AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IN WINE. 157 



alcohol, and another portion in wine which has been 

 boiled down, and restored by water to its original 

 volume, and in this the amount of salt dissolved is 

 less in proportion to the foreign substances dissolved 

 in the boiled wine. 



By examining how much salt is dissolved in wine, 

 and how much in wine that has been boiled and 

 restored to its original volume, we may determine 

 approximately the extractive and alcoholic con- 

 tents of the wine. The method is, however, very im- 

 perfect. 



There is another means of determining the alcoholic 

 contents of wine, which especially recommends itself 

 on account of its simplicity. It is employed by Tabarie, 

 and may be applied to beer as well as to liqueurs, and 

 other spirituous liquors. The specific gravity of the 

 wine to be tested is ascertained, half its volume is 

 evaporated in the open air, sufficient water is then 

 added to the remainder to restore its original volume, 

 and the specific weight is again determined. Tabarie 

 has constructed a peculiar areometer for determining 

 specific gravities, and called it an osnometer. It is not 

 necessary to dwell upon this subject, but we may 

 just observe that an areometer which exhibits den- 

 sities ranging from 0'990 and 1-104, having therefore 

 114 divisions, is sufficient for any kind of wines, for 

 there is no wine of less specific gravity than O990, 

 and none of greater specific gravity when freed from 

 alcohol, and again diluted with water than 1/104. 



