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other fruit, from every species of corn, as well as from saccha-rine ami mealy roots. Their product’ons, however, so far differfrom each other, that wine contains a greater proportion of spiritu-ous, and less of mucilaginous particles, than beer; and that dis-tilled spirits are deprived of all earthy and viscous ingredients.But, as all fermentable bodies, beside the inflammable spirit, pos-sess a portion of acid and saline particles, which arc not disenga&edduring the first, or vinout stage of fermentation, another separationof constituent parts takes place, immediately after the former iseffected, without any farther discharge of air-bubbles, or intestinecommotion of the ’fluid; though a volatile elastic vapour is-oh-served to escape : thus, the spirituous parts, unless they have beenpreviously drawn off by distillation, are communicated to the at-mosphere, and this stage is termed the acetous fermentation; be-cause its productions are the different sorts of vinegar obtainedfrom wine, beer, fruit, corn, &c. Although, in most of the fer-menlable substances, these two stages naturally exceed each other;yet, by improper treatment, the acetous fermentation sometimesappears before tiie vinous can possibly commence, especiallywhere the process is mismanaged by too’great a heat; or, in thosebodies which possess little or no inflammable matter in their ele-ments. On the contrary, such vegetables as originally contain asufficient proportion of aerial and lierv constituents, willoa-ily fer-ment, by the simple means of warmth and water. But, if thoseelementary ingredients he in a manner deprived of their activity,by too many crude and viscid particles being combined with them,it will then be necessary to make certain additions, partly natural,and partly artificial, in order to dispose them more readily to fer-ment These means, or additions, are such as have either’alreadyundergone fermentation : or are easily disposed to ferment: of theformer kind are yeast and leaven; of the latter, honey, sugar,especially in a state of molasses, and other sweet suInstances, which,however, but slowly promote fermentation; nay, if they be previ-ously diluted or dissolved in too hot water, and in that state addedto the fermentable materials, they will entirely check that process.There are, besides, other means of promoting it; for instance, thedried leaves of the vine in a state of powder; cream of tartar,especially after it has been repeatedly moistened with strong vine-gar, and afterwards dried; the crumb of bread prepared in a si-milar manner, and reduced to powder, &c. If fluidity, warmth,and fresh air, forward the fermentative process, the contrary ofthese, namely, dryness, cold, and exclusion ot air, inevitably tendto prevent it. There are, however, cases in which it may becomenecessary to impede its progress; and we may then safely resortto the means above alluded to. But a certain degree of heat,such as we have before stated, appears to be indispensably neces-sary to conduct that process with success: an undue continuance,or the least increase of heat, proves detrimental, while an appro-priate temperature, in a remarkable degree promotes fermenta-tion. These different points of heat should be accurately notedand settled by the thermometer, or other certain methods; though,for common, or all economical purposes, they may be limited towhat is in general termed a tepid and a fervid heat: the formeris the bane of all vinous fermentation; the latter, or imperceptiblewarmth, is the great promoter of it. And if, notwithstanding adue attention to a proper temperature and all other circumstances,the liquor will not work of itself, it should then be assisted by suchsubstances as are called ferments, and of which we have alreadygiven some account. In the Memoirs of the Philosophical Socie-ty at Manchester, Air. Henry slates the result of some experi-ments, in which lie produced a fermentation both in bread andwort, and even in punch and whey. Conjecturing, therefore,yeast to be simply a quantity of fixed air detained among the mu-cilaginous parts of the fermenting liquor, he boiled some wheatenflour and water to the consistence of a thin jelly, which he put intiie middle of Dr. Nooth’s machine for communicating fixed airto water. A considerable portion of gas was absorbed; and thenext day the mass was in a stale of fermentation. The third dayit bore so great a resomnhuice to yeast, that an experiment wasmade on some paste for bread; for which purpose it answered to-lerably well, alter being baked four or five hours. Mr. Henrymade another experiment with some wort only; part of which warimpregnated with air in the same manner as the flour and water,mid when poured into the remainder, a brisk fermentation ensuedin 24 hours; a strong head of yeast began to collect on the sur-

