Humble Servant,
_J. Rud. Glauber_.
_A True and Perfect Description of Extracting good TARTAR from
the LEES of WINE, =&c.=_
First of all, we must know what Dregs are, or what is their Essence and
Nature, how they are resolv’d into Parts, and the Good separated from
the Unuseful, because without the knowledge of the thing we can’t give
a right judgment of it, but must erre: Therefore it is necessary that
we know what we have in our hands, that we may the safer handle it. For
this cause I shall shew the Ignorant what are properly Dregs, and which
way the better part may be extracted, that hereafter so great a Good
may not by ignorant sluggishness be laid aside, but converted to the
profit of all.
All thick matter, whether it be of Wine, Beer, Vinegar, or the like,
when it has stood a little, sends the earthy, heavy, and more thick
part of it, to the bottom, which we call Dregs or Lees, upon which the
clearer part flows, to be separated from the impurity, as in the making
of common drinks may be seen.
There was no use of these Dregs heretofore, except the making Brandy
with ’em, and the rest to be thrown out of doors, in which was much
Virtue, which Men did not think of: But that all things are not
unprofitable which the Vulgar pronounce so, and that there may be great
Virtue in ordinary Matter, I shall demonstrate by this Excrement of
Wine.
When the Juice out of the Winepress is put into Hogsheads, that there
working, the dregs falling to the bottom, the clean Wine may come out,
the superfluous Salt of new Wine, while it is squeez’d out of the
Grapes, with the same labour is separated, part sticking to the sides
of the Vessel, which we call _Tartar_; but the greater part of this
Salt or Tartar, imply’d in the turbid dregs like Sand, sinks to the
bottom. Besides, this is the property of Salts, that by a hot humour
they make a thin water, the humour growing cold, not being able to keep
all the dissolv’d Salt that is compell’d to separate, which excluded
the Vehicle, seeks a new place. If you put into the Solutions Sticks
or Strings, that Crystalline Salt, in a cubical or angular figure
agreeable to its nature, will stick to them; or otherwise it cleaves to
the sides of the Vessel.
’Tis beyond all Controversie, that the Grape above all Vegetables has
much Salt, not sensible, unless it is fermented with a minute heat,
which working by Nature, endeavours a separation, while the purer and
more liquid part retains so much Salt as the Wine has need of, the
thicker Salt being exturbated, part of which incrustates the sides of
the Vessel, part of much thickness sticks, and subsiding with them,
gets the appellation of dregs, from which the vulgar are wont to destil
a Spirit or Brandy Wine: But these dregs are not a useless matter, as
they have been hitherto thought, for much _Tartar_ may be extracted out
of ’em with little cost.
But he that shall search more narrowly into the thing, will find a way
whereby poor and decaying Wine may be made good.
In some places, as suppose in _Franconia_, _Alsatia_, _Austria_, and
the _Rhenish Tract_, most fruitful for store of wine, these lees of
wine are made nothing of, but are given to Swine and other Cattel to
drink, by which means the Tartar in it so purges ’em, that they are
soon fat; they seldom try to draw the spirit thence. Otherwhere, where
wine is not made, especially where they fetch their wine a great way,
they are much esteemed of, not only because wine may be drawn from ’em,
but also put in small Hempen sacks, are pressed in adapted Presses,
a good mixt wine flowing thence saleable to others; yet this being
but a small wine, many have destinated it for Vinegar, to which it
best agrees; but he that knows how to restore to it what it lost in
pressing, may make a palatable strong wine, not inferiour to what it
was at first: But this Secret belongs to another place, I shall here
only treat of Vinegar and Spirit of Wine.
In _Holland_, _France_, _Italy_, this pressing of the dregs and
preparation of Vinegar is of frequent use, and very profitable to many,
who get nothing but what they squeeze out of the dregs they have of
the Vintners, and convert the Wine into Vinegar; the residue of the
dregs they put into Barrels, and sell it to Hatters, which being boil’d
in water, they thicken rough Hats with it; for Wool is brought into a
little compass by hot water, and by how much the hotter that is, the
Hats are made the thicker by it: For since it is the nature of Tartar
to make the water wherein ’tis diluted hotter than fire, and since
there is much Tartar in the dregs, by virtue of which, water acquires
a more intense degree of heat, which the ignorant Hatters ascribe to
the limosity of dregs, rather to be attributed to the inherent Tartar,
hence they put so much dregs in every pot as they know to be needful to
the constipation of the wool.
And this is the use to which prest Lees are put, but if they have a
greater quantity than the Hatters use, sometimes they are corrupted,
part turns to Worms, and afterward to a most stinking dirt fit for
nothing. When they sell them to the Hatters, then the Vinegar made of
the wine prest out of them, which cost them little, brings ’em great
profit, otherwise they would not gain much by their own Art, if they
were not eas’d by the Hatters taking the residue.
