276 CHYMISTRY APPLIED TO AGRICULTURE. 



ferment by itself, and the piquette is then made by adding to 

 the mash the necessary quantity of water. This liquor is 

 more spirituous than that made from red grapes, and keeps 

 better ; it is therefore reserved for use during the latter part 

 of the summer. 



If instead of throwing pure water upon the mash, as is 

 everywhere done, this liquid should first be slightly sweet- 

 ened and heated, and then receive the addition of a little 

 yeast, piquette of a very superior quality would be obtained. 

 In the absence of yeast or leaven, the scum which arises 

 upon wine, especially white wine, during fermentation, may 

 be used for the same purpose ; this foam or scum may be 

 dried, and thus preserved for use without undergoing any 

 change. 



Well-made piquette is a very wholesome drink for country 

 people, from its tonic properties, as well as its power of 

 quenching thirst ; it is far preferable, as a daily drink, to 

 wine : but this resource is only local, as in those countries 

 that are most fruitful in grapes, if the harvest fall short, there 

 can be but little piquette made ; it is necessary then to be 

 able to supply its place from some other source, and this is 

 done by the fermentation of certain fruits. 



Apples and pears, as being the fruits that are most abun- 

 dantly produced, are the most valuable for the purpose of 

 manufacturing liquors : a mixture of the two produces a 

 more wholesome article of drink than does either treated 

 separately. The juice of plums and of other wild fruits may 

 likewise be added, as their astringency renders the liquor more 

 tonic. 



Excellent liquor may generally be produced both from ap- 

 ples and pears, by following the well-known method of mak- 

 ing cider, which consists in grinding the fruit with a mill- 

 stone and fermenting .the pulp and juice together : but upon 

 farms, where we seldom find the means of preserving 

 liquors unchanged, it is necessary that the processes be sim- 

 ple, and such as can be made use of for preparing them as 

 they are needed ; I shall therefore recommend the following 

 method. 



Begin to collect the apples and pears which fall from the 

 trees towards the end of August, and continue to do so 

 till they have arrived at maturity ; cut them in pieces as 

 fast as they are gathered, and dry them first in the sun, 

 and afler wards in an oven from which the bread has been 

 dravra. If the fruit be well dried in this manner, though 



