194 THE VINOUS FERMENTATION. 



lers from whicl is derived ; M. Dumas has in fact found it tot« 

 composed of: 



Carbon 50.6 



Hydrogen 7.3 



Azote 15.0 



Oxygen ) 



Sulphur V 27.1 



Phosphorus ) 



100.0 



Under the influence of ferment, sugar becomes entirely cimnged 

 into alcohol and carbonic acid. The composition of grape-sugar— 

 ■^^hich appears to be the only one that is susceptible of fermentation, 

 for cane-sugar before undergoing this process passes into the state 

 of grape-sugar, as was demonstrated by M. Henry Rose — the com- 

 position of grape-sugar is as follows : 



Carbon 36.4 



Hydrogen 7.0 



Oxygen .56.6 



100.0 



and the constitution of the substances which are produced in the 

 process of fermentation, viz. alcohol and carbonic acid, being as 

 under : 



Anhydrous alcohol. Carbonic acid. Water. 



Carbon 52.19 27.27 



Hydrogen 13.02 " 11.1 



Oxygen .34.79 72.73 88.9 



100.0 100.0 100.0 



It appears that the composition of 100 parts of grape-sugar may be 

 expressed by : 



Carbon. Hydrogen. Oxygen, 



Alcohol 46.16 containing 24.24 6.05 16.17 



Carbonic acid 44.45 " 11.12 " 32.33 



Water 9.09 " " 1.01 8.08 



100.00 36.36 7M 58!58 



oy which it would appear that during the transformation of hydrated 

 grape-sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid, the combined water is 

 set at liberty. 



The first fermented vegetable juice of which I shall speak is 

 cane-wine^ or guarapo of the South Americans, a drink which is m 

 common use wherever the sugar-cane is cultivated. It is prepared 

 from the juice of the sugar-cane suffered to run into fermentation. 



The chicha of South America is a fermented liquor prepared from 

 Indian corn, and constitutes the wine of the Cordilleras. The grain 

 is steeped for six or eight hours in water, bruised upon a stone and 

 boiled ; the pulp which results is then diffused through 4| times its 

 volume of water, and the temperature being from 60° to' 65° F., a 

 violent fermentation is §oon set up in the fluid, which begins to sub- 

 side after a period of twenty-four hours, when the chicha is potable 

 and now constitutes a liquor of an agreeable and decidedly vinous 

 flavor, in high repute with those who have acquired a taste for it 

 although its muddy appearance and the sediment which it alware 



