STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 177 



Dr. Spalding, as Chairman, also presented the 



REPORT OF WINE COMMITTEE. 



The Committee to whom, the duty of examining and reporting upon the different va- 

 rieties of wine presented before this Society, was assigned, report as follows : 



The scale of 10'J adopted by the committee was not a general comparative scale, includ- 

 ing all varieties within its range, but a specific standard for each variety ; 100 represent- 

 ing the highest excellence yet attained in the product of each particular grape. Thus 

 Coucord is not compared with Norton's Virginia, nor with any other wine. Neither is 

 Catawba brought into competition with Ilerbemont, but each variety having a scale of 

 its own, is measured only by its own specific standard. In applying this method to new 

 varieties, they are compared with some well-known kind of similar character. For in- 

 stance, new wines of light color would be measured by the Catawba scale ; while new 

 kinds of red wines would be graded by the scale of that red wine best known to the 

 committee. 



There were 23 samples of wine, one of which was made from the juice of the currant, 

 and two samples of cider. 



The best wines comprised Concord, Norton's Virginia, Catawba, Herbemont, Cassady, 

 and Clinton. 



Concord Wines. Vintage. Marked. 



• No. 1, contributed by A. II. F. Starr, of Alton 1868 72 



•' 2 do do 1868 81% 



" 3 do do 1868 79 



" 4 do John S. Benson of Lacon 1868 71 



" 5 do A. Hilliard, of Brighton 1868 Withdrawn. 



This last sample was evidently pure juice, but was not sufficiently mature to endure 



the warm temperature to which it had been subjected. Acetic fermentation had already 



commenced. 



No. 6 do by C. Delescluze, of Qnincy 1868 75 



" 7 do Theo. Englemann, of Mascoutah.1867 76 



" 8 do do do ' .1867 76 



Catawba. Vintage. 



No.9 do by A. F.Starr 1868 74 



"10 do " C. Deleschuze 1867 70 



"11 do " Theo. Englemann 1866 72 



" 12 do " do 1867, 2d quality 72 



" 18 do " do 1868 65 



Norton's Virginia. Vintage. 



No.14 do by II. <i. McPikc, of Alton 1868 76 



" 15 do " Sinnock & Co., of Quincy 1867 65 



"16 do " Theo. Englemann 1865 80 



'■ IT do " do 1866 80 



"18 do " do 1867 85 



Clinton. 



No.19 do by John S. Benson 1867 04>£ 



Herbemont. 



No.20 do by Theo. Englemann 1866 73 



" 21 do " do 1867 69 



Cassauv. 



No.22 do by Theo. Englemann 1867 85 



The must of No. 14 was reported as weighing 86° by Orschle's scale. That of No. 19 

 at 103° ; that of No. 4 at 72°. An additional sample of Catawba was sent in by Theo. 

 Englemann — vintage 1967 — which, in the opinion of the committee, was quite superior 



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