467 
the thick lees are poured into casks—one for red and one for white 
lees. After a few days subsidence, the liquid wine on top is 
syphoned off, and the residuum placed into canvas bags and allowed 
to drain. That residuum is then dried in the sun or in a kiln, and 
presents the ajpearance of minute crystals, which can be kept 
until such time as it is sold, or when a sufficient quantity has accu- 
mulated and is available for treatment. The market value is directed 
by the percentage of the bitartrate, from which tartaric acid and 
cream of tartar are extracted. 
The tartar obtained from the erust deposited in the casks is 
not treated and may be sold as such. 
In the larger wineries it is of advantage to extract crude bitar- 
trate or cream of tartar from the dried lees, as the value of the 
tartar per unit is always less in the lees than in cream of tartar, 
which goes up to 80 per cent. strength, while the residue can be 
restored to the vineyard as manure. 
These extraction of tartar from the lees can be readily effected 
and requires a large boiler and casks. To economise fuel the hot 
water running from the cooler when the still is at work may be used 
in the boiler. The strength of the lees being ascertained by a rough 
test; it is boiled with rain water, the quantity of lees used repre- 
senting about 7 per cent. of pure tartar in the quantity of water 
used, 
In the case of lees generally going 25 per cent. of tartar, 
100 x 7 
= 28lbs. will be boiled in 28 gallons of water. The quan- 
25 tity need not be quite accurate. After quarter of an 
hour’s boiling, during which the mass is stirred, it is allowed to 
settle for a few minutes and the clear liquid, now containing nearly 
all the tartar in solution, is poured into open casks or vats to cool, 
the residue still containing the nitrogenous matter may be thrown 
over the manure heap or straight on to the land. On eooling the 
boiled liquid casts as crystals almost the whole of the tartar in solu- 
tion, the water is allowed to run and the cream of tartar collected. 
The rough test for ascertaining the quantity of tartar in dried 
lees is based on the same modus operandi. An even sample of the 
lees having been obtained, 50 grammes is carefully weighed, pul- 
verised in a mortar and placed in an enamelled pan of about 1144 
quart capacity. One quart of rain water is added and brought to 
the boil for about 10 minutes, stirring all the while. The tartrate 
dissolves, while the impurities settle at the bottom. The liquid is 
strained over a silk sieve and the liquid, which is collected in an 
enamelled pan, is allowed to cool for 12 hours. <A crystalline crust 
forms over the mother liquid; it is broken and carefully collected 
from the bottom of the enamelled pan after the liquid has been 
poured off. The crystals are placed in the open oven to dry at a 
mild temperature and they are finally weighed, multiplied by 2 to 
