465 



invasion of that other more dangerous mycoderm which causes 

 acetification. Unlike the latter, they never sink into the wine. 

 When the flowers of wine are allowed to thrive unchecked they 

 impart to the wine an unpleasant mouldy taste. 



They are easy to keep out if casks are continuously maintained 

 full, in order to exclude air. Where a thin light veil caused by 

 this fungus occurs, a good plan for getting rid of it is to insert into 

 the bunghole to a depth of a few inches a tin tube, the upper end of 

 which closes with the thumb ; that tube will penetrate the floating 

 layer without carrying any of it downwards and without disturbing 

 the wine. Fit a funnel at the upper end of the tube and pour 

 sufficient strong wine into the cask to fill the ullage. The veil of 

 microbes will float to the surface, and by pouring more wine will 

 run out through the bunghole. The ullage should be frequently 

 filled. 



If the wine has 

 already contracted a 

 mouldy taste, it 

 should be racked into 

 a sulphured cask 

 after the fungus has 

 been removed -as ex- 

 plained. Add half 

 a gallon of strong 

 spirit or a few 

 gallons of a stronger 

 wine, per 100 gal- 

 lons, fine and rack 

 again. 



Acetification is one 

 of the most common 

 diseases of wine, 

 and also one of the 

 most troublesome. 

 Like the flowers of 

 ^^^ wine, it consumes 



the alcohol of wine 



when exposed to air. Under these circumstances it transforms the 

 alcohol into acetic acid and water, as is shown by the following 

 chemical equation : 



Mycoderma or Diplococcus aceti 700 

 1 



Alcohol. Oxygen. 



C 2 H 6 + 2 = 



Acetic Acid. 



r ~*7 > 



C 2 H 4 2 



The disease generally only attacks wine that has been neglected 

 and left in ullaged casks. It shows as a film, wrinkled and velvety 

 on the surface. After a time masses of viscous matter in the wine 

 surround that film and cause some portion of it to sink. When 



