332 GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



The Aphro7neter. 



To ascertain the correct time for the removal of the bottles, the 

 Aphromter {Fig. 35) is used for measuring the pressure of the gas. 

 By means of a hollow screw, which contains a movable cylinder 

 1 1, the point of which is called V^ this latter is driven into the 

 cork of the bottle after the wire has been removed and the cork 

 been cut even. The movement of the cylinder is governed by 

 the knob B, fastened to it by a small screw marked F, and by the 

 female screw E, in which the male screw of the knob is inserted. 

 The gas rises through t into the tube h, /, ?', and, by turning the 

 handle y, is admitted into the Manometer, which has been previ- 

 ously filled with water, and by another screw, marked G, connects 

 with the frame^ h, I, r. This Manometer, which has been invent- 

 ed by Bourdin, shows exactly the number of atmospheres the 

 pressure of the gas in the bottles amounts to. 



After the fermentation process is completed, the dregs of the 

 wine must be removed. For this purpose, the bottles are placed 

 on stands of 1 m. 60 in height by m. 90 broad, as shown in 

 Fig. 36. Each stand has 10 rows of bottle-holes (6 holes in one 

 row), of oval shape, on each side, the largest diameter of which 

 measures 10 and the smallest one 9 centimeters. It answers the 

 purpose best to place the bottles at an angle of 30° to 35°. Fig. 

 37 shows a simpler way of placing the bottles in a position to 

 make the sediment of the wine settle on the cork. 



To facilitate the gathering of the dregs, it is necessary to shake 

 the bottles a little at different times. As the sediment of the wine 

 is often slimy, and sticks to the glass, the following solutions of 

 tannin and alum are used to prevent this. ♦ 



1. Solution of Tannin. — 200 grammes of pure gall-nut tannin are dissolved in al- 

 cohol of 95° C, so as to give one litre of liquid, which is sufficient to clear IG casks 

 of wine of 100 litres each. This is equivalent to 12 grammes ; 5 of this solution for 

 one cask, or G2.o for one litre, or 50 milligrammes for one bottle. 



2. Solution of Alum. 



Pure gelatine IG grammes. 



Alum 8 " 



White wine 1 litre. 



The wine is heated, and in a decilitre of it the alum is dissolved, 

 and the gelatine in the residue. The whole is mixed when it be- 

 comes lukewarm. A quarter litre of this liquid suffices for 200 

 litres of wine. The sediment produced by the mixture of gela- 

 tine and alum with tannin is always pulverous, does not adhere 

 to the glass, and produces a very clear wine. 



Fig. 38 shows the way in which the dregs are removed. The 

 workman places the bottle inverted on his left arm. After hav- 

 ing removed the wire and strings with the common hook (TvJy.SQ), 

 he presses the finger of his left hand on the cork, which he ex- 

 tracts by means of pincers {Fig. 40). The foam is let into a small 

 cask, marked c, leaning toward the workman, out of which it runs 



