Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-01-16
Domestic Vfnegar Making.

! Like every other business 1t Is by no
means easy to make irst-class vinegar If
the person trying TO make it does not
know how and has not the proper mater
ials to make it with. While it is a bust
ness that can be carried on to the best ad-
vantage by making it on large scale
with everything properly fitted and man
aged, it is fact that the scarcity OF good
vinegar makes it quite an object for the
careful housewife to make the article at
home, if possible.
Every organized substance in this world
has natural tendency to growth, maturi-
ty aud decay. Especially is this the case
with fruits and vegetables containing sug-
ar or other sweets and starch or other
muciaginous substances from which sugar
may be made. All these. after reaching
maturity, begin to ferment, the fist pro-
cess toward decay.
Fermentation is Of three sorts. The first
is the vinous or alcoholic, which turns the
sugar in the fermented article into spirit,
or whiskey. 1t assisted here by proper
dccantationS or separations from impure
ties and excluded from the air wine Is
produced. But if not stopped the iermen-
tation rapidly passes into the sour or acct
Gus stage by which vinegar Is formed
This again may be checked here by purl-
feation and keeping from the air SO as to
be good for an indefinite length Of time
even years. But il not so checked, the
third and last stage, the putretactiye, goes
rapidly on, the fluid being entirely decom'
posed aud spoiled so il is good Tor moth
I Ing at ali. In making vinegar, the ma
ture Of these stages OF the process ought
to be attained, and when reached kept
there by careful and skilled management.
Auy substance that is sweet will make
viueger, Of quality good or bad accord
ing TO the material used. Good vinegar
ought to be made Of acctic acid, obtained
! 10y fcrmcnting sugar or other pure sweet,
and nothing else. Commercial yiuega. is
largely composed OF suphuric acid, GER
tain percentage Of which is allowed by
law. though much more than this Is near
. ly always used. This Is IN adulteratiOn
that INJURIES the article for domestic use.
Apple and grape juice, made as pure
and clear as possible, makes very superior
vinegar the essential oils in tsem adding
greatly to its flavor. Still they are not all
necessary and an equally good article
may be made from pure sugar alone.
The first step toward success IN small
domestic way Is to produce a few gallons
Of really good vinegar from some IN
doubted source to make start with. In
less this en- be done the process l. slow.
difficult one, requiring much skill. But +
few gallons eau be produced it is only
necessary to place this III a perfectly clean
barrel or other vessel, IN some location
where the temperature can be kept even
and near 100 degrees as possible, adding
at first vary small quantities Of the sweet
fluid desired to be turned into vinegar. If
there are five gallons Of good vinegar in u
clean barrel half gallon OF water IN
which q pound OF pure white sugar has
been dissolved, viii aS,imi.a;c with the
vinegar IN iorJy-eisat hours, aud all will
be rood alike. The mixture should not be
agltated or shook at all when it Is made.
In few days add another half gallon Of
the mixture, putting IN more as the guam
tity increases, If /; Is desired to increase
Il. Ii lot. add only as the vinegar is taken
out for use. This Will maze a most excel
lent quality Of the desired article 4. the
cost of about twenty-five cents gallon,
or the cost Of two pounds Of pure sugar
added to u gallon Of water, aal Is per-
haps the best way to obtain really SUI
perior article. The same method may tie
used with apple, grape, plum, peach, wa
termelou, or other juices, taking care that
they are clean aud pure when poured in
the vinegar barrel or the whole may be
injured. They must also be added iu very
small quantities, daily il necessary.
BY using a number Of barrels. if the
supply Of sacchariue matter Is large, q
large quantity may be made in ,hsrt
time. Bu, it must be borne in mind that
to have a.really frst-cIass article nothing
but the best materials ought to be used,
and in a skillful manner. 1t is the easiest
thing in the world to have good vinegar,
/ if the operator knows how to do it and
goes at 1t right. 1t Is equally easy, and
even easier, to spoil the whole thing when
the proper articles are not used in the
right way
Nearly twenty years ago the writer set
up vinegar barrel in the way above de-
scribcd, aud by adding grape juice a: this
season Of the year has always had plenty
on hand. When grapes can tc bought at
one to three cents a pound, they are the
cheapest article that can be converted in.
to vinegar, strainlng the juice carefully
one day, adding a pint of water to every
gal!on-letting it stand twenty-iour hours,
carefully pouring off from the sediment
and adding gradually to the vinegar bar
rel. Cor. Prairie Farmer.
Seeding Dorm old Pastures.
This is very common in New York and