cf Champagne in France. 85 



1. They are cut in February or March. 



2. Hoed in March. 



3. Pruned in April and May. 



4. Tied or propped up in April and May, 



5. First trimming for the shoots. 



6. Pare and tie in June. 



7. Second trimming in July. 



8. Third trimming in August. 



XXI. How is it ascertained that the Grape is sufficiently ripe, 

 in order to commence the Labours of the Mintage ? 



At the end of September, or later if the season has been 

 backward, — before proceeding to the labours of the vintage, 

 in order to obtain the fruit at the most complete state of 

 ripeness, 



The stalk of the grape must be brown and woody ; 



The grape pendent ; 



The skin or pellicle of the grape tender, and not brittle 

 when chewed ; 



When a seed can be easily detached from the juice of the 

 grape : which should in its turn present a vinous and trans- 

 parent appearance, without having any green in it \ 



When the grape stones are brown, dry, and not glutinous. 



OF THE VINTAGE. 



XXTI. What Precautions are necessary for managing the 

 Grapes so as not to injure the White Wines P 



Many precautions, even of detail, are necessary in making 

 white wine. 



These consist in carefully picking the ripest and soundest 

 grapes from all withered or bruised grapes : they are then 

 put into panniers, and covered with cloths to prevent the 

 effects of the sun's rays, and to avoid fermentation. 



The panniers thus covered, being put upon the backs of 

 horses, arc conveyed to the press ; into which they are not 

 emptied, however, until afttr sun-set. From twenty to forty 

 panniers full are put under the press at a time : the contents 

 of two panniers produce half a piece of wine : forty pan- 

 niers yield nine or ten pieces of white wine, and each piece 

 contains two hundred bottles. 



[To be continued.] ^ 



F 3 XIII. Mr. 



