CELLARING. 119 



degree, lost those substances which they could impart 

 to wine; whilst new casks, unless they have been 

 cleaned, impart a good deal. Hence it follows, that 

 wines which spoil easily, on account of containing too 

 much albuminous matter, may be materially improved 

 by remaining for some time in new open casks ; for 

 the tannic acid of the cask either precipitates or ren- 

 ders inert the superfluous albuminous matter of the 

 wine. 



Old casks may, however, be injurious to wine on 

 another account, namely, by decomposing such tartar 

 as is deposited, or even by only rendering the tartar 

 acid. In this case it is advisable to wash out the 

 casks with milk of lime. 



In order to preserve the wine from any such effect 

 as may be produced by the casks, a custom has been 

 introduced by the wine dealers of Burgundy, and has 

 obtained now, for some years, of preserving the 

 wine in walled-in reservoirs.* The hard stones are 

 cemented and coated with Eoman cement. The trough 

 is pumped full of water, which is then removed, and 

 the reservoir dried before being filled with wine. 

 This wine remained free from lime, and if we may 

 trust the reports, improved just as much as in wooden 

 casks. The reservoirs are furnished with an opening, 

 and fastened with a wooden lid. 



According to Stiimcke,t the best means of pre- 



* Moniteur Industr. 1848, No. 1272. 

 t Archiv. d. Pharm. Bd. 70, s. 150. 



