266 ON COLONIAL WINES. 
all such should on no account be "fined " with white- 
of egg, or any albuminous matter, but well separated 
from the natural deposits of dregs by racking at proper 
seasons ; nay, more, I feel certain that if ordinarily- 
prepared tannic acid, that may be procured from any 
druggist, were dissolved in wine brandy, and a propor- 
tion (say, a bottle) to a hogshead of wine added, 
instead of the two or three per cent, of spirit, the 
consumers at home would find a more agreeable article. 
Of course the quantity per hogshead of tannic acid 
added should be made known to the agent, that he 
might have it removed to suit his customers, in the 
ordinary way, by " fining " it with a proper proportion 
of white of eggs. Nothing is more certain than that 
the quantity of superadded tannic acid can be com- 
pletely removed from the roughest or the most delicate 
wines. The above observations apply to wines sent 
in bulk, not in bottle. 
Were the above directions made the subject of an 
experiment or two on pipes or hogsheads to be sent to 
Europe, I feel all but certain the result would show 
how needless it is to fortify wine for exportation, and 
what a saving in the cost of spirit alone it would prove 
to the exporter. 
These tables relate to wines sent in to the Inter- 
colonial Exhibition 1866-7, and were operated on from 
time to time since, as opportunity proved favourable, 
not a few having been distilled several times over, and 
different bottles used. The end in view was to test 
how great were the differences observable in the produce 
of all the colonies. 
