446 



transfers it down the tube B A, Fig. 2, into No. II., which, when 

 filled up to the lev^l of its tube B, is likewise allowed to stand for 

 a quarter of an hour or so. The same process is repeated until 

 Nos. III. and IV. are filled with water. After an interval of 

 quarter of an hour, more water still is run down into No. I., and 

 this fresh addition drives an equivalent amount out of No. IV., by 

 the overflow C into some empty cask provided for receiving it. In 

 this manner, a clear piquette, almost as strong as the wine itself, is 

 obtained. By this time the skins in No. I. are fairly exhausted of 

 wine. That vat is then emptied and charged again with fresh 

 skins from, the press. Overflow C of No. IV. is then corked, and 

 that of the freshly filled No. I. opened. Tube B is, on the other 

 hand, between IV. and I., opened, and the cork is replaced by a 

 sieve cap, whilst tube B is shut off between I. and II. The funnel 

 D is moved to the descending tube between I. and II., and another 

 dose of water run down No. II., whilst/an equivalent amount is 

 collected from No. I. By a similar method the exhausted skins in 

 No. II. are replaced by fresh skins from the press. Outlet C of 

 No. II. is corked, and that of No. III. is open, and tube B between 



III. and IV. is blocked. The same process is continued when No. 



IV. becomes the last vessel the piquette runs through. In this 

 way, once the battery is in full running order, water is each time 

 poured into the nearly exhausted vat, and the vinous liquid col- 

 lected from the vat which has been last charged with fresh skins. 

 The vessel with the exhausted skins is then emptied and recharged; 

 the connection is established between this and the preceding one, 

 and stopped between it and the succeeding one. 



The piquette thus extracted keeps fairly well, and when dis- 

 tilled at the wine-maker's leisure, yields a purer and less injurious 

 spirit than would be the case were the skins distilled straight in the 

 dry state. 



BRANDY DISTILLATION. 



The success of the distillation of grape spirits for making into 

 brandy depends chiefly on the class of grapes grown and the 

 suitability of the soil and climate. Good, sound wine is necessary 

 for making good brandy ; and as the relation of the raw material 

 to the manufactured spirit bears a fairly constant ratio, it follows 

 that those sorts of grapes yielding heavy crops of a grape which has 

 not, like the muscats, a pronounced aroma of their own, are the 

 most suitable for the purpose. 



Genuine brandy, even of ordinary grade, and newly distilled, 

 it is a well-known fact, cannot be purchased either at Cognac, 

 Bordeaux, or Marseilles, the three centres of the brandy trade, for 

 less than 5s 6d. a gallon, while the superior grades are quoted at a 

 higher price, and yet at the present time so-called " brandy " can be 

 purchased in bond at Fremantle for less than 5s. a gallon. 