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face, which on the third day was lit for tunning. In the course ofthe experiment, good bread was made with the yeast taken oil’ thesurface. 'Hie dispute which has arisen concerning Mr. Henry’smode of producing fermentation, may be easily deeided by a com-parative trial. Let two gallons of wort be put into a separate ves-sel, and kept in a moderate heat for a certain time: let also twoother gallons be impregnated, either wholly or in part, accordingto Mr. I ienrv’s method, be put into a similar vessel, and deposit-ed in the sum-'place. If the ferments ion commence in the li-quor impregnated with fixed air sooner than in the other, the airmay be rationally conjectured to induce such fermentation. Atall events, Mr. Heniy’s experiments, with respect to bread, arecertainly decisive, and those relative to liquors may thus he easilyascertained ; an object of the utmost importance to the public.

FEUMENTED LlQl’OKS, arc those obtained by the pro-cess described in the preceding article. See also Beer, Brew-ing, Cyder , M ine, &c. All liquors which have undergone thevinous fermentation, are considered as great antidotes to putrefac-tion: hence the total abstinence fiom them is assigned as one ofthe chief causes w hy the Turks are more liable to the plague, andother contagious diseases, than those nations among whom beer orwine is the common beverage. It has farther been remarked, andperhaps with justice, tbit since the c ustom of brewing and distil-ling liquors has prevailed in Kurope, many of those cutaneous aswell ax putrid disease-, with which our forefathers were afflicted,leave been less severe, and less frequent than they occurred ii\former ages. On the other baud, it is certain that all fermentedliquors contain a considerable portion of air, which appears tercombine tile spirituous with the viscous parts, and which must ne-cessarily be disengaged, before they are carried through the dill’er-ent organs of secretion. The developement and discharge of theseaerial particles, however, is not effected without considerable ef-forts: hence it mav lie safely asserted, that fermented liquors areless conducive to a sound and vigorous digestion of food than plainwater. Yet, with respect to their influence on the human mind,it cannot be denied that such liquors in general have the effect ofenlivening and exhilarating the spirits, especially of those who arenaturally deficient in mental energy, or possess a weak and debili-tated fiame. Some writers, however, are of opinion, that theyalso have a strong tendency to corrupt the morals or mankind ; aneffect w hich they evidently produce, even in temperate climates,when taken to excess.

FERMO, a city of Italy, in the marquisato of Ancona , on thecoast of tiie Adriatic, 17 miles S. E. of Macerata . Lon. 13. 50,E. Lat. 43. 6. N.

EEKMOSA, or BENIN 7 , a river of Africa , which runs intotin: Atlantic, near Loubo, on the coast of Benin .

KEKN, in botany, Eii.ix. See Eilicf.s. Eern is very com-mon in dry and barren places. It is one of the worst weeds forland, and very hard to destroy w here it has a deep soil to root in.In some grounds, the roots are found to the depth of eight feet.One of the most effectual ways to destroy it is often mowing thegrass ; and, if the field is ploughed up, plentiful dunging is good ;hut the most certain remedy is urine. However, fern, cut whilethe sap is in i(, and left to rot upon the ground, is a very good ma-nure. In some places of the north, the inhabitants mow it green,burn it, and make the ashes up into balls with water; which,when dried in the sun, they use to wash linens with, and find tobe nearly as good as soap for that purpose.

FEKNANDO da Noronha, a mountainous, but fertileisland in the Atlantic, three miles long, near the coast of Brasil .Lon. 32. 33. \V. Lat. 3. 5(i. S.

Fernando Bo, or Fernand Bao, an island of Africa , in theAtlantic, near the coast of Benin , 60 miles in circuit. It is fertilein rice, manioc, sugar-canes, fruits, and tobacco. Lon. 10. 45. E.Lat. 3. 20. N.

FF.RNEL, or FERNEL1US, John, physician to Ilenry 1Lof France , was born in Picardy, about the end of the 15th cen-tury. Being sent to Baris to study rhetoric and philosophy, heapplied himself in a most intense manner. All otlie^pleasure wasinsipid to him. He cared neither for play, walking, entertain-ments, nor even for conversation. He read Cicero , Blato, andAristotle. The reading of Cicero procured him this advantage,that the lectures he afterwards read on philosophical subjects wereas eloquent as those of the other masters were barbarous. He also.

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