Page:A Treatise on the Culture of the Vine and, and the Art of Making Wine.pdf/206

 de Bullion, that the tartar, by facilitating fermentation, concurs, as well as the sugar, in augmenting the quantity of alcohol. By the addition of tartar and sugar, a much greater quantity of alcohol is obtained.

In 500 Paris pints (about 106 gallons) of must, to which 10 pounds of brown sugar, and 4 pounds of cream of tartar was added, the fermentation was well established, and lasted 48 hours longer than in vats which contained the must without addition. Seven pieces of wine, in which sugar and tartar had been fermented in the above proportion, furnished 1½ piece of excellent brandy, while it required 12 pieces of wine, made without the addition, to yield one of brandy of the same strength.

Grapes containing much sugar, particularly require the addition of tartar, which should be added by boiling in part of the must; but, when the must contains tartar in excess, it may be enabled to furnish much ardent spirit by the addition of sugar.

It appears, then, that tartar facilitates fermentation, and concurs in rendering the decomposition of the sugar more complete. But cream of tartar