SELECTED ARTICLES. 
41 
Acetic acid is also used to increase the strength of vinegar. 
A manufacturer of acetic acid, a few years ago, recommended 
the employment of this acid to increase the acidifying mate- 
rial. Vinegar makers, who could not obtain a good article 
from the wines of a bad year, followed the advice which was 
given them, and it was so profitable in the manufacture and 
sale, that, for some time past, its employment has not only 
been introduced for this purpose, but it is added to vinegar 
already formed. 
Vinegar dealers pursue the same method, especially to give 
force and strength to the aromatic vinegars which they obtain 
by macerating fresh plants in vinegar: we may state inciden- 
tally, that the maceration of fresh plants is not only injurious 
because it weakens the strength of vinegar, but because it 
imparts to this liquid a peculiar disagreeable taste, while 
on the other hand, if dried plants are employed, the vinegar 
has more strength, and the aroma which it acquires is plea- 
santer. 
The acetic acid which is employed to regenerate vinegar 
is obtained by treating the acetate of soda with sulphuric acid, 
distilling in suitable vessels, and collecting the acetic acid 
which passes over and becomes condensed. This acid should 
not contain sulphuric acid or metallic salts. 
Jidditions by M. Julia de Fontenelle. 
In the same manner as our honourable colleague, M. Che- 
vallier, we have had the opportunity of convincing ourselves 
of the falsification of wine vinegar, especially in the interior 
of France. We have known many vinegar makers in the de- 
partment of Aude, who place in a large vat the residuum of 
the distillation of red wine, with a fourth part of wine in 
weight, and a fourth of good vinegar; the degree of acidulation 
is finally given by sulphuric acid. The fabrication of this 
had almost cost the life of one individual. He had as a pre- 
liminary step poured into the vat about 100 pounds of the re- 
siduum of wine [repasse) with the quantity of sulphuric acid 
VOL. IIL NO. I. 6 
