458 KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OP THE 



year. A cousiderable quantity was shipped away, to Saginaw, 

 Detroit, and other markets. In addition to this, 5,000 gallons 

 of wine was made. Care was taken, while making the wine, to 

 observe the saccharine and acidiferous properties of the differ- 

 ent varieties of grapes, and to grape-growers and others this 

 may be of interest: 



Degrees as tested by CEchsere Degrees of Acid by Twit(A- 



iluBt Scale. ell'B Acidometer. 



Delaware 82 to 85 6 to 8 



Concord .82 to 85 5f to 6i 



Ives' Seeedling - - - 79 to 82 4^ to 4|- 



NDrton's Virginia 103 12|- 



Catawba 84 to 88 G to 8^ 



These grapes were picked during the two weeks between the 

 33d of October to the 8th of November, which accounts for 

 the difference in the degrees of saccharine in the grapes. The 

 longer they remain on the vines before the frost affects tliem, 

 the greater the degree of sugar that accumulates, as in the 

 Norton Virginia, above. They were picked last, and all at one 

 time, thus giving one quality of juice. S. P. Williams' vine- 

 yard yielded 5,500 pounds, principally the third year's bearing. 

 J. M. Sterling had 1G,900 pounds. The company have a very 

 fine cellar at the Point, and their pleasant grounds have been 

 a favorite place of resort during the grape season, being about 

 seven miles from the city, and the weather having been unusu- 

 ally fine and the roads good. 



Diedrich & Breisacher of Detroit own about fourteen acres* 

 located on Plum Creek, not far from Monroe, which, for yield 

 of grapes and quantity of wine made, excels any of the vine- 

 yards. They have picked this year about 230,000 pounds of 

 grapes, mainly Concord and Delaware, with a small portion of 

 Catawaba, from which they have made over 20,000 gallons of 

 wine. During the past year they have built a splendid wino 

 cellar on their grounds, which is constructed on strictly scien- 

 tific principles, and furnished with all the most approved 

 appliances and accessories for wine-making. The wine is 



