1827 Wine and spirit adulterators unmasked

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It is an old saying, * That good Wine needs no bush ;' but when some of the uses to which these vats are applied, are fairly explained and under- stood, I think it will not be less obviously trite, ' That good Wine needs no vat.' The present plan of adulterating, and particu- where the advertising concerns are large, is by the aid of vats, which vary in their contents from 800, to 1000, gallons each, and of which, to describe fully the whole of the advantages derived from them, would require much greater space, than the limits of this work afford. To give my Readers, however, some idea of their general utility, it must be understood that they are of ex- cellent service in enabling the cheap Wine vender to adulterate to a greater extent, and more easily to combine the different compositions, intended to be introduced into them. The immense body of Wine lying together, tends greatly to assimilate the flavors, and more effectually to conceal from discovery, any extraneous matter which may be mixed in it. The Wine, by a judicious and va- ried selection, is made to possess a roundness of fla- vor, and to form a basis, as to body, sufficient to admit of a great deal, which costs little or nothing, and from their use, arises the numerous plausible arguments which are brought forward, to justify the appearance of such highly questionable reser- voirs, by those advertisers who have them in their possession ; but the dangerous purposes, to which larly