BRASS. 
fermentation. Generally speaking, the 
wines of hot climates furnish much more 
spirit than those of colder: and sweet, 
rich, well-ripened grapes give much more 
than the cold, sour, watery fruits. The 
richest wines furnish as much as a third of 
spirit ; and the general average of the 
wines in the south of France and Spain is 
Stated to be, by Chaptal, about a fourth. 
On the other hand, some of the northern 
wines (though perfect as Wines) give no 
more titan a fifteenth of spirit. The manu- 
facture of brandy in other countries very 
closely resembles the French process which 
we have just described. Thus, in Spain, 
the still is filled to four-fifths of its contents 
with wine, the capital luted on, a fire kin- 
dled, and, in about an hour and a half, the 
spirit begins to come over. About a fifth 
of the entire quantity of wine is proof spi- 
rit, in which olive oil sinks, and comes over 
fit to be used, without farther process ; and 
as much of inferior and weaker spirit comes 
over afterwards, which is re-distilled and 
rectified. When the wines are old, heavy, 
and oily, and a fine clear spirit is wanted 
at once, water is added to the wine before 
distillation, to keep down the oil. The 
principle distilleries in Spain are in Cata- 
lonia. 
BRASS, in the arts, a metal much used 
in various articles of manufacture; it is com- 
pounded of zinc and copper, in the propor- 
tion of one part of zinc to three of copper. 
It is of a fine yellow colour, and more tusi- 
ble than copper, and less liable to tarnish 
from exposure to the atmosphere. It pos- 
sesses likewise a considerable degree of 
malleability and ductility, and cab be beat 
into tiiin leaves, and drawn into tine wire. 
Its specific gravity is greater than the mean 
specific gravity of the two metals. See 
Zinc. 
Brass is manufactured in many countries ; 
but no where more extensively and better 
than in England, in Which both the materials 
are in great abundance. The ores of zinc 
are several species of calamine and of blende, 
called by the miners black Jack, which are 
found abundantly in Devonshire, Derby- 
shire, and North Wales, generally accompa- 
nying lead ores. These are chiefly oxides, 
or carbonated oxides of zinc, and require a 
previous calcination before they are fit for 
brass-making. At Holywell, in Flintshire, 
the calamine, which is received raw from 
the mines in the neighbourhood, is first 
pounded in a stamping-mill, and then 
washed and sifted in order to separate the 
lead, with which it is largely admixed. It 
is then calcined on a broad, shallow, brick 
hearth, over an oven heated to redness, and 
frequently stirred for some hours. In some 
places a conical pile is composed of horizon- 
tal layers of calamine, alternating with 
layers of charcoal, the whole resting on a 
layer of wood in large pieces, with sufficient 
intervals for the draught of air. It is then 
kindled, and the stack continues to burn 
till the calamine is thoroughly calcined. The 
calamine, thus prepared, is then ground in 
a mill, and at the same time mixed with 
about a third or a fourth part of charcoal, 
and is then ready for the brass-furnace. 
The brass-furnace has the form of the frus- 
truin of a hollow cone, or a cone with the 
apex cut off horizontally. At the bottom 
of, the furnace is a circular grate, or. perfo- 
rated iron plate, coated with clay and horse- 
dung, to defend it from the action of the 
fire. The crucibles stand upon the circular 
plate, forming a circular row, with one in 
the middle. The fuel, which in England is 
coal;, is thrown round the crucibles, being 
let down through the upper opening or 
smaller end of the cone : over this opening 
is a perforated cover, made of fire-bricks 
and clay, and kept together with bars of 
iron, so as to fit closely. This cover serves 
to regulate the heat in the following man- 
ner: the draught of air is formed through 
an under-ground vault to the ash-hole, 
thence through the grate and round the 
crucibles, and through the smaller upper 
opening into an area where the workmen 
stand, which is covered by a large dome, 
and a chimney to convey the smoke into the 
outer air. When the draught is the strongest, 
and the heat is required of the greatest 
intensity, the cover is entirely removed, 
and the flame then draws through the up- 
per opening of the furnace to a consider- 
able height into the outer brick dome ; 
When the heat is to be lessened, the cover is 
put on, which intercepts more or less of 
the draught from the furnace, as more or 
fewer of the holes of the cover are left un- 
stopped. The crucibles are charged with 
the mixed calamine and charcoal, together 
with copper clippings and refuse bits of va- 
rious kinds, and sometimes brass clippings 
also, most of which are previously melted 
and run into a small sunk cistern of water, 
through a kind of cullender, which divides 
the metal into globtdes, like shot. Powder- 
ed charcoal is put over all, and the crucibles 
are then covered and luted up with a mix- 
ture of clay or loam and horse dung. The 
time required for heating the crucibles and 
completing the process varies considerably 