But after what manner Vinegar may be made, I shall briefly shew:
Vinegar-makers dispose many Hogsheads upon Stands a foot high from
the ground, under which a pot to receive the Vinegar is set, erected
in a hot place, the upper head being taken out, about the middle of
the Hogshead they place two pieces of Wood across, sustaining another
foraminous bottom, upon which they put the Vinous dregs, filling the
Vessel even to the top, then they cover it with the head or some good
square Cover, that little Air may enter; when in two or three daies,
by putting in your hand, sufficient heat is perceiv’d, the wine which
before was prest out of the dregs, is to be pour’d to it, so that the
wine may be above the dregs, so the Hogshead close covered is left,
till on the opposite row another Hogshead can be filled with the
like dregs and grow hot; then the Wine being drawn out of the first
hogshead, is poured into this, till the dregs in the first hogshead
begin again to be hot, which are again to be macerated in the first
Wine. This mutual affusion and depletion of the Wine is to be repeated
till a just acidity follows, which may be done in the space of two or
three weeks, according to the heat of the Air; which will be good and
permanent Vinegar, to be kept for sale in another Hogshead. Presently
the first dregs being hot, fresh wine is to be pour’d to them, doing
all things as before, till this wine also shall become good Vinegar. If
you have many Hogsheads, you may make Vinegar all Summer only, but if
you will also work in Winter, the place may be made hot by the help of
a Furnace.
After this manner in _France_ and _Holland_, many Families are
maintain’d and enriched, by the dregs of Wine prest and converted to
Vinegar.
And now I shall produce my Invention, a good Gift of God, as I take
it, to good men; ’Tis certain, that in Viniferous Countries, where
much dregs are bought for a small price, they may obtain a profit
to themselves not to be despis’d; for which (next to God) they are
beholden to me, who by unwearied toil have found this Science, and let
’em shew their gratitude towards Needy Persons, lest they incurr the
displeasure of God, and so turn this Blessing into a Curse.
First of all, let there be a good Press, with a long Beam, from which
hang weights, let there be put in small bags at least 5 or 6 Firkins of
Lees, and them soundly prest.
The wine that comes out by pression, you may turn to Vinegar, either by
the help of other Lees, or some other method; pour as much of the thick
in the sacks with a due proportion of water into a Still, let it not
boil in stilling, the Head being on, apply the refrigeratory, manage
the destillation as otherwise Spirit of Wine is wont to be drawn, keep
the Spirit proceeding thence till there is a good quantity of it,
which you ought to rectifie or clarifie by several destillations: (tho
this Spirit is not abundant in the dry dregs, yet there is sufficient
to pay for the making of the Vinegar and Tartar) when there comes an
insipid water, take out the fire, open the Pipe or Cock coming from
the Still, let the water with the dregs run through the Channel into a
great sack put to the Press, when ’tis close ty’d, press it, that the
moist may be separated from the dry: the Liquor cooling in a peculiar
Vessel, and congealed into Tartar, will stick to the sides, the rest
falls down like sand: Take out the dregs remaining in the sack, dry
them in the heat of the Sun, burn them under a Still as wood, and you
will have very sharp ashes, commonly called clavellated ashes, useful
for _Dyers_, the price of which (at least) exceeds the pression and
preparation of Tartar. When you have finished one destillation with
the Press, fill the empty Destillatory with fresh water and dregs,
as before, and while you draw spirit thence, press the first dregs,
and continually put the destillation to the same Press, which coming
out hot, don’t put it to the former, but give proper Vessels to each
destillation. The day after, put the first water from which the Tartar
went to the bottom, to the third destillation, instead of fresh water,
that is, by dissolving and destilling new dregs in it, as I have
taught: Let the fæces of the fourth destillation be pour’d in the
second water, which hath let fall its Tartar, and so afterwards, by
which Compendium you will make no waste of Tartar, but what remains in
the water, may take encrease from the new dregs to which it is pour’d,
and it will give its Gain: But if you will, you may animate that acid
water from which the Tartar is separated, and with a small charge, by
Grain and Fruits of Trees, give it life and soul again, that it may
again be made Wine, not unlike the first prest from the Lees, after the
same method it is turn’d into Vinegar, (because ’tis already sharp,
the life or soul only that preserve from Corruption being wanting) the
way of proceeding will bring great Gain to him that understands it.
If you know not the administration, do as I have order’d, and instead
of common water, dissolve the hard dregs in this acid, and you will
have good Tartar; but that languid water may also be adhibited to other
uses, which I shall set down in the end of this Book: This do, that the
fæces be not burnt by too great a fire, nor the spirit stink, and the
still be spoil’d, which you may prevent if you anoint the bottom with
Lard before you put in the heavy water, and draw off the spirit. Here I
might shew a Compendium whereby the dregs, tho’ dry, should not be in
danger of burning, but it would be long and tedious to the Reader. But
if you mind diligently what I have written, you will get enough.
