3(30 ON FAMILY WINE MAKING. 



and have put it by for trial. It fermented well, and the 

 liquor has at present as promising an appearance as f could 

 -wish. Should this mode of making grape wine succeed, 

 it will be by far the cheapest wine we can make in this 

 country ; for the quantity of juice yielded by the grape is 

 jfo much more abundant, aud so much richer than that of 

 our other fruits, and it is so much easier to be gathered 

 and otherwise managed, that it must be much more desira- 

 A d vantages of ble. The quantity of fruit produced too is much greater 

 the grape. wn en the vines are properly managed, than can be gotten 



from the same extent of ground of other fruits, as to give it a 

 decided preference on the whole. I have just now in my 

 cellar above forty gallons of that wine made from the grapes 

 that were gathered from a wall of about fifteen yards in 

 length, and fifteen feet high. Nor was that crop above the 

 average. Neither had that wine above half the quantity of 

 sugar that other fruit wines would have required. I have no 

 doubt that were vines raised from seeds of the best and earliest 

 sorts, and carefully selected when they come to bear, we 

 might thus obtain a grape that would ripen very well in this 

 country without the assistance of a wall. It is by no means 

 improbable that such a vine was once known in England. 

 Black currant " Next to the vine, I agree with you in thinking that the 

 ranks next. black currant is the best fruit we have of that kind for ma- 

 king vt inc. I have seen some of it that was truly excellent. 

 It would be of great use for giving flavour to some other 

 wines. 



« When I began this letter I thought that I had nothing 

 to say ; but being once begun, it has run on to an enormous 

 length. I hope you will forgive me for it. I now speak 

 little, and write less : and it requires an effort for me to be- 

 gin with either; but, like a disorderly clock, when I am 

 once fairly set agoing, I run on perhaps without rhiine or rea- 

 son. Wishing you success in all your useful pursuits. 



U I remain, dear Sir, 



*< Your most humble servant, 



" JAMES ANDERSON." 



VII, Description 



