To prepare a match, melt some brimstone, and dip into it a long narrow piece of coarse linen cloth, or brown paper; when to be used, set fire to the match, put it in at the bung-hole of the cask, fastening one end under the bung, and let it remain, for a few hours.
1240. A Filtering Bag.—Will be useful in fining wines: it may be made of a yard of moderately-fine flannel, laid sloping, so as to have the bottom very narrow, and the top the full breadth; strongly sew up the side, and fold and sew the upper part of the bag about a broad wooden hoop, to be suspended by a cord fastened in three or four places.
1241. Coloring Wines.—In the coloring of wines, many substances have been used, and it is desirable to select such as may also communicate an agreeable flavor. Red colors are easily obtained from beet-root, logwood, or the berries of the elder; and every variety of yellow may be produced by the use of burnt sugar, which also gives an agreeable bitterness.
There is no end to the materials which have been used to give a flavor to wine. The flowers of elder, cowslips, clove-pinks, and mignonette, are well known. The shavings of orris-root, in the proportion of half an ounce to twenty gallons, will be found to communicate an agreeable perfume. The shavings should be tied in a linen bag, and suspended in the cask by a string, so as to be removable at pleasure, if, upon trial, it is found that the flavor is likely to be too predominant.
1242. To check Fermentation.—Sulphate of potash will stop fermentation. One dram is sufficient for a pipe of liquor. It will be useful to the confectioner to know, that by the use of the same salt, the fermentation of syrups and preserves may also be effectually prevented.