190 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE 



with wine : anybody can make wine ; anything will make wine, 

 that is sweet or sour ; but the quality is what you are after, 

 and for the best wine it requires the best grapes, fully ripe. 

 The longer they remain on the vines, without freezing, the 

 better. They should be gathered in pleasant weather. 



The general principles of wine-making and cider-making, as 

 I understand them, are the same ; and as all are more or less 

 familiar with the process, let me call your attention to some 

 of the peculiarities in the process of making a better quality 

 of wine. 



First of all, cleanliness, — neatness in everything. There is 

 that delicacy in the flavor of good wine that cannot be tam- 

 pered with. 



In making cider, perhaps the grinding up of worms and 

 spiders, rotten apples, and the like, will not injure the cider, 

 but it will certainly not improve wine. 



We are not to expect that wine-making on a small scale, as 

 we begin in a country like this, where we take it into our 

 houses to make, can be as perfect as where, on a large scale, 

 all the conveniences are complete. But in the house let 

 woman's right prevail. The good housewife will look after 

 the little matters of neatness that men think unnecessary and 

 frivolous. "Were I to mention the extreme neatness in particu- 

 lars and detail, you would think them foolish; but they are 

 essential, nevertheless. Care is necessary in gathering the 

 grapes not to break or mash the berries ; carry into a cool and 

 airy room; spread paper on the floor and empty baskets of 

 about a bushel, in piles, over the floor. Then assort or pick 

 them over, taking care to pick out all unripe and imperfect 

 berries. They should be left on the stems as much as may be, 

 and when the weather is suflBciently cool the thermometer 

 should range as low as 50"^ or lower. If the grapes are well 

 taken care of, let them remain till cool weather, but do not 

 allow them to freeze. The next thing is the grinding or 

 mashing the grapes. That should be done as rapidly as pos- 



