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1 Jan., 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 3% 
kept in maceration for two months. ‘Thirdly, we require to ascertain the 
influence of the timber for bad or good on the quality of the wine stored in it. 
To obtain this result the casks, before being filled with wine, were steamed for 
six hours, and rinsed twice with cold water after steaming. After each racking 
the same wine was returned to the same cask, and kept in it for a period of 
nine months, which is quite sufficient to show any fault coming from the timber, 
. if there be any. 
CUDGERIE. 
Ovoperage.—Timber brittle. Must be employed green; if worked dry 
could not be bent without breaking. Large quantity of sap wood had to be 
taken off. It makes casks of good appearance, and there was no leakage 
through porosity. 
Maceration in Brandy.—After two months’ maceration the brandy had 
very little colour, a slight agreeable aroma, and a bitter taste; it becomes of a 
slight whitish colour when mixed with two-thirds of water. It would be 
unsuitable to store brandy, but, as all extracts of wood are far more soluble in 
brandy than in wine, I had no hesitation storing wine in it. 
Wine Storage.—On 5th March, 1898, two casks of Cudgerie timber were 
filled with must of Verdeilho and Ancarot grapes mixed. The first racking was 
made at the end of April, and the same wine pumped back into the same cask, 
It was racked again two months later. The wine was tasted then, and compared 
with a wine of same sort kept in an old oak cask; there was no difference in 
taste. ‘The same comparison was repeated in September and December without 
any noticeable difference. 
A. cask of Cudgerie was also filled with red must, made of Malbee grape. 
The wine was strong and rough, and was not likely to show a difference of 
taste due to the influence of timber when a white wine more delicate had not 
been affected. 
The strength of the wines tried in December was: White wine, 12°7 per 
cent. absolute alcohol; red wine, 13:2 per cent. absolute alcohol. 
SILKY OAK. ; 
Cooperage.—It is very easily worked. It is the best of the four kinds 
for working. It makes nice-looking casks, and keeps its shape well; must be 
worked green or else would crack; has a little sap wood, but when full never 
leaked through porosity. One year after being made none of the hoops have 
moved ; the timber did not shrink at all. 
Maceration in Brandy.—The colour of brandy was still light after two 
months’ maceration. Flavour agreeable; slightly bitter taste. When mixed 
with water the brandy becomes very cloudy, and forms a strong deposit of 
sediment. This timber would be quite unsuitable to store brandy. 
Wine Storage—Reisling and White Shiraz were used to fill two casks of 
Silky Oak. They were, as the wine stored in the Cudgerie, racked and 
returned into the same cask, so they had also nine months’ storage in the 
same casks. After that time they were clear, and I could find no difference 
with wines of the same kind and age kept in other oak casks. I was afraid 
that the effects of the spirit getting cloudy when mixed with water should be 
also felt in the wine, but it was not so. The wine cleared early, and when 
clear and mixed with water it kept its limpidity. : 
WHITE BEFCH. 
Cooperaye.—Easy to work; very soft; does not suit at all for casks. One 
only was made; it came quite out of shape, and the part on the stand became 
quite flat. Having been kept empty for a fortnight, it was with the greatest 
difficulty that it was made fit to hold wine again. 
Maceration in Brandy.—The brandy was coloured dark; pretty strong 
aroma, not unpleasant; slightly bitter; becoming whitish when mixed with 
water, © 
