122 VINEGAR, CIDER, AND FRUIT-WINES. 



factories, I, II, and III, of which I produces vinegar of 6 per 

 cent., II vinegar of 9 per cent., and III vinegar of 12 per cent. ; 

 the product of I, after having been converted by a suitable addi- 

 tion of alcohol into alcoholic liquid adapted for the preparation 

 of 9 per cent, vinegar, is directly used for charging the generators 

 of group II and that of II for charging III. 



The generators belonging to one group having been acidulated 

 with vinegar of the same strength, the fluid running off from one 

 generator need not necessarily be returned to it. The work can, 

 therefore, be simplified by conducting the fluid running off from 

 all the generators by means of a suitable pipe-system into a 

 common receiver instead of allowing the fluid, which has passed 

 through a generator, to collect under a lath-bottom and then 

 drawing it off and returning it to the same generator. If, for 

 instance, 8 generators belong to one group and 3 liters (3.16 

 quarts) have at the same time been poured into each, the passage 

 of the liquid through all the generators will be shown by a 

 measuring scale placed in the common receiver, indicating that 

 the latter contains 3x8=24 liters (25.36 quarts). 



The samples for determining the content of acetic acid and 

 alcohol are taken from the common receiver, and the latter also 

 serves for the conversion of the vinegar, after it has acquired the 

 percentage of acid attainable in that group, into stronger alcoholic 

 liquid by the addition of alcohol. In order to effect an intimate 

 mixture and at the same time prevent the vinegar ferment float- 

 ing in the fluid from suffering injury by coming in contact with 

 the highly concentrated spirits of wine, the required quantity of 

 the latter is introduced in a thin jet and with constant stirring. 



In many factories it is customary from time to time to alter- 

 nate with the pourings in the groups or "to cross the generators. 7 ' 

 By this " crossing" the alcoholic liquid, which, according to the 

 above method, would, for instance, pass from group II to group 

 III, is poured into group I, so that after some time the gene- 

 rators of this group are converted into generators of group III 

 (with 12 per cent, acid), and group III becomes group I, it now 

 containing the weakest alcoholic liquid (with 6 per cent. acid). 

 Crossing, however, cannot be recommended, because a sudden 

 change in the constitution of the nourishing fluid always exerts 



