CASKS.— In early times liquids were stored in jars and carried about in skins ; but for many a long year back the trade of the cooper, or Cask-maker, has flour- ished, with the satisfactory result that vessels are now built capable of holding an immense body of valuable liquid without the chance of loss by fracture, or deteriora- tion by atmospheric action or exposure. There are now prepared for our use Casks of various kinds, varying from an oyster-barrel to the great tun of Heidelberg, which will contain 49,000galls. Unfortunately, the capacity of Casks is not regulated by Act of Parliament, but by custom ; hence it follows, as a matter of course, that the Cask measures of England, Scotland, and Ireland differ in a marked degree. The wine tun is assumed to contain 252galls., which is two butts of 126galls. each, or four hogsheads of 63galls. each. But foreign Casks are of all sorts and sizes, and vary considerably, the hogshead being anything from 40galls. to 50galls. ; a butt (of sherry) 120galls., and a pipe 114galls. Octaves are of 11> galls, capacity, and half-octaves half that amount. Casks used for storing wine in Germany are larger than those of France, and are called stiicks, containing 240galls., and half-stiicks, containing 120galls., or a French butt of sherry. Wine is exported from Germany in auras, or ohms, of 30galls. each. In some countries it is usual to store wine in vats of extraordinary size. In Sicily, the capacity of a wine-vat is often as much as 17,600galls., and some contain 30,000galls. In the cellars of Messrs. Moet and Chandon, at Epernay, are two Casks holding 33,000galls. apiece. The staves are 8in. thick, and supported on four walls of solid masonry, the head being also beautifully carved in bold relief. At the Paris Exhibition of 1878 a Cask was exhibited holding 22,000galls., and in the wine cellars at Barcelona there are vats holding from 30,000galls. to 50,000 galls., the latter eclipsing the great tun of Heidelberg. For the relative capacities of the various Casks known to the commercial fraternity of this country, reference should be made to the Table of Equivalent Weights and Measures. It may be useful to know how to clean a Cask before using it. For large establishments, several valuable machines have been invented ; but for ordinary use, it will be sufficient to rinse out the Cask with water and soda, then fill it with water, add a little hydrochloric acid to it, and allow it to stand with this in f ir two or three days, finally emptying and rinsing out with fresh water. The outsides should be thoroughly scrubbed with a hand-brush. CASSAREEP. — A condiment made in the West Indies from the expressed juice of the cassava-root, to which several native spices are added.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

CASKS.— In early times liquids were stored in jars and carried about in skins ; but for many a long year back the trade of the cooper, or Cask-maker, has flourished, with the satisfactory result that vessels are now built capable of holding an immense body of valuable liquid without the chance of loss by fracture, or deterioration by atmospheric action or exposure. There are now prepared for our use Casks of various kinds, varying from an oyster-barrel to the great tun of Heidelberg, which will contain 49,000galls. Unfortunately, the capacity of Casks is not regulated by Act of Parliament, but by custom ; hence it follows, as a matter of course, that the Cask measures of England, Scotland, and Ireland differ in a marked degree. The wine tun is assumed to contain 252galls., which is two butts of 126galls. each, or four hogsheads of 63galls. each. But foreign Casks are of all sorts and sizes, and vary considerably, the hogshead being anything from 40galls. to 50galls. ; a butt (of sherry) 120galls., and a pipe 114galls. Octaves are of 11 galls, capacity, and half-octaves half that amount. Casks used for storing wine in Germany are larger than those of France, and are called stiicks, containing 240galls., and half-stiicks, containing 120galls., or a French butt of sherry. Wine is exported from Germany in auras, or ohms, of 30galls. each. In some countries it is usual to store wine in vats of extraordinary size. In Sicily, the capacity of a wine-vat is often as much as 17,600galls., and some contain 30,000galls. In the cellars of Messrs. Moet and Chandon, at Epernay, are two Casks holding 33,000galls. apiece. The staves are 8in. thick, and supported on four walls of solid masonry, the head being also beautifully carved in bold relief. At the Paris Exhibition of 1878 a Cask was exhibited holding 22,000galls., and in the wine cellars at Barcelona there are vats holding from 30,000galls. to 50,000 galls., the latter eclipsing the great tun of Heidelberg. For the relative capacities of the various Casks known to the commercial fraternity of this country, reference should be made to the Table of Equivalent Weights and Measures. It may be useful to know how to clean a Cask before using it. For large establishments, several valuable machines have been invented ; but for ordinary use, it will be sufficient to rinse out the Cask with water and soda, then fill it with water, add a little hydrochloric acid to it, and allow it to stand with this in f ir two or three days, finally emptying and rinsing out with fresh water. The outsides should be thoroughly scrubbed with a hand-brush. CASSAREEP. — A condiment made in the West Indies from the expressed juice of the cassava-root, to which several native spices are added.

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