43.4. QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, [1 Dec., 1898. 
thorough. A simple washing out will apparently remove the sour smell which, 
however, will reappear very soon, as only the surface of the wood has been 
touched and not the interior. 
Proceed as follows :—Dissolve 2 1b. of soda crystals in 2 gallons of boiling 
water, and pour the hot solution into the cask, which is rolled about and then 
left standing on the heads for several days until the soda has well penetrated 
into the wood, after which the soda solution is emptied out and the acetate of 
soda removed by a couple of gallons of boiling water, acting in the same way 
as with the soda solution. The boiling-water process must be repeated two or 
three times, after which the cask is well sulphured and is ready for wine or 
must. The above quantity of soda is for a 60-gallon cask. 
AnotHER Mruruop. 
Put into the cask a milk made of 2 1b. of quicklime to 2 gallons of water 
for every 20 gallons of capacity. Rinse well round the cask and let it stand 
for a few days, renewing the rinsing at intervals. Wash out with clean cold 
water until all the lime is removed, then match. 
TO DISCOLOUR CASKS THAT HAVE CONTAINED RED WINE TO 
ENABLE THEM TO BE USED FOR WHITE. 
Casks which have contained red wine for any length of time cannot be 
used for storing white wines, to which they would communicate a red tint from 
the colouring matter deposited on the wood, unless first prepared. Ag 
vignerons are often short of storage, and are compelled to use a cask having 
contained red wine for white, it may be useful to them to know how to 
remove the colouring matter. Rinse the cask with hot water and drain, then put 
into it 2 lb. of powdered quicklime, and roll the cask well in order that the lime 
may stick to all parts of the interior. Then pour in a little water and roll 
as before. The slaking of the lime on the surface of the wood decomposes 
the colouring matter. Afterwards rinse several times with clean water and 
sulphur. 
AwnotHer RECEIPT. 
Six pounds of soda crystal are to be dissolved in 4 gallons of boiling 
water, Pour the hot solution into the cask, rolling and working the latter, so 
that no part of it escapes the action of the soda. Repeat the rolling at 
intervals of half-an-hour three or four times. Then empty and rinse, first with 
boiling water, then with cold, and well sulphur. ‘This treatment also removes 
all the colouring matter, but unless the cask is thoroughly rinsed afterwards 
the wood is liable to remain browned, which will darken the wine put into it, 
The former receipt is to be preferred. 
PREPARATION OF NEW CASKS. 
This is an important matter, and is often improperly done, with the result 
that the wine first put into such casks is spoiled. ‘The following is a good way 
to prepare them :—If the casks have been burnt inside in the manufacture 
they must be first chained with cold water to remove all charcoal, which 
would affect the colour of the wine. Fill the casks (if not too large) 
with sea water, or fresh water with salt added to resemble sea water, or fresh 
water to which 1 lb. of sulphuric acid has been added to each 100 gallons. 
The casks are to stand full for four days, then to be emptied, refilled, and 
again emptied after four days. Pour 2 gallons of boiling water into the cask 
. for every 100 gallons of capacity. Roll well until the water is cold, and then 
empty. or each 106 gallons of capacity, heat over a fire 1 gallon of sound 
wine until it simmers, pour quickly into the cask, bung tightly, and roll about 
at intervals for a day or two until the spirit has been absorbed by the wood. 
Drain out to the last drop of the spent wine, and repeat the hot-wine process, 
rolling at intervals for some days; then empty and match the cask, and it will 