When you have gotten a good quantity of Tartar from the Lees, not
neat to outward appearance, but very like dirt or sand, purge it yet
more, that either it may be reduc’d to a very fair Crystal, or till it
cleaves in great Fragments to the sides of the Vessel, which you may
effect by the following Way. Fill a _Vesica_ with limpid water, almost
to the top, put a little granulated Tartar into that water, soundly
boiling to dissolve, putting a stick to the bottom, you may see when
it is dissolv’d, add more by degrees, till no more will melt in the
water, which you may thus find out: Fill a Pewter Saucer with this
Liquor, if it contracts a little skin or cream, it shews that it has
enough Tartar to produce Crystals, but if not, add more Tartar, till
you see this sign in the pot; while it boils, add the scum taken off
with a perforated Brass Ladle, to the dry Lees, which by reason of the
Tartar adhering, when burnt, conduces to the clavellated ashes; when
the boiling has drawn Tartar enough, let it be let out thro’ the Pipe
of the Still into a clean Receiver, where while the water cools, the
Crystals will incrustate on the sides; apply the rest of the water to
the same uses, you will do better; if you shall change it into Wine or
Vinegar, let the Crystalline roughness remain in the Vessel, for if you
add a new boiling, greater and fairer sorts of Crystals will be made,
because by how much the thicker this Tartar is, so much the dearer
’tis held; and thus you may conciliate thickness to your Crystals.
When it shall seem enough, pour the rest of the Solutions into another
Vessel, in which the first Tartar has concreted, let it dry of it
self, afterwards strike the sides of it with a great blow, and great
Fragments of Tartar will fall down, which you may sell for profit, put
the vessel to the same labour again.
This is the exact description of producing good Vinegar and Tartar
necessary for many Arts, from the basest dregs, and of justly getting
much profit with little pains.
Now I proceed to make the Wine which some call Adust, or Spirit of
Wine, of the Lees of Wine, without any Costs.
After the defecated Wine is pour’d out, put the fæces into the Still,
add as much water as the dissolution of the inherent Tartar requires,
kindle a fire, stir it at the bottom with a wooden Ladle, that it may
not burn to; when you can no longer bear the heat of the water with
your hand, and the spirits break forth, take out the Ladle, put on the
Head, and destil till you perceive no spirit, but meer Phlegm; the
remaining Liquor draw out into a sack close ty’d, work it in the Press,
and you will have spirit of wine by destillation, and also Tartar by
expression, concretion, crystalisation, with double encrease; as I
shall shew more clearly by and by, that before you begin to work, you
may be sure, how much you hope to gain thereby, lest you labour in
vain, maturely consult that you may discern by a premis’d computation
what is to be done.
For instance, If five Firkins of Lees cost half a Doller each, five
Firkins will yield two R. Dollers and an half; from these I press out
two Firkins of Wine, two Firkins remain in the sacks, one Firkin is
supposed to waste in the transfusion, when yet a Vessel seldom soaks
up four quarts: I turn the two Firkins of Wine into Vinegar; the two
Firkins of thick Lees being diluted with Water, I draw Spirit of
Wine, and press out the Tartar; this Wine drawn by the Fire, together
with the dregs left of the Tartar, being reduced by burning into
clavellated ashes, do equal the Charge of making the Vinegar & Tartar,
but two firkins of dregs afford from 40 to 100 pounds of Tartar, as
the Wine is sweeter or more acid, (tho’ the harsh affords more Tartar
than the sweet) but if they yield but 40 pounds, this Tartar refunds
the price of the Lees; the Spirituous Liquor and clavellated Ashes,
recompence the Wood, and the two Firkins of pressed wine you have
over-plus to be turn’d into Vinegar.
Or if you buy two Firkins of Lees for one R. Doller; first you may
draw off the spirit; after that, you may press out about ten pounds
of Tartar, both together saleable at one Doller, as much as the Lees
cost; all the Liquor of the Spirit will be clear gain, by an egregious
short labour to grow Rich. Suppose a Firkin to cost a Doller, and to
yield not above 9 pound of Tartar, each of which is worth two Bazeins;
tho’ some Lees are better than others, yet seldom any are found so
poor, that do not afford their value in Tartar; even the _Rhenish_,
_Franconian_, and _Austrian_, one Firkin yielding one Doller,
oftentimes affords fifty pound of Tartar, or more. Besides, we must
note, if the Lees are dear, Tartar and burning spirit of wine can’t be
cheap, because the dearness of them depends on the scarcity of wine:
But if the Lees are dear, the Vinegar, Spirit, and Tartar cheap, (which
yet was never known) so that the quantity of Tartar will not yield the
price of the Lees; neither also can you have the Vinegar and spirituous
wine _gratis_; yet you shall have this profit above others, living on
Vinegar and burning wines only, that the Tartar and clavellated Ashes
collected from the refuse of the eliquated wine, by others rejected,
you may get an help, that you may sell the spirit of wine, that cost
you little, for more than otherwise. If therefore he gains by only
pressing wine, or destillation of the spirit, how much rather you that
acquire both Vinegar and spirit of wine from those dregs for a gratuity?
