, the longer the liquor remains
in a mass, the more spirit is wasted by evaporation.

CHAPTER IV.

OF THE PROPORTIONS OF THE ELEMENTS NECESSARY TO FORM A GOOD VINOUS
LIQUOR.

What are the proportions of the elements necessary to form a good vinous
liquor?

We owe the important knowledge of those proportions to the celebrated
and unfortunate Lavoisier, who has proved, by the most accurate
experiments, that there must be

100 parts of dry sweet substance, or sugar
400 parts of water
10 parts of ferment, or liquid yeast, which is reduced
--- to 8 7-10ths of dry matter.

510 parts in the whole, which produce 57 parts of dry alcohol; that is,
containing no more water than is necessary to its formation, and
consequently as strong as it can be. Let us dwell for a moment upon the
proportions just pointed out, and especially upon their result, which
exceeds any thing that has ever been obtained. Supposing the weight of
each of those parts to be one pound, we shall have

100 lbs. of dry sweet Substance, or sugar
400 do. of water
10 do. of liquid ferment
---
510 pounds in the whole.

100lbs. of sugar is the quantity required to make 12-1/2
gallons of sirup, composed of 8lbs. of sugar and 8lbs. of
water per gallon, 12-1/2 galls.
400lbs. of water, at 8lbs. per gall. make 50 "
The produce will be 57lbs. of dry alcohol.

A vessel containing one ounce of water, filled up with this alcohol,
weighs only 16dwts. and 16grs. From this report, it appears that the
specific weight of the alcohol is, to the weight of the water, as 20 to
24; that is, that water weighs 1/5 more than alcohol. If the 57lbs. thus
obtained were only water, it would only represent 7-1/8* gallons; but
being alcohol, it weighs 1/6* less, and consequently gives 7-1/8 gallons
more, the sixth of this quantity, (to wit:) 1-1/6* gallons, which, added
to 7-1/8*, make 8-7/24 gallons.

[TR: Poor quality made it difficult to verify the above numbers and so
noted with an asterisk]

But 1 gallon of dry alcohol, extended in 2 gallons of water, gives 3
gallons of liquor at 19 deg., which is called Holland, or first proof; a
produce surpassing all what has been hitherto known to the distillers. I
will prove it by an example: 1 gallon of molasses yields only 1 gallon
of rum, at 19 deg., to the rum distiller; still, molasses is a true sirup,
composed of 8lbs. of sugar, or sweet matter, more fermentable than
su