VINEGAR-MAKING 230 
to remove the vinegar eels. This is mixed with a little alcohol 
of 90 per cent. volume, and some white wine which has been 
previously boiled, filtered and cooled. This mixture is placed in 
shallow dishes and covered with glass plates. The vinegar 
organism appears in a few hours as a thin scum which ordinarily 
will be pure, or nearly so. If the scum does not show any white 
spots (molds) it is gently lowered upon the surface of the vat 
containing the alcoholic solution which is to be made into vinegar. 
The result is a comparatively pure culture of vinegar organisms, 
and a satisfactory fermentation. When used in making vinegar 
from cider, this process gives a vinegar quite superior to the 
ordinary type, having a finer flavor and better keeping properties. 
The farmer who simply lays aside his few barrels of cider or 
other alcoholic solution that it may be converted into vinegar 
will not be troubled or especially interested in the matter of pure 
cultures. A little loss is nothing to him, while the preparing and 
preserving of pure cultures is an impossibility. He feels tolerably 
confident that the cider which he sets aside for the purpose will 
contain some of the acetic acid bacteria and that in course of 
time he will obtain vinegar. Whether he gets the advantage of 
all the alcohol or loses half of it does not matter much to him. 
Even if several barrels should not produce a proper quality of 
vinegar, it would not be of much importance. Sometimes he 
finds that his vinegar is stronger than at other times, and some- 
times he finds that its taste is much inferior to the ordinary grade 
of vinegar. Perhaps this raises in his mind a temporary question 
as to the reason for the differences. But he never pursues the 
subject further. 
The Preservation of Vinegar.—Vinegar is apt to deteriorate 
by standing. It loses some of its acidity, falls off in flavor, and 
may become muddy and slimy. All these various troubles are 
caused by the continued growth of the microdrganisms in the 
vinegar. In such vinegar may be found various growing bacteria, 
and very commonly, especially in cider vinegar, may be found 
