BOOK FOURTH. 



OF BRAXDIES. 



Wine as soon us well-termented, with the whole saccharine muci- 

 lage transformed into spirit, is convertible by distillation into v/hat 

 is termed brandy. I shall touch upon the process merely to lay before 

 the farmer and vine-grower, the most simple, easy and expeditious 

 means of distilling in the small way, which is often a highly advan- 

 tageous family resource to those who cultivate vineyards. I shall con- 

 fine myself to the strictly necessary directions, Isaving the distiller on 

 a large scale to recur to the professional works on that subject. 



The process is so entirely of modern date, that there is not on re- 

 cord a single fact of its being known or practised before the thirteenth 

 century, even by the Arabians so well acquainted with the distil- 

 lation of perfumes and essences. It is generally conceded that the 

 invention is due to Arnaud dc Villeneuve of Lyons. It was not 

 brought to perfection till so late as 1801, when, for the first, an econom- 

 ical and complete method was introduced by Edouard Adams of Nismes. 

 Happening to be present at a chymical lecture where Woulf's ap- 

 paratus was exhibited and discussed, he, though a mere manipula- 

 tor, was struck with the idea of a new still for wines, and succeeded 

 to arrange one; by which, with one heatmg, the whole spirit of the 

 Virine might be drawn over, and the brandy be not only equal to 

 Dutch proof, but to 35, 36, and 37 degrees, proof.* The only im- 

 provement of which Adams' method was susceptible has been made 

 by Isaac Berard, and the art of distilling owes to them both the high- 

 est gratitude. 



* These are distiller's terras for such spirit as stands at 2'jo. in the areometer of 

 Ctirtier; 2nd. such as stands at 34o. of the areometer, and was drawn over by the I2'ii 

 rectification in the old method ^ 3rd. siich as was produced by (he 13lh rectification, and 

 stood at 36o of the areometer. 