One thing more I add for confirmation: If 8 Firkins of Lees, that cost
4 Dollers, make 4 or 6 Firkins of vinegar, or one of burning wine or
brandy, that vinegar or brandy yields 10 or 12 R. Dollers: The prest
or destilled dregs, if they give fifty or sixty pound of Tartar, they
equallize the first price of the dregs; but if there be a less quantity
of Tartar, the vinegar or spirit will stand you in but little, which
being made better, or sold cheaper than ordinary, you (the seller) will
allure buyers before others.
Some man may say, the Art indeed has been unheard of, and is gainful,
but does not agree with every age and condition; for all don’t
understand Merchandising, but rather some abhor it, seeing the
Scriptures compleatly testifie, that the fraud between the buyer and
seller sticks as fast as a pin between the stones of a wall; to whom I
answer, that to every Christian an honest Occupation is permitted by
Divine Providence for the sustentation of him and his, but he need not
burden his Neighbour in any case. For that it is lawful to endeavour a
livelihood this way, or that, is attested to by a laudable example, in
both the Old and New Testament.
This is the true way of pressing wine from Lees, and reducing it to
Vinegar, and drawing out Brandy and Tartar, and incinerating the refuse.
It remains that I set down the uses to which the rest of the water from
the Tartar may be adhibited with profit; but we must know by the way,
that the sourness in that water is nothing but Tartar dissolved, which
does not take a Crystalline form at the sides of the Vessel: therefore
this acid water performs whatsoever is effected by Tartar diluted in
common water.
Since there is no man but knows how to dissolve Copper in tartarised
water, without the help of salt, as in the dealbation of ordinary Coins
and Silver Vessels among the silver-workers may be seen, who take away
the Copper sticking in the superficies of money or silver-vessels by
boiling, the silver appearing as if it had nothing of copper mix’d with
it: to this work the aforesaid water may be very profitably applied;
and seeing that a great quantity of it remains in the working of the
Lees, it can scarcely be better imploy’d than by the following method.
If the viler Marcasites of Copper, every where obvious, and which
cannot otherwise be melted with profit, as also the _Scoria_ or dross
of Copper, which is thrown away, be boil’d in this water, it will
attract the Copper to it self; cast in Filings of Iron, and they will
be exalted into Copper, and the extracted Copper will be precipitated
from the water by the addition of the Iron. This gradation of Iron into
Copper being done, which in outward appearance will be like a dirty
Mudd, it is to be edulcorated with clear water, and then throughly
melted by the force of fire, which will yield a very fair Copper, no
way coming short of other Copper in goodness. Which Labour is very
profitable, because a great quantity of tartariz’d water proceeds from
this Work; but that it may the more easily act upon the Copper, in
extracting it from the stone or Marcasite, a little salt is to be added
in the boiling.
But if the Marcasite or Copprious-stone abound with too much sulphur,
which yet seldom happens in the more ignoble Marcasites, they must
first be torrefied, that the sulphur may be burnt, then to be ground,
and boil’d with the tartaris’d water, and precipitated with Iron;
which way more Copper is acquir’d than was in the Copprious-stone it
self, because while it is precipitated, part of the Iron is exalted to
Copper, part turns to Vitriol unlike to the natural in hardness; for
a green solution remains, whereby Cloth and Yarn are made as black as
with common Vitriol; also it affords the best Black for Shoemakers to
colour their Leather, and is naturally adapted with Oak to conciliate a
black colour to Wood.
If this vitriolated Water be boil’d in an Iron Pot till it be dry,
and the residue melted in a strong fire, you will obtain a most
tenacious or tough Iron of wonderful virtue, if not to be preferr’d
to good Copper, at least to be compar’d with it. And so the common
Copprice-stone of Iron is better than the filings or scales of Iron,
if with the Lees of wine it be reduc’d by the spirit of the world into
small Balls, when you melt them, a very ductile and pure Iron will come
out, fit for more uses than common Iron; which labours if any will
enter upon, they will reap fruits not to be despis’d.
It would not be beside the matter to annex the manner how you might use
both your Tartar and Ashes at home, neither that you might be forc’d
to sell them abroad, but it would be too long, and rather hurtful than
profitable to the present business. This I think to treat of farther
another time, by the Grace of God.
THE
FIRST PART
OF THE
Prosperity of Germany: