MEANS OP PREPARING WHOLESOME DRINKS. 275 



and may then be gradually diluted with water ; fermentation 

 will take place in a few hours, and will go on regularly dur- 

 ing two or three days. 



As -directions for the manufacture of cider, perry, and 

 beer, for general consumption, are much less necessary here, 

 than those for procuring for farmers wholesome liquors at 

 a trifling expense, I shall confine my observations to this 

 object. 



Grapes furnish the best liquor, and that in the greatest 

 quantity ; but when this is drunk clear, it serves but little 

 purpose for quenching thirst ; when made use of in large 

 quantities, it impairs the strength. The liquor called pi- 

 quette, which is manufactured by our farmers, supplies ad- 

 vantageously the place of wine, serving as a tonic, and at the 

 same time quenching thirst. 



Piquette is made from the pressed and fermented mash of 

 red grapes, by means of water filtrated through it till it ac- 

 quires, in some degree, the color and appearance of wine : 

 it is, even in this state, a better drink than water, inasmuch 

 as it is slightly tonic ; its good qualities may however be 

 much increased by fermentation. 



Piquette can be kept but a short time unchanged, and 

 from this tendency to sour, it is necessary that it should be 

 made only in such quantities as are immediately wanted, and 

 that the manufacture of it should be continued at intervals 

 throughout the year. For this purpose the pressed mash of 

 red grapes is put into a cask, care being taken to crowd it 

 in till the cask is completely full, after which it is hermeti- 

 cally closed so as to exclude air and moisture, and set in a 

 cool, dry place. 



When the piquette is to be prepared for use, the head is 

 taken out of the cask, and water is thrown upon the mash 

 till the whole mass is moistened wi.th it, and the water 

 stands upon the top : fermentation soon takes place, as be- 

 comes evident by the light foam which arises ; it is com- 

 pleted at the end of the fourth or fifth day ; from this time 

 the liquor may be drawn off for daily use, the place of the 

 portion removed being supplied by an equal quantity of wa- 

 ter thrown in upon the top of the mash. In this manner a 

 cask of mash of the capacity of 66 gallons may furnish 

 about 4 gallons of drink per day, and will continue to yield 

 it for about twenty days. 



As the mash of white grapes cannot be made to ferment 

 with the juice, this last is separated and put into casks to 



