132 



tually the case by practice. Having so constructed a worm that I 

 could draw off separately tlie products of each of the four turns, I ob- 

 tained from a very wesk Toulouse wine seven eighths Dutch proof 

 spirit; the same wine by the old method gave only one eighth plain 

 brandy. The intercepting of the product at each turn I effected in 

 the following manner. Each turn was furnished with a very slender 

 lateral pipe, about the thickness of a finger and ending in a faucet and 

 tap. A crescent-shaped valve placed just before the opening of the 

 pipe into the worm obliges the condensed liquid to trickle into the 

 pipe, and a slight elbow above and below the pipe prevents any 

 of the steam from running in the same direction. Each of these 

 pipes f jliows the main-worm in all its convolutions, comes out of the 

 condenser by the same opening ; and is led thence, each to its own 

 recipient. The pipe of the upper turn has also a second branch with 

 faucet, which lets out the phlegm as soon as condensed, which is 

 perfectly worthless. A prover indicates the moment when the feints 

 should be separated, according as simple brandy or proof-spirit is 

 wanted. These feints are either detained in the boUer or set aside for 

 rectification, in all cases necessary for the last spirit which comes 

 oter, without which it is not worth the fire that raises it." 



With this simple apparatus, every thing in proportion may be ob- 

 tained, that is produced by the most compUcated stills, that is to say, 

 plain brandy, Dutch-proof and even thirty-five and thirty-six proof, but 

 in small quantities. 



Any one who has a worm of the old construction, may at a small 

 expense adapt it for this method ; nothing more is required than 

 three or four small pipes arranged as already described, and holes 

 made in the worm for the insertion of the pipes. 



Besides producing more spirit, and saving three-fourths out of the 

 feints, the worm thus furnished shortens the term of distillation by 

 one half, and consequently there is that much of a saving in fuel. It 

 took formerly ten hours to work a still, by this method it takes but 

 five ; so that, easily, and without night watching, the still may be set 

 twice a day. 



Finally, what is still better, by Astier's method, a sour wine may 

 be distilled as well as any other, without (so I am assured by many 

 correspondents, who have tried it) the lea^ taint being perceptible 

 in the brandy. Of course, the spirit is less in quantity, because 

 the acidified proportion of the wine renders none ; but whatever is 

 obtained, is free from acerbity ; and all the acid separates and flows 

 out by the first pipe, which gives an opportunity of turning the ace- 

 tous portion to profit. 



