174 VIXKOAII, niJEii, AND FRUIT-WINKS. 



in in a nawynt fcitc. Hence a *rnall quantity of it i found in 

 nearly all red wine* not prepared by fermentation in closed vat*, 

 it* presence being din? to the formation of a small quantity of 

 o/ictie acid from the alcohol, which immediately combines with 

 the ethyl oxide or ether. 



In vinegar containing a small quantity of unchanged alcohol 

 Home acetic either formal by the conversion of this alcohol into 

 acetic acid is alwayH present, and imparting a very delicate and 

 agreeable tjoiiqiict to the vinegar, it i- recommended to conduct 

 the fabrication of a fine article so that it contains a small quan- 

 tity of it. 



It IH, however, not absolutely necessary to leave a small quan- 

 tity of alcohol in the vinegar, as either acetic c-ther or alcohol 

 can U; directly added to the finished product. But in both casen 

 the vinegar haw to be Htored for neveral weeks; in the first, 'for 

 the purpose of harnioni/inc the* cxlors of acetic ether and of acetic 

 acid, and in the latter, for the? formation of acetic ether. 



A fluid quite rich in awtie ctlrcr and very suitable for impart- 

 ing bouquet to table vinegar can in a very simple manner be 

 prepnred by mixing in a flask one volume of highly concentrated 

 acetic acid with two volumes of 95 or !KJ per cent, alcohol, and after 

 cloning flic flask air-tight, allowing the fluid to stand in a warm 

 room for several months. The resulting fluid is us(*l as an addi- 

 tion to the vinegar whose odor is to be improved. Entirely pure 

 acetic ether is best prepared in the following mariner: To 9 parts 

 of concentrated sulphuric acid .*5.(J parts of commercial absolute 

 alcohol are added by means of a funnel tube which reaches to the 

 bottom of the vessel, at the same time keeping the liquid well 

 stirred. After standing for 24 hours this mixture is added to o* 

 parts of sodium acetate which has previously been fused and 

 broken into small fragments, and after 12 hours the mixture is 

 distilled, Thus (> parts of pure acetic ether are obtained, from 

 which, by rectifying over calcium chloride, all traces of water arc 

 removed. 



Pure acetic ether or ethyl acetate has the composition ,?\ , 8 M 



^ y 2*V ' .) 



and represents a fluid clear as water with an agreeable but stupe- 

 fying odor. Its specific gravity is ().!).'J2 and it boils at 105.2 F. 



