the former signifying 

 malt, the latter honey-comb. 



A knowledge of the principles of fermentation 

 will enable the wine-maker to regulate its process. 

 Thus if a dry wine be desired, and fermentation 

 be suspended, it may be renewed by a restoration 

 of the separated leaven or the addition of fresh ; 

 or by agitation and a remixture of the lees. It 

 is upon the latter principle, called "feeding on the 

 lees" that some foreign wines are improved by 

 long voyages ; but this treatment, so serviceable 



