and the Method of making Wines . 427 
the end of an iron wire ; it is then lighted, and put into the 
cask intended to be tilled with wine ; the cask is then 
stopped, and the match is left to burn : the internal air 
becomes dilated, and is expelled, with a hissing noise, by 
the sulphurous gas : two, three, or more matches are 
burnt in this manner, according as may be thought ne- 
cessary. When the combustion is terminated, the sides 
of the cask are scarcely acid ; the wine is then poured 
into it. In other countries, two or three pailfuls of wine 
are poured into a good cask ; a sulphured match is then 
burnt in it ; and when the combustion is finished, the cask 
is stopped, and shaken in every direction. After being 
left at rest for an hour or two, it is unstopped, more wine 
is added; it is then again sulphured, and the operation 
is repeated till the cask be full. This is the process 
usually followed at Rourdeaux. 
At Marseillan, near the commune of Cette, in Langue 
doc, a kind of wine is made of white grapes called mute 
wine , which is employed to sulphur others. The vin- 
tage is trod and pressed without giving it time to ferment; 
it is then put into casks tilled one-fourth ; several matches 
are burnt over it ; and the casks are strongly shaken, 
until no more gas escapes through the bung-hole when# 
opened. A new quantity of wine is then added, matches 
are again burnt over it, and the casks are shaken with 
the same precautions. This operation is repeated till the 
cask is full. This wine never ferments, and for that 
reason is called mute wine {yin muet). It has a sweetish 
savour, a strong sulphurous odour, and is employed for 
mixing with other wine. Two or three bottles of it are 
put into a cask. This mixture is equivalent to sulphur- 
mg. 
Sulphuring first renders wine turbid, and gives it a bad 
colour ; but the colour is restored iu the course of time, 
and the wine becomes clear. This operation whitens 
