JOIIANN CARL LEUCIIS ON WINE-MAKING. 225 



a higher bed, and frequently sweeping the ground beneath them ; 

 or by making more air-holes ; or by strewing fresh blacksmith 

 cinders over the floor, and taking them out again after two or 

 three days : these will absorb a great deal of moisture. 3. If it 

 is too d)-i/, by reducing the number of air-holes ; by bringing in 

 moist sand, or vessels filled with water. 4. If it is too cold, by 

 warming it. This is especially advisable for red wines. 



A cellar should have at least a height of six to ten feet, and be 

 covered with six feet of earth. Cellars dug out of a gypsum rock 

 can not be used during the first two to four years, as this evolves 

 a vapor which might spoil the wane in the casks. Air-holes are 

 indispensably necessary, and must, during the summer heat, be 

 lightly covered over with straw, as also during the cold of the 

 winter. 



In order to get the carbonic acid, so detrimental to the health, 

 out of a cellar, some slackened lime must be introduced, besides 

 keeping up a good draught of air. If a person has business in 

 such a cellar, a lighted candle ought always to be taken along, 

 and held low. When it goes out of itself there is danger of suf- 

 focation. This may be in some measure prevented by holding a 

 sponge dipped in ammonia before the mouth and nose. 



The Casks. 



Large casks are preferable to small ones. The fermentation 

 takes a more even and perfect course in them ; the air has less 

 influence on the wine, which is not so liable to sudden changes, 

 on account of the greater thickness of the staves. After they are 

 filled they are to be closed air-tight by bungs, made best of ash- 

 wood, and have a small hole left in the middle, which serves to 

 fill the wine up through. The bung of this hole has a hook to 

 facilitate its lifting. 



According to experiments made by Mr. Lignieres, the wine in 

 ordinary barrels loses, in the first year, from 8 to 10 per cent. ; 

 but in large casks, on the contrary, only 1^ per cent. Besides 

 this, there are other advantages offered by large casks. They 

 cause a saving of room and of labor. 



In olden times large casks were constructed, where frequently 

 single cloisters and seigneuries had occasion to bring the rich har- 

 vests of entire districts into their cellars. The most widely-known 

 of them were : 



1. The great cask of Koenigstein, in Saxony. It is 17 ells long, 

 its depth is 12 ells at the bung and 11 ells at the bottom. It was" 

 constructed in the year 1725, and has 157 staves, each one 8 inch- 

 es thick. It holds 3709 Dresdener eimer of wine. The wine 

 with which it was filled the first time cost 20 kreutzers per maas ; 

 altogether, 50,000 guldens. 



2. The great cask of Heidelberg, in Germany. This is 36 feet 

 long, 24 wide, and 21 high. A staircase leads up to a small danc- 



P 



