3 44 Oh the Cultivation of the Vine , 
protopan* JMustum sponte defluens , antequam calcentur 
uvce . Baecius has described a similar process practised 
by the Italians : Qiii primus liquor non calcatis uvis de- 
finite vinum efijicit virgineum , non inquinatum fwcibus ; 
lacrymam vacant Itali ; cito potui idoneum fit et valde 
utile . But this virgin liquor forms only one part of the 
juice which the grapes can furnish, and it cannot he treat- 
ed separately, except when it is required to obtain wine 
very delicate and little coloured. In general, this first 
liquor is mixed with the rest of the grapes which have 
been trod, and the whole is left to ferment. 
The vinous fermentation is always effected in vats of 
stone or of wood. Their capacity in general is propor- 
tioned to the quantity of the grapes collected from one 
vineyard. Those constructed of mason- work are for the 
most part of good cut stone, and the inside is often lined 
with bricks, joined together by a cement of pozzoiano 
or strong clay. W ooden vats require more care to main- 
tain them, are more subject to variations of temperature, 
and liable to more accidents. 
Before the vintage is put into the vat, care must be ta- 
ken to clean it. It must therefore be washed with warm 
Water and well scrubbed, and the sides must be covered 
with two or three strata of lime. This covering is at- 
tended with this advantage, that it saturates a part of the 
malic acid, which exists abundantly in the must, as we 
shall show hereafter. 
As the whole process of vinification takes place during 
the fermentation, since it is by it alone that the must 
passes to the state of Mine , we think it necessary to con- 
sider this important subject under several points of view. 
We shall first speak of the causes which contribute to 
produce fermentation ; we shall then examine its effects 
or its product, and shall conclude with deducing, from 
what we actually know on the subject, some general 
